See recipe Khakhra Chivda | instant khakhra chivda | khakhra chivda for tiffin | with 15 amazing images.

khakhra chivda is where crushed khakhras are pepped up with roasted chana dal, peanuts, cashew nuts, sev and other interesting ingredients, which will make the taste buds – and of course, your kids – to jump with joy.

When kids get bored of the usual rotis in their tiffin box, you can make an exciting khakhra chivda snack with crispy khakhra instead! Made with wheat flour, khakhras are quite as satiating as rotis but can be quite thrilling for kids to munch on. It is difficult to think of something new everyday for your kiddo’s tiffin so this is one khakhra chivda snack that you can use as their tiffin treat and I am sure the box would definitely come back empty!

You can also use this khakhra chivda as a Diwali jar snack and serve it to your guests or simply use it as an evening snack and enjoy it with a hot piping cup of masala chai . When I be craving for something tasty, I add in cucumbers, tomatoes, onion, coriander with little chaat masala to this khakhra chivda making it a chaat and kill my hunger pangs by relishing it!

You can make a large batch of this khakhra chivda and store it in an air-tight container for 5-6 days, ready to send in the kids tiffin box anytime you wish. It can come in really handy on hurried days when you don’t have time to prepare an elaborate tiffin. Moreover, your kids would love it too! Also pack Quick Chocolaty Biscuits in another tiffin for a perfect short break combo.

Is Khakhra Chivda healthy?

No, this is not healthy. Let's see why.

Let's understand the Ingredients.

What's good.

1. Whole Wheat flour : (for Khakhra) Whole wheat flour is excellent for diabetics as they will not shoot up your blood sugar levels as they are a low GI food.  Whole wheat flour is rich in Phosphorus which is a major mineral which works closely with calcium to build our bones. Vitamin B9 helps your body to produce and maintain new cells, especially increase red blood cells. See detailed 11 benefits of whole wheat flour and why it's good for you.

2. Mustard Seeds: Tiny little mustard seeds, mostly added as a tempering, lend an interesting bite, exotic flavour and tempting aroma to Indian foods. Mustard seeds are from the mustard plant, which is a cruciferous vegetable related to broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cabbage.

3. Hing ( Asafoetida) : The active compound 'coumarin' helps in managing blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Asafoetida is known to have anti-bacterial properties, which helps to keep asthma at bay. Asafoetida is an age-old remedy for bloating and other stomach problems like flatulence. The best solution is to gulp down little hing with water or dissolve it in water and sip it. It can also be used along with curd or almond oil as a hair mask. It helps to prevent dryness of hair and smoothen as well as strengthen hair.

4. Chana Dal ( split bengal gram) : One cup of cooked Chana Dal provides 33% of your protein for the day. Chana dal is  heart and diabetic friendly, also rich in fiber. Chana dal has high amount of potassium and low amount of sodium which makes it very effective in regulating your blood pressure. Read this article on complete benefits of chana dal. 

5. Peanuts : Peanuts contain Vitamin B1, Thiamine which helps form ATP (Adenosine triphosphate) which body uses for energy. A handful of peanuts gives you 7.3 grams of Protein. Peanuts, Almonds and Walnuts are rich in Protein and healthy monounsaturated fats which won’t spike your blood sugar levels and good for a diabetic snack and healthy heart snack. Eating a handful of Peanuts a day is said to increase the good cholesterol (HDL) in your body which is good for heart health. Read 11 amazing benefits of peanuts. 

6. Cashew Nuts (kaju) : In general, walnuts, cashew nuts, peanuts, almonds, pistachios and pinenuts are a healthy snack to carry keep with you as they are rich in monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats and good for heart. They are a healthy snack for Diabetics. Dietary intakes of cashew and other foods rich in magnesium helps to regulate blood pressure. See 9 amazing benefits of cashew nuts for complete details. 

7. Curry Leaves : Curry leaves have antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti inflammatory properties and is thus used widely in Ayurvedic medicines. Its antioxidant action helps to scavenge the harmful free radicals from the body and protect the health of our organs. These antioxidants may also show cancer preventive benefits. Curry leaves also aid in digestion and thus one can chew curry leaves when having a tummy ache. Some scientific research has shown that inclusion of curry leaves is beneficial for people with diabetes by stimulating insulin producing cells. It helps in skin care too. Intake of curry leaves can promote clear and healthy skin as well as promote hair growth and prevent hair fall. They are a fair source of Vitamin A (promotes vision) and calcium (promotes bone health) too.

8. Turmeric Powder (Haldi) : Turmeric helps in digestion of food thus helping to overcome indigestion. Haldi may help in reducing the growth of fat cells in the body. Turmeric, being rich in iron, is highly valuable in the treatment of anaemia and both the root as well as the powder should be a regular part of an anaemic diet. One of the health benefits of turmeric is it’s anti-inflammatory property due to the active compound, Curcumin, which helps to relieve inflammation of the joints and thus is a ladder to relieve pain related to arthritis. The curcumin in haldi also helps to ward of the bacteria’s causing cold, cough and throat irritation.  Turmeric benefits in diabetes management by lowering blood glucose levels. Its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects are useful in the treatment of diabetes patients.  It is known to be a good brain food and keep diseases like Alzheimer’s at bay. See here for detailed turmeric benefits. 

9. Kashmiri chilli: Like red chillies, Kashmiri chillies also have vitamin C, though in smaller quantites than the fresh red chillies. This helps to boost immunity and improve skin health. They also have minute amounts of copper, potassium, manganese, magnesium and iron along with B vitamins. Small amounts of Kashmiri chilli powder can aid digestion, but more quantity can affect the lining of the digestive tract.

What's the problem?

1. Vegetable Oils : To some vegetable oil is only soyabean oil, while some promote it as a mix of oils like soyabean, canola, sunflower, corn and other omega-6 rich oils. These are often cheaper options than many oils, but they are highly processed oils. They are undoubtedly not to be reached out for, whether you are looking for salad dressings, sautéing or cooking.  The 5 best oils used in cooking are olive oil (low temperature short time cooking), avocado oil, canola oil, coconut oil and peanut oil. You must read the super article to find the facts of  which oil is the healthiest avoid vegetable oil.

2. Sugar : Sugar used in the recipe is also called white poison. It is a simple carbohydrate with zero nutritional value. On intake, sugar will cause inflammation of the body which will last for many hours. It will spike your blood sugar level and shut down the fat burning process. This also causes high blood sugar levels in your body. The development of prediabetes comes from uncontrolled eating sugar and refined food products for many years and the classic symptom is if you have excess belly fat. This leads to diabetes and further onwards to heart attack, high blood pressure, strokes, impotence and kidney damage. 

3. Deep fried foods : (for Sev) This recipe is deep fried. Any food that is deep fried is not suitable for healthy living. Your fat levels increase as deep frying increases oil absorption. Also when you use the same oil again for deep frying then smoking point decreases which leads to the development of blue smoke which is not good for health. Processed food, Deep Fried Foods also increases inflammation in the body and shuts down the fat burning process. Most diseases from heart, to cardio vascular, diabetes, parkinsons, alzheimer, cancer and obesity result when the cells get inflamed and then they don't function correctly. Inflammation in the arteries can cause heart attacks. So your diet should contain foods that fight inflammation in the body. That's how your body gets healthier by eating the right stuff. 

Note : 1 cup = 200 ml (standard cup available in the market). The weight in grams varies for each ingredient.

Can diabetics, heart patients and overweight individuals have Khakhra Chivda?

No, this recipe is not good for diabetics, heart and weight loss. Sugar used in the recipe is also called white poison. It is a simple carbohydrate with zero nutritional value. On intake, sugar will cause inflammation of the body which will last for many hours. It will spike your blood sugar level and shut down the fat burning process. This also causes high blood sugar levels in your body. 

Can healthy individuals have Khakhra Chivda?

No, this is not healthy.

Here are some Healthy Indian snack options.

You can have Oats and Poha Chivda, Baked Samosa with mixed sprouts, Matarsutir Kachori,  Oats Moong Dal Tikki, Baked methi muthia recipe,  Zunka recipe, moong dal dhokla recipe,  bajra carrot onion uttapam recipe , baked palak jowar murukku, mini jowar pancakes, oats upma, baked sev , baked whole wheat puris, paneer pudina tikki or buckwheat pancake as one healthy recipe option.

Oats and Poha Chivda

8 Pointers to get healthy on a Indian diet

1. Eat healthy and say yes to good home cooked food. Prefer whole grains like oatmeal, quinoa, buckwheat, barley and healthy flours like bajra flour, jowar flour, quinoa flour, wheat flour etc. rather than refined ones like maida. Have healthy Indian fats like ghee, coconut, coconut oil in your diet. 

2. Opt out of junk food, packaged food, deep fried foods. Prefer steamed snacks and other non-fried snacks. Check out some Healthy Indian Snacks. Remember to eat small frequent meals through the day as that will keep you always full and prevent your blood sugar from dropping. By starving your body through some diet, will not help you one bit. In fact, dieting will make you binge on 2 to 3 meals which is not good. 

Skip having Indian junk foods like pav bhaji, bata vada, pakoras, gulab jamun as they cause your body to have insulance resistance. The resultant is your body will store more carbohydrates as fats, causing storage of fat in the stomach causing a paunch and slowing down of our fat burning process. So its a bad cyle which causes you more more hunger and fatigue every time you eat junk food. 

3. Have 4 to 5 servings of vegetables and 2 to 3 servings of fruit is a must. Follow the logic of a vegetable in each main meal of the day and a fruit in-between meals. Check out a few Healthy Indian Soups and Healthy Indian Salads  recipes using this food group.           

4. Cut down on sugar and salt in your diet and pick honey ( very small amounts) or dates to sweeten your food. Slowly cut the sugar habit as this is not going to happen over night. Sugar  is also called white poison. It is a simple carbohydrate with zero nutritional value. On intake, sugar will cause inflammation of the body which will last for many hours. It will spike your blood sugar level and shut down the fat burning process. This also causes high blood sugar levels in your body. The development of prediabetes comes from uncontrolled eating sugar and refined food products for many years and the classic symptom is if you have excess belly fat. This leads to diabetes and further onwards to heart attack, high blood pressure, strokes, impotence and kidney damage. 

Salt and blood pressure. Apart from stress and obesity, one of the main reasons for high blood pressure is excessive sodium and salt intake. Most people find it difficult to limit the amount of salt in their cooking, thinking it will affect the taste of their favourite dishes. 

This is not true. Bajra and jowar are rich in potassium and critical for those with High Blood Pressure as it lessens the impact of sodium. Eating more Potassium Rich Foods will remove more sodium from your body through urine. So include the basic bajra roti and jowar roti in your daily diet to have with Lower Blood Pressure Subzis Recipes. 

5. Befriend a few healthy seeds and nuts like chia seeds, flax seeds, sesame seeds, walnuts and almonds. Stress. The easiest way to kill your immune system is chronic stress. 

6.  Sprouts are called ‘living food’. They are high is most nutrients and easy to digest as well. Let them feature in your meals at least thrice a week. Also Read : All Benefits about Sprouts. 

7.  Exercise 45 minutes every day. No excuse. You can walk fast, run, do weights, play your favourite sport or go to the gym. No activity reduces muscle tissue which will lead to muscke loss and all kinds of problems with that. Workout builds immunity and keeps virus or bugs away. 

8.  Sleep early and get up early. Get your body into rhythm and it will function best. Sleep helps your body to recover and makes you look much younger. Also getting good sleep prevent muscle loss, builds immunity and keeps virus or bugs away.

One cup of Khakhra Chivda is high in

1. Protein : Protein is required for the managing the wear and tear of all cells of the body. 

2. Fiber : Dietary fiber reduce the risk of heart disease, prevent the spike in blood sugar levels and hence super for diabetics. Consume more fruits, vegetables, moong, oats, matki, whole grains.

3. Vitamin B1 : Vitamin B1 protects nerves, helps in carbohydrate metabolism, prevents heart diseases and helps produce red blood cells. 

4. Vitamin B3 (niacin) : Vitamin B3 helps in brain functioning and mental health. Also healthy skin formation.  

5. Vitamin C :  Vitamin C is a great defence against coughs and colds.

6. Vitamin E : Vitamin E balances cholesterol levels, repairs damaged skin and keeps hair shiny.

7. Folic Acid : Folic acid is an essential vitamin required throughout pregnancy.

8. Calcium : Calcium  is a mineral that makes bones stay strong. Required from kids to adults.

9. Iron : Iron is essential in the chemical reactions that produce energy from foods. Eat more greens and garden cress seeds to prevent you from being anaemic. Here are the top 7 sources of iron rich foods. 

10. Magnesium : Magnesium is required for formation of bones and teeth. It helps in the metabolism of calcium and potassium.

11. Phosphorus : Phosphorous works closely with calcium to build bones. 

12. Potassium : Potassium is critical for those with high blood pressure as it lessen the impact of sodium. Eat more avocados, bananas, watermelons, papaya, plums and grapefruits. 

13.  Zinc : Zinc  is involved in collagen synthesis and this helps repair skin and helps build immunity.

Note : a recipe is deemed high in a Vitamin or mineral if it meets 20% and above the recommended daily allowance based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

How to burn 783 calories that come from one cup of Khakhra Chivda?

Walking (6 kmph) = 3 hour 55 mins
Running (11 kmph) = 1 hour 18 mins
Cycling (30 kmph) = 1 hour 44 mins
Swimming (2 kmph) = 2 hour 14 mins

Note: These values are approximate and calorie burning differs in each individual.