Jowar roti vs makki roti: What’s healthier for weight loss?
Can't live without eating your humble chapatis? Switch to healthier Indian staples!
While weight watchers are often asked to ditch carb sources like chapatis and bread, what a lot of us don't realize that Indian food is also rich in low-carb, fat-cutting superfoods which are extremely healthy. Good examples include jowar, makka- which are traditional Indian staples.
But, when it comes to nutrition, which amongst these happens to be the most flavourful and healthy?
Jowar or Makke ki roti- what's more helpful in promoting weight loss?
The power of superfoods in your diet
One needs to add the right amount of good quality carbs in a diet plan to lose weight. Whole grains and flours like jowar, ragi, bajra and maize happen to be super high-quality foods which are loaded with low carbs and are excellent for weight watchers.
We discuss the one flour which garners the most benefit out of these two:
Benefits of having jowar ka atta
Jowar or sorghum is a kind of finger millet which is filled with supreme cancer-fighting antioxidants and the most dietary fibre, in comparison to other grains. It also comes packed with helpful vitamins and minerals including iron, folate, protein and calcium in it. A high concentrate of fibre content in the flour helps induce satiety and thereby, keeps you fuller for longer, restricting overall calorie intake and promotes weight loss. Fortified vitamin content also helps cut down the risk of comorbidities which can contribute to a growing waistline.
Jowar is also good for our digestive system, which further speeds up the release of bad toxins and free radicals from the system. It is also gluten-free, so can be easily enjoyed by people who are gluten intolerant or trying to avoid it in the first place.
Some studies have also said that regular consumption of jowar can lower diabetes risk, fight pre-diabetes and stabilize blood pressure readings.
Benefits of eating Makke ka atta
Makke, or maize, as it is known is a common winter staple in the northern belt of the country. It's also a healthy food ingredient to consume during the winter season and a good replacement for whole wheat or refined flour. The main difference lies in the texture and flavour. Corn flour has lower calories compared to wheat flour. It is high in proteins and starch. Maize is also rich in iron, phosphorous, zinc and various vitamins. Abundant in antioxidants, maize flour is proven to be good for eyesight and also helps in the prevention of cancer, and anaemia. Just like jowar, maize is also gluten-free and hence, ideal if you want to consume a gluten-free diet.
It also speeds up weight loss effectively. The amount of resistant starch present in the grain helps manage weight more efficiently. It also contains complex carbohydrates which takes longer to break down and induces satiety.
The difference between the two
Nutrition-wise, there are minute differences between the two grain flours.
A 100 g serving of jowar atta contains 360 calories, 72 g carbs, minimal fat and 9.7g fibre in it.
In a 100 gram serving, maize atta provides 10-19% daily recommended value of B-vitamins, thiamine and folate. It contains roughly the same amount of calories as jowar and serves 77 g carbs, 5 gm sodium, 6.8 g protein and 7 g dietary fibre. Fat content in maize flour is slightly on the higher side, containing 3.9 g of total fat content.
Bottom line
It's important to learn that both the grains and flour make for excellent swaps in your diet plan and aid weight loss. The real difference arises in the fat content in the two.
While one must follow a moderated approach to lose weight and consume all carbs in moderation, jowar atta can make for a slightly more helpful addition in your weight loss journey than makke ka atta.
What should you have?
Makke ka atta can be detrimental to your weight loss if you add fat aiding ingredients to it in excess. For example, people tend to use a big dollop of butter or white makhan with makke ki roti, popularly had along with sarson ka saag and similar other winter delicacies. Several snacks are also made using maize, which again, could ruin its nutritional properties, to an extent.
If you must have, having both the flours in a moderated quantity is advised. Nutritional experts also recommend having multi-grain flour to lose weight and gain added health benefits.