You may not have heard of khakhra, but it is a popular Indian weight loss snack among Gujarati, Rajasthani, and Punjabi communities. This thin hand-made cracker goes well with pickles and chutneys.
What is khakhra?
Khakhra is made by combining wheat flour, rice flour, millet flour, and spices into small round dough balls and rolling them, similar to the Indian flatbread chapatti or roti. Khakhra is baked rather than fried. Sometimes khakhra is made entirely of wheat flour (atta), and other times it is made by combining different flours with spices or masala.
Black millet flour (bajra), wheat flour, rice flour, fenugreek (methi) or ajwain, ginger-garlic-green chilli paste, turmeric powder, a little oil, water, and salt to taste are common ingredients in khakhra.
How is khakhra healthy?
The multi-grain and whole grain goodness comes from wheat, but the millet flour (bajra) in it makes it even more nutritious. Bajra is increasingly being recommended by dieticians, nutritionists, and healthcare professionals for its numerous health benefits.
Vitamins and more:
Whole grains are high in omega-3 fatty acids and protein. Khakhra made from bajra and atta has a high protein content when compared to other cereals. The most important building blocks of muscles and tissues are essential amino acids such as lysine, methionine, and cysteine. Khakhra is high in B vitamins, as well as phytochemicals, antioxidants, folate, iron, calcium, magnesium, copper, zinc, and vitamin E.
Diabetes:
Whole grains high in fibre help diabetics maintain normal blood glucose levels. However, too much millet can cause uric acid buildup. If you have a weak kidney or rheumatism, you should avoid millet khakhra.
Weight Loss:
If you're having trouble losing weight or are overweight, you're probably snacking unhealthily in between meals. Eat khakhra to satisfy your salty cravings. Instead of eating an entire bag of potato chips, keep a bag of khakhra in your purse.
Gluten-Free:
When made with bajra and chawal, the low-fat food is completely gluten-free. For those with wheat allergies or celiac disease, khakhra is an excellent source of complex carbohydrates.
Digestion:
Removes severe constipation, stomach ulcers, and acidity issues.
Natural Medicine:
Consuming millet khakhra reduces the risk of haemorrhaging piles, epilepsy, insomnia, impotence, high blood pressure, and tuberculosis.