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Is multigrain atta really better?

Is multigrain atta really better?

Multigrain atta is a lovely idea - but it does not have fewer calories than wheat. Wheat, jowar, bajra and besan all sit between 348 and 387 kcal per 100 g, so a roti's calories barely change. What multigrain does give you is more fibre, protein and a slower blood-sugar rise, which helps hunger - not a lighter roti.

12 Jul 2026 · Burnie Academy
breads multigrain indian-food myth

The packet says 'multigrain' and sounds lighter. You hope it means fewer calories. Here is the honest part: the grains are great for you, but a multigrain roti is not a low-calorie roti. The win is somewhere else.

Multigrain atta has fewer calories than plain wheat, so multigrain rotis help you lose weight faster.

mostly false

Mostly false. The common flours are all close in calories - wheat atta is about 370 kcal per 100 g, jowar about 348, bajra about 362, and besan about 387. They sit in a narrow band, so swapping them does not lighten a roti. What does change is fibre, protein and how fast your blood sugar rises - and that is the real help for hunger.

Per 100 g, the flours are all close

Wheat atta
Your daily default - good fibre, easy to roll.
Jowar (sorghum)
Lightest of the four, lowest fat - but only ~20 kcal less per 100 g.
Bajra (pearl millet)
Winter favourite, high iron - calories almost same as wheat.
Besan (gram flour)
Highest in protein - and slightly higher in calories, not lower.

What multigrain actually does for you

  • More fibre means you feel full longer - so you may eat fewer rotis overall. That is the real weight help, not fewer calories per roti.
  • Different grains give different proteins and minerals - jowar for lightness, bajra for iron, besan for protein.
  • Mix one part jowar or bajra with two parts wheat - it rolls easily and keeps the fibre up.
  • Watch the ghee and oil on top - that adds real calories, no matter which flour is underneath.

The bottom line

Multigrain is not a calorie cheat - wheat, jowar, bajra and besan are all within about 40 kcal per 100 g. Its real gift is more fibre and protein, which keeps hunger down so you eat less through the day. Pick multigrain for fullness and variety, not for a lighter roti.

One medium roti is about 80-150 kcal depending on size - the flour choice moves this by only ~5-10 kcal.

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