Bajra Papad v/s normal Papad: Top 10 benefits

How many papads do we have in the market? Plenty! Probably we don’t even know the variety of flavour and types available. But the most common ones that we consume is urad dal Papad and khichiya Papad (which is most commonly consumed by the Gujarati’s or marwaris). So here comes Bajra Papad with an all new healthy prospects and along with that rises the question, why?

Why bajra Papad?

Here I enlist a few of the benefits of bajra papads and why and how should they be preferred over the others!!

1. India is the largest producer of bajra or pearl millet in the world. So naturally it should be our privilege to be able to utilise our own produce in our day to day life and especially when millets are so nutritious. Also it forms a cheap supply of health and nutrition to our poverty stricken areas. Go Swadeshi!

2. Nutritional Value of Pearl Millet:

100g of bajra contain:

Proteins: 10.9g
Fat: 5.4g
Carbohydrates: 61.7g
Energy: 347.9kcal
Iron: 6.42mg
Calcium: 27.35mg
Fibre: 11.4g

The above values are according to the data provided in the Food Composition Tables by the National Institute of Nutrition(2017). Pearl Millet (bajra) has a better quality nutrition when compared to the rice flour used in khichiya Papad and better functional properties than the other dal papads available in the markets.

3. The high iron and zinc content in bajra help in increasing the hemoglobin levels in the blood and hence maybe a potential ingredient in preventing iron deficiency anemia and other blood related disorders.

4. Almost 80% of the total fibre in bajra is insoluble fibre which aids in easy bowel movement and therefore can be used to prevent or treat constipation. Having a high fiber content also makes it an ingredient to resort to by people who are aiming at weight loss and reduction in obesity. High fibre makes you feel full faster and for a longer period of time(satiety) which thereby will reduce the amount of food intake. Here goes away some of your excess body weight!

5. The presence of insoluble fibre also gives bajra the ability to prevent formation of gallstones. When excesssive amounts of bile (a fluid released by liver and stored in the gall bladder. It helps in fat digestion) is released, it’s tendency to form gall stones is increased. Pearl millet prevents the excessive secretion of this bile and hence protects against gall stones.

6. Bajra being a millet can also be safely consumed by diabetics without the fear of the blood sugars rising manifold since bajra has a low glycemic index.

7. You have a problem with stomach acidity? Then you definitely need to consume Bajra flour since it is one of the very few ingredients which naturally increase the pH of your stomach and make it alkaline, as a result of which, formation of acidity and stomach ulcers is avoided.

8. Presence of lignins, phytonutrients and a high magnesium content of bajra makes it cardio protective. These components act as anti oxidant, reduce blood pressure and relieve heart stress.

9. Pearl millet is also rich in phosphorus which makes it an essential ingredient for bone growth and development and also for development of ATP which is the most important energy molecule of our body.

10. Bajra has anti – allergic properties because of which these papads can be included in the diet of a pregnant or a lactating woman. Also, being gluten free, it can be consumed by people Celiac disease or gluten intolerance.

Here I’ve listed the major functions of pearl millet and considering them, I would not hesitate to mention that bajra can be termed as a functional food. Functional food is something which serves more functions than merely providing nutrition. And today, the use of functional foods in the diet is becoming a trend. So why not use Indian ingredients as functional foods rather than foreign super foods such as kale, quinoa or the rest?!

Let’s be Indian. Let’s be healthy. Let’s be functional!