Last Updated on May 4, 2023 by Dr Sharon Baisil MD
A healthy lifestyle asks of various definite commitments. They include healthier changes in overall lifestyle like food habits, exercise, rest, etc.
Chapati is a staple in almost all Indian households. It is the simplest and most basic meal item. But does this base of your everyday diet affect your health?
Today we will answer related questions. What is the calorie of a chapati? What are the benefits and daily limits? And many more.
So let us begin.
What is the Calorie of a Chapati?
Chapati makes up the base of almost every meal, and thus it is essential to know what its calorie portions are. A regular 6-inch diameter wheat flour chapati has around 71 calories.
A regular chapati/roti provides you with 4% of your daily calorie requirement. Thus, it is essential to fill in the rest of the calories efficiently.
Coming to carbohydrates, one chapati has from 15 to 17 grams of carbohydrates. Our Indian diets are more inclined towards carbohydrates. But for healthy lifestyle maintenance, one has to take care of the variety of nutrients on their plate.
The first step towards switching into a healthy lifestyle concerns a change of nutrients from carbohydrate-centric to protein-centric. Apart from just carbs, your everyday chapati also has proteins, fats, fibres, vitamins, and minerals.
It only takes the right quality and quantity of food to manage your lifestyle and stay healthy. Counting calories is not the only technique.
Further, we will tell you better ways to include chapati in your regular diet. What are the daily limits and benefits? How to make it healthy? Etc.
Is Chapati healthy and safe, especially if you have Diabetes?
As an everyday meal staple, the Chapati is indeed a healthy item to include. It is safe for the body and also provides many right nutrients.
As a daily food item, Chapati is ideal. It helps the body’s digestive system, assists in weight management, lowers the overall amount of carbs by adding proteins, etc.
Including whole wheat, chapatis are great as they contain fibre. This assists in better digestion and management of the gut functions. It is also easy on the stomach and prevents issues such as constipation.
It is also a light bread option that keeps weight and diabetic issues under control. It is low in calories and higher in beneficiary nutrients. It is even a healthier alternative to standard rice options.
Diabetic individuals can also rely on this Indian staple food item. The Glycemic Index of chapati is only 59. This is a safe and moderate index that does not affect the blood sugars too harshly.
It is also recommended and safe for patients with cholesterol and other heart issues. The chapati can also be great for kids to be packed with enough nutrients for the day.
Pregnant women, aged individuals, etc. all can comprise their diets of chapatis. It has a lot of benefits and hardly any side-effects.
Let us have a look at what the many excellent nutrients in the chapati are.
Nutritional facts about Chapati
Your daily staple chapati can be fulfilling in terms of some nutrients too. Here are the nutritional elements found in chapati:
Macro-nutrients:
| Sl. No. | Nutrients found in one chapati | Amount available |
| 1. | Calories | 71 |
| 2. | Carbohydrates | 17 g |
| 3. | Fats | 3.1 g |
| 4. | Proteins | 3 g |
| 5. | Fibre | 3.9 g |
Distribution of calories:
Micro-nutrients:
| Sl. No. | Nutrients found in 1 chapati | Amount available | % daily value |
| 1. | Calcium | 7.8 mg | 1% |
| 2. | Magnesium | 21.5 mg | 6% |
| 3. | Potassium | 51,2 mg | 1% |
| 4. | Sodium | 3.2 mg | 0% |
| 5. | Iron | 0.8 mg | 4% |
| 6. | Zinc | 0.4 mg | 4% |
| 7. | Phosphorus | 57.7 mg | 10% |
| 8. | Vitamin A | 25.2 mcg | 1% |
| 9. | Vitamin B1 – thiamine | 0.1 mg | 10% |
| 10. | Vitamin B3 – Niacin | 0.7 mg | 6% |
| 11. | Vitamin E | 0.1 mg | 1% |
| 12. | Vitamin B9 – Folic acid | 5.8 mcg | 3% |
But despite the goodness of this Indian flatbread, one needs to consider the safe quantities. Any food can only be nutritious when it is taken in the right amounts.
Overdoing the chapati is not recommended. It is also better yielding for the health to pair your chapati rightly.
Well, so what is the daily recommended quantity of chapati for an individual?
Daily Limits of Chapati
First of all, let us cover the most important part. Yes! The chapati is healthy and safe for everyday consumption.
But there is a specific amount that best for your health. Considering a standard calorie intake for men and women, one needs to plan their portions accordingly.
So, how many chapatis can one eat in a day?
A set healthy limit is said to include five chapatis daily distributed into your meals. For both men and women, this is said to be a healthy number.
Well, this means, you can let the chapati contribute to around 300 calories daily. As the chapati is not just carbs but also rich in fibre and protein, it would not be too harsh on your health.
This number can vary depending on what your health goal is. If meaning to lose weight, you can stick to lesser than five. On the other hand, if you want to gain some healthy weight, you can add on the numbers as required.
Your diet also depends on your body’s requirements. Your physical built, appetite, health conditions, daily activities, etc. also play a major role in deciding a suitable portion of food.
For people with diabetes, this amount can range down to two or three chapatis per day. It is also advisable to pair more dals and veggies alongside.
How should you include Chapati in your diet to increase its benefits?
Well, there is more than just portion control. Preparing and pairing it right also contributes to its goodness.
Here are a few ways you can imply to gain the most out of your everyday chapati:
Proper timing:
It is highly recommended to eat most of your calories and carbs by daytime. It is better to consume the bigger meals before 4 A.M. You can stick to this rule by dividing your every day five chapatis into three for lunch and two for dinner.
Proper division into meals:
Do not include chapatis in every meal. It can be boring as well as exclusive of other nutrients.
Proper ingredients
: As we all know, whole wheat is better than white refined maida. Whole wheat or other healthier flours can also be used or mixed in making chapati. Some healthy alternatives include – Ragi flour, Chickpea flour, Bajra, Rye, Barley, Multigrain flour, etc.
Proper preparation:
Cooking also contributes to the food’s overall nutrition. It is always better to have freshly kneaded dough and chapatis. It is ideal for cutting off on oil or ghee on your chapatis while cooking them.
Adding other ingredients:
You can often add in herbs and spices to make it easier and better for the stomach. Adding ajwain, cumin seeds, etc. is healthy. Missi chapatis are also a great source of good nutrients and richer protein.
Proper Pairing:
It is essential to fill the rest of your meal with vegetables, curries, and pulses. They are essential to fulfil the rest of the nutritional requirements of a balanced diet. It is ideal for filling in 50% of your plate with vegetables for a healthy diet.
Potential Alternatives:
Instead of your regular wheat chapati, you can opt for some healthy changes. Adding in some vegetables and preparing a wheat veggie cheela is a deliciously healthy treat. Mixing in some dal can give you your nutritious Missi roti.
8 Health Benefits of eating Chapati
Along with the packed nutrients that the chapati provides, it also has great effects on the overall body. It has endless benefits even as the most basic food item in your platter.
Here are the many potential benefits of chapati:
- Primarily, the chapati is an excellent food to provide the body with energy. The carbohydrates found in it ensure an instant boost of energy. Chapatis can keep you full and energetic for long, and thus, serves as a great option for kids too.
- Additionally, the total available carbohydrates also contain enough dietary fibre. This soluble fibre encourages better overall digestion and slows down any sudden release of sugars in the bloodstream, maintaining the diabetes level.
- The presence of soluble fibre also promotes the efficient functioning of the digestive tract. The supply of roughage keeps the bowel movement regular and healthy. It prevents intestinal, digestive, and constipation-related issues.
- Including chapatis in the diet also keep the cholesterol levels in check. This is especially helpful for people with diabetes.
- The chapati is also a source of many important everyday minerals and vitamins. It enriches the body with numerous anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory elements. These keep away the risks of many chronic ailments and health conditions.
- Chapatis add iron to your daily diets. It assists in healthier and better haemoglobin, RBC, and WBC levels in the blood. Iron is also responsible for the prevention of conditions such as anaemia.
- Minerals such as zinc found in chapatis can also be useful for the skin. Chapatis also enhance skin health and re-vitalize.
- They are great options for weight management. Often, rice is replaced with the good old chapati when it comes to losing some pounds. It is low in calories, cholesterol and nevertheless provides energy to the body.
Some Limitations of Chapati to keep in mind:
- Whole wheat flour contains gluten. If you are allergic to gluten or have celiac diseases, you must switch flours. Wheat chapatis can enhance allergies.
- Be sure not to add oil, butter, or ghee to your daily chapati to keep it healthy and fat-free.
- Make sure to have fully cooked and fresh chapatis paired with healthy curries and dals for the utmost advantages.
References
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