Roti versus Brown Bread - Separating the Myths from Facts.

(MENAFN- Punit)

Roti versus brown bread: which of the two is better in terms of weight loss and nutrition? It is difficult to separate the myths from facts when it comes to forming an informed opinion about the two. Fitness and diet conscious persons almost always find themselves in this problem. Don''t worry; this article shall help you in clearing most of your misconceptions. Read on to find out whether it is roti or brown bread that you should include more of in your routine diet and why.

Roti (also called chapati in many parts of India) is a regular part of many South Asian cultures'' diets. Many different communities of South Asia survived and thrived on roti for thousands of generations. In fact, a CSIR study even found that people in India have been consuming rotis for more than 6000 years. Our 80-85% of wheat production in India goes towards making rotis every year.

Brown bread, on the other hand, is a fairly new dietary inclusion-popularised mostly by celebrity diet recommendations on social media and magazines.

However, is brown bread as healthy as a roti? Or is it even better? You shall find out during the course of this article.

The roti versus brown bread confusion is actually one among the many examples of how and why rumors about healthy dietary choices start and spread.

Experts have laid down a few basic patterns by which such rumours are created. Take a look into the myths versus facts comparisons below to get a better idea:

• Myth : "Dietitian approved" low fat, high protein, high protein plus low carb, etc diets are always healthy and can be relied on.

• Fact : The market today is flooded with dietitians who care less about their client''s holistic health and more about their own profit. They often recommend diets that ignore total calories in a particular food item. Also, factors like people''s culture and availability of resources are totally ignored by these dietitians. Recommending a balanced diet with respect to availability of time is another factor most dietitians overlook.

So if you have a personal dietitian you''re planning to consult for clearing your roti versus brown bread confusion, you should critically examine your dietitian''s advice.

• Myth : Indian roti/chapati/parantha is the same thing as a Flat Bread

• Fact : Flat breads and rotis are two very different food items. A lot of people think flat breads and rotis have the same ingredients and style of preparation when in fact that is definitely not the case! To speak briefly, flat breads have an origin in Western civilizations. Their mode of preparation is absolutely different from that of an Indian roti. These two terms must not be used interchangeably because this only creates more confusion.

• Myth : Brown bread is absolutely healthy

• Fact : Brown bread is only "market healthy". Most brown bread manufacturers (at least in India) do not necessarily add any "nutritious" ingredient to make brown bread any healthier. Brown bread is merely artificially coloured white bread.

You might already know that we eat only fresh rotis, in comparison with breads which are always stale. 

Additionally, the ingredients used for making bread in India always remain under a shadow of doubt. Usually, you make your common bread with "maida" (highly refined flour), sugar, salt, and oil. Not to forget the toxic preservatives that make these breads last longer than a roti. On the other hand, you make and immediately consume a roti. You take whole grains and wheat only, as some of the ingredients for preparing a roti.

• Myth : Breads are not healthy at all

• Fact : Breads prepared traditionally, as is the case in most European and Western cuisines-are just as healthy as a roti. The only condition is that they should be free of preservatives and their ingredients must be freshly sourced. However, you might not find such breads in India, definitely not at your local grocery store. Only expensive and high-end bakeries specialise in making such healthy breads in India.

• Myth : Brown breads contain fewer calories than rotis

• Fact : The number of calories a particular food item expends is dependent on the quantity and size of the item. To determine how your body consumes the calories in a particular food item, you should compare not only the "quantity" of calories but also by the "quality"

You can now make a more informed decision after learning about the myths surrounding rotis vs brown bread.

All the facts stated here are the results of years'' worth of thorough research. Several scientists and experts contributed heavily to bust some common myths included in this article. In fact, their research revealed many astonishing facts about our daily diets .

For example, you might be surprised to know how a particular community''s long life has been associated with their consumption of roti alone. Additionally, another research''s findings revealed how a particular ingredient in breads causes cancer!

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