Benefits of The Indian Chapati for Weight Loss & Good Health

The humble Indian chapati or roti is also often shunned by modern nutritionists and dieticians. However, little is discussed about chapati’s nutritional content or lack thereof. This information overload leads to several confusing questions, like –

• Is rice better than chapati for weight loss?
• How many calories are in a chapati?
• How many chapatis in a day should I eat?
• Why can I eat multigrain oats or bread but not chapati?
• Is chapati good for weight loss?

This article discusses the nutritional content, health benefits, and frequently asked questions about the traditional Indian flatbread. By understanding the chapati better, we can hope to decide whether it is suitable for weight loss.

Understanding Chapati: What Does it Have?

No food should be perceived as good or bad for weight loss. Every fruit, vegetable, grain, or meat product has inherent nutritional properties. The best way to choose the food suitable for your body is to understand what it is made of and how it affects your body. Chapati is made from whole wheat and is toasted without oil or a synthetic leavening agent. Whole wheat consists of the following nutrients –

• Fiber
• Protein
• Potassium
• Calcium
• Iron
• Magnesium
• Vitamin B

If you plan to start a diet that involves completely giving up on wheat, you may miss out on some essential nutrients in your daily diet. Even those who are allergic to gluten or wish to eat a gluten-free diet must find new ways to compensate for the nutritional content they forego by excluding whole grains.

Should You Eat Roti for Weight Loss?

Even though chapatis are high in nutritional content, they are also high in caloric content. Therefore, if you are trying to lose weight – someone may suggest you give up on chapatis. It will eliminate several hundred calories from your diet, enabling you to easily reach your calorie deficit goal.

However, you must think about the nutrition you lose with the calories. Besides, chapatis are a staple element of the Indian diet. Excluding chapatis from your meals for some time may be doable, but it is never sustainable. Most Indian dieticians advise eating roti in moderation and avoid overeating.

Make Chapatis Healthier if You Want to Lose Weight

Changing your eating habits is an essential part of weight loss. While we have determined that excluding chapatis from your diet is not the best idea – there are many ways to adapt your roti to your new diet and make it healthier. Consider the following methods of changing the way you eat chapatis – 

1. Make your roti with healthy flour like jowar, bajra, pearl millet, or ragi. These grains are low in gluten and caloric content.
2. Mix multigrain atta or whole grains into your flour to make it healthier. It will increase the fiber and protein content in each chapati.
3. Pair your chapati with a bowl of boiled vegetables to make it a healthy meal.
4. Reduce the size or number of chapatis you eat in one meal. It will reduce the calorie intake while allowing you to have a satisfying meal.

Health Benefits of Chapati

Here is a look at the health benefits of chapati for those trying to lose weight –

1. Chapati may seem higher in caloric content when compared to soup or boiled vegetables, but one chapati is only 70 calories. That is much less than rice or other forms of carbohydrates.
2. As whole wheat is rich in iron, it helps maintain a healthy hemoglobin level in your blood.
3. As mentioned above, chapatis are rich in vitamins B and E. Whole wheat flour also contains critical minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium, iodine, and silicone.
4. The high fiber content in chapatis helps to keep your gut healthy and lowers the risk of digestive issues like constipation.
5. Chapatis are rich in zinc. Zinc is an essential nutrient for hair and skin health. Zinc also helps improve immunity to help your body fight viruses and bacteria.
6. Due to the caloric content of the chapati, it can keep you satiated for longer. You feel energetic for longer, helping suppress the urge to snack and reduce your overall calorie intake.
7. Chapatis can be made from other low-calorie flour options like chickpea, bajra, or ragi flour.

Eating in moderation is the key to eating a balanced diet while trying to lose weight. Chapatis can help you feel satiated and energetic while cutting down on food with low nutrition can help.

you lose weight. It would be safe to say that you should continue to eat chapatis when trying to lose weight. Eating chapatis will not hinder your efforts for weight loss but help you through it.