Millets in Bakery and Snacks A New Wave of Healthy Eating

In recent years, there has been a significant shift in consumer preference towards healthier foods including snacks and bakery items.

- Prashanth Sundaresh

Among the rising stars in this domain are millets — a group of small-seeded cereal grains (such as Finger Millet/ragi, Pearl Millet/ bajra, Sorghum/jowar, etc) which are being increasingly used in bakery goods and snack innovations. The combination of nutritional benefits, gluten-free possibilities and sustainability appeal is helping millets break out of being a traditional staple to a trendy health food ingredient.

Why Millets? Nutritional Advantages

Here are some key reasons why millets are an attractive “health grain”:

• Millets have high dietary fiber, which supports digestion, gut health and satiety.

• They have a low glycaemic index (GI) compared to refined wheat/rice, meaning slower release of glucose into the bloodstream — useful in blood-sugar management.

• They are rich in minerals (iron, calcium, magnesium) and B-vitamins.

• Many are naturally gluten-free, making them suitable for gluten intolerance or celiac-friendly innovations.

• They also contain phytochemicals/ antioxidants (like phenolic compounds, flavonoids) that may support general health and reduce oxidative stress.

Millets Meet Bakery & Snacks: What's Changing?

The traditional use of millets has been in porridge, rotis, flatbreads or regional dishes. What we’re now seeing is expansion into snacks and bakery goods — cookies, cakes, bars, extruded crisps, muffins, puffs etc.

Example innovations

We get organic, millet-based cookies, cakes, laddoos, noodles and vermicelli using jowar, bajra and ragi.