Here is the right answer
For any weight loss plan to be successful, it is often recommended to cut down carb intake and increase the consumption of protein. But in a country like India, when every meal is loaded with carbs in the form of rice and chapatis, restricting the intake of this nutrient can be a challenging task. It is impossible to shun them completely from your meal. All you can do is eat in moderation. But often people find themselves stuck in the dilemma of what they should pick for dinner.
As we all know that one should always have a light dinner we tried to find out, which out of the two is a better option for dinner when your aim is to lose weight.
Rice vs Roti
Roughly speaking, there is not much difference in the nutritional value of rice and chapati. Both are obtained by processing grains and the only major difference is the sodium content. Rice has negligible sodium content while 120 grams of wheat contains 190 mg sodium.
White rice is stripped off its vital nutrients, which is present in the bran and germ portion. So, it contains more calories and fewer nutrients. 60 grams of rice contains 80 calories, 1 gram protein, 0.1 gram fat and 18 grams carbs.
Nutritional value
Chapati is made from wheat so it contains more nutrients as compared to rice. A small 6-inch chapati contains around 71 calories, 3 grams protein, 0.4 grams fat and 15 grams carbs. Rice contains less amount of phosphorus and magnesium as compared to wheat.
Besides, both rice and wheat contain folate and the same amount of iron.
Which is a better option
As per dietitian Lavleen Kaur, rice and chapati, both have their own health benefits. On one hand, rice and dal together contain all amino acids and form a complete source of protein, which is absent in most plant-based food items.
On the other hand, having chapati made with barley, sorghum, finger or pearl millet and a little bit of wheat as a binder can provide you with nutrients like calcium, phosphorus and zinc.
"Both are good options and can be consumed on alternate days. But one needs to be careful about the portion sizes and have dinner by 8 pm when the aim is to lose weight," Kaur said.
She added that having carb rich foods late at night can lead to bloating and may cause hindrance in the absorption of nutrients by the body.
How much roti and rice you should eat every day
As compared to rice, chapati is more filling. Rice does not provide the same satiety as two chapatis would give. This is because rice contains fewer dietary fiber, protein and fat as compared to wheat.
A large bowl of rice contains 440 calories, which would be a large protein of your daily calorie intake. For weight loss, you should consume half a bowl of rice or 2 chapatis.