Rice Vs wheat Roti for Weight Loss – What Should You Eat?

Hello Friends, I am Seema and I lost 28 Kilo weight naturally. You can view my weight loss Diet and Journey here.

Today we will talk, Roti is better for weight loss or Rice.

Roti and Rice both are inseparable part of an Indian meal. Roti also known as chapati is basically a flatbread having its origin in India and it is an important part of an Indian meal especially in North India.
On the other hand, the origin of rice is deep buried in the darkness of time, however, it’s most preferred in the South Indian States. No Indian meal can be complete without roti or rice or both.

Now, the question arises, which one is better when it comes to the weight loss? What do you think?

Which is better for weight loss – Rice or Roti?

Most of the people have misconception that rice are more fattening than roti. On the other hand, some people think that roti is heavy and leads to gain weight. With the help of this article, I aim to clear your confusion about wheat chapati, rice, and of course weight loss.

Well, considering an average serving amount of wheat roti and rice, it turns out that both roti and rice are almost similar when we compare their carbohydrates level and calorific value.

Let’s have a look:

Nutritional Value: Roti Vs Rice

Nutritional Value of Rice and Wheat Chapati in 120 Grams Quantity of Each

No. Nutrients Roti (Wheat) White Rice
1 Calories 120 130
2 Fat 3 gm 0.3 gm
9 Carbs 20 gm 28 gm
12 Protein 4 gm 2.7 gm
10 Dietary Fiber 3 gm 0.4 gm
7 Sodium 190 mg 1 mg
8 Potassium 0 mg 35 mg
11 Sugars 0 gm 0.1 gm
13 Vitamin A 0% 0%

Now considering the carbohydrates levels and caloric value of Roti and rice, you might be thinking that it’s a tough call to take. Well, let me put light on some crucial points that might help you a lot to make your decision wisely. Don’t be biased, just look through the facts and you will be able to make your choice.

Note: 

1g carbs= 4 Calories

1g Protein= 4 Calories

1g Fat= 9 Calories

If you are following a 1200 calories diet then 50% of your calories must come from carbohydrates, 20% from protein, and 30% from the fat. Therefore, plan your diet accordingly.

Caloric Value

When it comes to weight loss, calories are number one consideration. After all, you have to eat fewer calories than you can burn to lose weight. Having a look at the above tables, it might be very clear to you that both Rice and Roti contains equal amount of calories when taken a certain proportion. But, you might need the bigger proportion of rice to settle your hunger as they are quite light to eat. Therefore, when you eat rice instead of roti, you end up consuming slightly more calories than roti. This makes roti a winner here.

Carbohydrates Levels

Carbs are a big no when it comes to weight loss. Although you are allowed to eat carbohydrates, but you must always take them in moderation. You can’t eat too much of them. Rice and wheat chapati both are same in terms of carbohydrates level, but again the serving amount counts. You might need more rice to fill your tummy and that means rice gives you more carbs that roti. So, what would you prefer?

Nutrition

Looking at the above nutritional value tables, you can see that there is huge difference between the nutritional value of roti and rice. When we compare both, it is quite clear that roti contains more fiber and protein than rice does. Protein and fiber both are considered as important parameters to promote fat burning and weight reduction. Therefore, roti is considered to be the healthier choice than rice.

Satiety

Satiety is also an important factor that controls the process of overcoming obesity. Rice contains the starch content which makes it easier to digest. Therefore, you will probably get hungry soon if you have consumed rice. On the other hand, Roti digests slowly which means it can keep you full for a long time. Being a good-satiety food, wheat chapati can be a great option for weight-watchers. However, for people with loose stools / diarrhea, indigestion etc. rice is a good choice.

Sodium Content

Sodium intake should be kept on track for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Sodium plays a vital role in Weight Loss; therefore, its consumption must not be too high. If you are counting your sodium intake then Rice is a better choice. 50 gm Wheat flour contains 190mg Sodium where on the other hand 100 gm rice contains only 1 mg sodium. Roti contains sodium while rice does not. Therefore, in this case, rice can be a better option for those who are avoiding sodium.

Food Cravings

Both rice and roti are an important part of our meal as we are used to eat them regularly for breakfast, lunch, as well as dinner. Therefore, both the food leads to food cravings when we start approaching the next meal time. However, if you cook rice in excess water and then drains it, and then a lot of starch content will be removed. It will also take away the essential minerals too, but the cravings will be controlled.

Conclusion

For those who are overweight & obese, chapati is a far better choice than rice as it contains more fibers. Eating rice more often, more in quantity and especially at dinner can lead to weight and fat gain. Furthermore, if you have heart problems, then rice is good option as it contains low sodium amounts.

Coming to the glycemic index, both rice and roti share the same value, which is quite low. Therefore, rice and roti do not have any major impact on your blood sugar levels.

So, for a normal person, Roti is a better choice for weight loss, while rice is better for those who are on low sodium diet.

Roti is better than rice

For reducing weight Do we have better option than wheat roti?

Yes, we do have a better choice than Roti. It’s Barley. It is a high protein food with a high satiety. For more information, read the first point here.

Can’t leave rice?

Well, I totally understand the fact that some people love rice instead of roti. If you are one of them then do not worry. You can add brown rice to your diet as they are considered very healthy and are also for overcoming the obesity.

Let’s have a look at the nutritional value of brown rice:

 

Total Fat  0.9 g
Saturated fat 0.2 g
Polyunsaturated fat 0.3 g
Monounsaturated fat 0.3 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium 5 mg
Potassium 43 mg
Total Carbohydrate 23 g
Dietary fiber 1.8 g
Sugar  0.4 g
Protein 2.6 g

 

Vitamin A 0%   Vitamin C       0%
Calcium   1%   Iron       2%
Vitamin D   0% Vitamin B-6       5%
Vitamin B-12   0% Magnesium       10%

Note – % are according to Daily 2000 Calorie Requirement.

How much rice and roti you must eat to overcome obesity?

In My opinion, if you want to lose weight, you should eat roti and rice in moderation. I can understand, we cannot completely stop eating both of them as they are very important part of our meal and we are eating them from our very childhood.

You must also remember that weight loss is about eating fewer calories than we can burn. Both of these have high calories and less nutrition. So moderate them in your daily caloric diet. If you are not sure about how many Calories you should Eat per day to Lose Weight, then find out here.

Additionally, it is very important for us that we fulfill all our body’s nutritional needs. Therefore, you should add more options like oatmeal, raw vegetables, and raw fruits to reduce weight. Pick the foods that can increase your metabolism and help you burn fatter. Don’t forget to check best Indian weight loss foods options here.

NOTE - Friends, I am not dietitian or Doctor, I write information here on the basis of my own 25 kilo weight loss experience and sometimes from online research. Please take doctor advice before applying any tip, as each and every human body is different.

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