Whole wheat flour roti or jowar roti – which is healthier?

Rotis are an indispensable part of most Indian meals. Whether we make a sabzi or a dal, roti definitely finds place on an Indian menu. They are nourishing and satiating too. You can use a variety of flours to make roti. The most common flours are wheat flour, jowar flour, bajra flour, rice flour and ragi flour. Here let’s discuss wheat flour roti or jowar flour roti – which one is healthier?

Calories in wheat flour roti v/s jowar roti

One jowar roti is 49 calories, while one wheat flour roti is 55 calories. However this is only when we make thin jowar rotis like our regular phulkas. But, if you make a jowar bhakri, which is thicker than the jowar roti then you will probably add around 75 calories per bhakri to your diet.

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Carbs in wheat flour roti v/s jowar roti

While jowar flour roti lends 10.2 g of carbs per roti, the wheat flour based chapati will add on 11.8 g of carbs. However jowar flour is gluten free as compared to the wheat flour roti and thus can be consumed by gluten intolerant people.

Fibre in wheat flour roti v/s jowar roti

The jowar roti and wheat flour roti both are a good source of dietary fibre. With 1.4 g of fibre per jowar roti and 1.9 g of fibre per wheat flour roti, they can satiate you for long hours and avoid binge eating. This fibre is also a way to make up for your digestive health and maintain healthy bowel movement.

Fat in wheat flour roti v/s jowar roti

The fat content in wheat flour roti and jowar roti equate each other i.e. 0.3 g of fat per roti. Note that this is the invisible fat present in the flour as now oil or ghee has been added while kneading the dough.

Is jowar roti good for heart and high blood pressure?

Being high in phytochemical antioxidants which results in jowar being anti-inflammatory. This can exhibit heart protecting benefits. Further jowar is not high in sodium, but has appreciable amounts of potassium which can be beneficial to manage high blood pressure.

Is jowar roti good for weight loss?

These gluten free jowar rotis are a great way to add on fiber to your diet. Simple to make, requires just 2 ingredients (jowar flour and water) and can be served with any sabzi of your choice – be it a semi dry sabzi, sukhi sabzi or a sabzi with gravy. The protein in it will help boost metabolism and fiber will give you a feeling of fullness to avoid junk eating. Both together will help you achieve your weight loss target. But remember to not miss out on your regular exercise regime, as diet control alone cannot help trimming the waistline. Serve it immediately to enjoy its true flavours.

Is jowar roti good for diabetes?

The complex carb in jowar flour will be absorbed slowly in the blood stream and not cause a spike in insulin. But the glycemic load of jowar is 13.4, which fairs medium on glycemic load scale. So jowar flour roti served with a bowl of curd or a fibre rich sabzi is safe food for diabetics and also for those who want to live healthy and eat healthy.

Is jowar flour good for acidity?

When compared to wheat flour, jowar is alkaline in nature and is known to combat acidity. Fat free and spice free jowar roti is a wise choice to prevent acidity.

While both wheat flour roti and jowar roti have their own benefits, you can make your choice between the two which suits you the most. Healthy individuals can include both alternatively with the quantity that suits your caloric requirement.