Roti versus rice: What you should eat if you want to lose weight

Rice and chapati are the two main staples of the Indian diet. A meal with rice and chapati often feels incomplete as we have been consuming both since our childhood.

But when we talk about weight loss, we are often advised to give up on rice or chapati or both in order to lose weight successfully. The truth is both have their pros and cons. But if given an option, which would be a better option for those trying weight loss. Read ahead to know more.

Roti and rice have almost the same amount of carbs and calories. The difference is in the nutritional value. Rotis are rich in protein and fibre as compared to rice, which helps in keeping you fuller for longer. Due to the starch content in rice, it gets easily digested and thus makes you feel hungry sooner.

Considering the nutritional value, chapati is the winner. But the thing to be kept in mind is the sodium content. Every 120 grams of wheat contains 90 mg of sodium. However, rice does not have any sodium. So, for people who are trying to avoid sodium, chapati is a big no for them.

If sodium is not your concern, chapati is the winner in terms of weight loss.

The fibre and protein content in rice is lower than that of chapatis. Fibre and protein in chapati help in keeping one fuller for longer. Thus even though rice is higher in calories but doesn't satisfy you as much as chapatis do.

Chapati has calcium, potassium, iron, phosphorous, fibre and protein. While rice has no calcium and lower levels of potassium and phosphorous. Since chapatis take longer to digest, it also helps in keeping the blood sugar levels normal.

Just because chapatis are healthier doesn’t mean you have too many of them. If you are planning to have chapati for dinner, try to finish your dinner two-three hours before you go to bed.

If you are a rice lover, it's okay to have it once or twice in a week. If you want to eat rice more often, opt for brown rice.