Pearl Millet Bread | village food | Bajra Roti

Bajra is a traditional Urdu/Hindi name (in Pakistan & Iindia) for the Pennisetum glaucum crop — also known as pearl millet.

It’s likewise known as dukn, cumbu, gero, sanio, kambu, babala, or bulrush millet (1).

The grain is primarily grown in Africa and India, where it’s a major source of nutrition. However, it’s also grown and consumed in many other places around the world.
Here’s the average nutritional profile of 1 cup (170 grams) of cooked millet (3Trusted Source):

Calories: 201
Protein: 6 grams
Fat: 1.7 grams
Carbs: 40 grams
Fiber: 2 grams
Sodium: 286 mg
Folate: 8% of the Daily Value (DV)
Iron: 6% of the DV
Magnesium: 18% of the DV
Thiamine: 15% of the DV
Niacin: 14% of the DV
Phosphorus: 14% of the DV
Zinc: 14% of the DV
Riboflavin: 11% of the DV
Vitamin B6: 11% of the DV
In general, cooked millet is a good source of protein and carbs and a decent source of fiber. It’s also a good source of vitamins and minerals. Overall, millet is a nutritious carbohydrate source. (2Trusted Source, 4Trusted Source).

It’s also gluten-free and a suitable choice for people with celiac disease or those following a gluten-free diet — as long as you ensure that you’re purchasing a product that’s certified gluten-free (4Trusted Source).

Bajra is high in beneficial plant chemicals like antioxidants, polyphenols, and phytochemicals, all of which are known for contributing to optimal human health in many ways (5Trusted Source).

However, the presence of beneficial polyphenols may also inhibit some of the minerals in bajra, such as iron and zinc, from being fully absorbed by your body (6Trusted Source, 7Trusted Source