Hyderabad: Cookies are not known to be the healthiest of foods, but if you make them out of finger millet (also known as ragi), they can be a nutritious snack. Using finger millet in part increases the total mineral, fibre and calcium content of the product, according to a study by the National Institute of Nutrition.
Scientists at the institute developed finger millet based cookies by replacing 30 per cent of refined flour with finger millet in one batch and 50 per cent of refined flour with finger millet in another batch.
R. Sinha, one of the scientists involved in the experiment, explained, “Refined flour along with finger millet flour of black and white cultivator was used in the ratio of 70: 30 and 50:50. Sugar and cream were also used and the flour was sieved finely. The dough was baked, and crispy sweet cookies were made. It was found that both combinations are acceptable. The addition of finger millet flour increased the total mineral, fibre, calcium, iron, phosphorus, copper and zinc content of the cookies.”
The study was carried out in collaboration with the National Institute of Nutrition, which has advised that finger millet be used in commercially made cookies as it adds to the nutritional value of the food. Nutritional deficiencies in children and adults can be effectively addressed by making this substitution.
