Which is healthier- Roti(Flat bread in European / Western Countries) or white rice?

Both Roti(flat bread) & white rice are an essential part of our daily diet be it breakfast, lunch or dinner.

With growing awareness about fitness, people have started evaluating nutritional value of all food items including rice & roti.

So how do you determine which one is better in terms of nutrition, calorific value & each individual weight loss objective?

Roti is made from whole wheat flour while rice is made from raw rice which is milled.

Both rice & roti has similar carbohydrate levels & offers almost the same calorific value. However there is a stark difference in the nutritional value. Roti offers much more fibre & protein & has less calories when compared with white rice. One 6 inch roti offers 71 calories while 1/3rd cup of rice serving contains 80 calories

Rice contains starch & is easily digestable while on the other hand roti digests slowly. This means that you feel full for longer. Therefore roti is a good option for weight loss aspirants.

Both rice & roti offers folate, a water soluble B vitamin. Folate is necessary to form new  cells in the body including red blood cells that transport oxygen to the body. It also prevents neural tube birth defects so it is beneficial for  pregnant females. Rice as such is better source of folate than roti since it provides 15% of daily value for each serving of folate while roti provides 4% of daily value.

Roti offers calcium, iron, phosphorus & potassium. On the other hand rice offers less phosphorus & potassium when compared to roti. Rice does not have calcium.

Roti has high content of protein, fibre, micronutrients & sodium as compared to rice. If you are watching or controlling intake of sodium, rice will be a better option. Both wheat & rice has similar glycemic index. In other words, both raises the sugar level in your body by the same intensity. 

Given consuming roti is much beneficial that rice, you should control the portion of rice you consume specifically for those who are looking to shed weight.