First of all, comparing the nutritional information of whole wheat roti and white rice as these are the two most common varieties people consume nowadays.

One medium-sized roti will give you around 100 calories, 20 grams of complex carbohydrates, 3.5 grams of protein, 2.5 grams of fiber, and a negligible amount of fats.

On the other hand, one serving of cooked white rice will give you 242 calories, 53 grams of simple carbs, 4.43 grams of protein with negligible dietary fiber, and almost zero fats.

So looking only at macronutrients, roti wins, and quite obviously because it is a whole grain which rice isn’t.

Whole grains are way richer in vitamins and minerals, which support the functioning of skin hair and all other body parts.

Glycemic index

Here we should also discuss the glycemic index of roti and rice as I’m sure many of you would be concerned about it.

Glycemic index or GI is simply a parameter of how food affects your blood sugar levels.

More the glycemic index, the more it will spike your insulin levels, which is kind of bad for you.

The glycemic index of whole Wheat Roti is 62, while that of white rice is around 73. Does that mean white rice is bad? Not really.

Do you eat only roti or only rice? No right.

So if you have white rice which has a high GI, but along with that, you should also consume fiber pack curry, salad, buttermilk, etc.

The GI changes, and now it doesn’t spike your insulin very high. So the glycemic index is a relative number.

Eat roti or rice; it depends on your overall meal.

Gluten

Now let’s briefly talk about gluten.

Gluten is a plant protein that is present in wheat, whereas rice is gluten-free.

Does that mean you should not eat wheat as the west is screaming the new fact about gluten-free diets? Not really.

One should only avoid gluten only if one is allergic to it.

That’s obvious, just like you would avoid peanuts if you are allergic to them. Isn’t it?

Well, minor digestive issues related to wheat consumption can easily be tackled, which we will discuss later in this article.

Now whatever we have discussed is just the half picture. It was just about the most commonly used varieties of these grains in India. Whole Wheat Roti and white rice.

Which is good for Daily Consumption?

But let’s dig deeper and find out which is the best variety of both the grains for daily consumption.

Is it Rice?

Talking about rice first, Apart from white rice, there are many more varieties that are now getting popular. One is brown rice.

In the beginning modern science was all up for this whole-grain because it is high in fiber and is full of micronutrients.

Although recent reports are coming in according to which brown rice has some anti-nutrients which hinder the absorption of vitamins and minerals.

So modern science is beginning to change its stance and now does not recommend it.

However, Indian farmers always knew how to get the best out of rice. Even Ayurvedic Scriptures mention it.

It’s called the art of hand pounding the rice.

Basically, brown rice is beaten, which removes the anti-nutrients (phytic), which tend to bind with the vitamins and minerals making them not available for your body.

Best Rice for Daily Consumption

So which is the best rice for daily consumption?

It is hand pounded rice commonly known as semi brown rice.

Yes, we Indians have always been consuming hand-pounded rice, which sadly now is confined to the grassroots only.

Ask a farmer which rice he eats, and you will know.

Did you know that the white rice, which is the polished rice, became widespread only in the 1970s?

And the reason for its popularity is its aesthetic appeal, longer shelf life, and faster cooking time.

And you cannot be sure of what chemical has been used to polish the rice?

So, switch to hand-pounded semi brown rice which has anti-nutrients removed, offers complex carbohydrates, doesn’t make your energy crash, is not chewy, and doesn’t take too long to cook as well.

According to Ayurveda, the best variety of Rice is hand-pounded Raktshali, commonly known as red rice.

This variety has more micronutrients as compared to any other rice and is best for health.

Although it’s quite costly and may not fit in your daily diet, you can have it sometimes, though for everyday use prefer semi brown rice.

Is it Roti?

Now, coming to roti, which is mostly made of whole wheat.

Needless to say that refined wheat that is maida is devoid of nutrition and should be avoided.

Whole wheat is good, but it is the grain that brings most lethargy, that’s what our ancient texts tell us.

So you should not consume it in all three meals of the day.

Best way to Eat Wheat?

To minimize the effect of wheat, it is always best to mix it with other grains, that is why multigrain flour is highly recommended.

Whenever you buy whole wheat, I suggest that you also buy mixed millet flour and mix them together in a ratio of 2 is to 1.

Well, there is no hard and fast rule about the ratio. The idea is to make the roti easy to digest and more nutritious.

Actually, the practice of mixing different flours with whole wheat is quite common in India.

If you get flour prepared from a local mill, be sure that they use cryogenic grinders as they grind the seeds with less heat and retain more nutrients.

Else you can buy online as most brands use cryogenic grinders.

Then if you face digestive issues after eating roti, you can buy wheat bran and mix it together to make your Roti even more fiber-rich.

Basically, the best Roti is the one that is made out of multigrain flour.

You can try different varieties. Not only, it is tastier but also more healthy.

Right Way of Consuming Rice and Roti

Now that we know the best roti and best rice. Let us now discuss the essential part, the right way of consuming both these grains so that they don’t harm us rather give us the maximum benefit.

Roti

When it comes to making roti one pro-tip, the more time you will take kneading the dough, the softer your roti turn out to be, and the faster it will get digested.

If you have problems like digesting issues, skip ghee over Rotis instead put it in curries.

Some other ways to get roti digested better is combining cucumber salad at lunch and ginger salad and dinner.

Did you know that tandoori roti gets digested easily? Include it in your diet at times.

If you knead the dough using milk, be cautious of the fact that if you eat roti made out of it with something salty, the combination of milk and salt will produce toxins in the body.

Following the above principles, Roti can be consumed at any time of the day but not more than twice a day.

Rice

Coming to rice, one common practice that I have seen is that people remove the starchy water of the cooked rice, never do that as it is very rich in micronutrients.

Pre-Assess the quantity of water that will be enough to cook the rice.

Then it is always best to wash the rice first and then soak it for a few hours before making it.

Cook the rice in which they were soaked because it is very rich in micronutrients.

The best time to eat rice is at lunch, it’s good for breakfast as well, but it should only be consumed after adding bay leaf and black pepper for dinner.

This is because rice is very cold in potency and eating them at night when your digestive fire is already low, which can lead to indigestion, weight gain, and cough.

Adding bay leaf and black pepper normalizes the potency to relatively hotter.

Summary

In conclusion, hand-pounded semi brown rice and multigrain roti are best for daily use.

Also, it is clear how eating roti and rice only according to their macronutrients is not a very intelligent thing to do.

There is more to every food, so Ayurveda stresses more on how to eat the food rather than the food itself.

Both these grains are superfoods and have fed this country for generations.

Both Roti and rice can be rather should be a part of your fitness journey, so why don’t you eat them in the right manner.

So, friends, that’s all for this article. I hope you found it helpful, if yes, then do let me know in the comments and do not forget to share.

Thank you so much for reading.

Roti or Rice? Which one is Better for a Healthier Lifestyle?

Nutritional Information of Roti & Rice

Calories & Macronutrients