Chapati for weight loss: How you can turn your staple into low-calorie, high-fibre food to lose weight

New Delhi: The coronavirus pandemic has all of us sitting at home, and eating home-cooked food as we practice social distancing and work from home to flatten the curve of the pandemic. However, a lot of us are now worried about weight gain caused due to the food we are eating. Even when we eat home-cooked food, our staple Indian food like chapati or rice can lead to weight gain, and there are definitely healthier options available.

Eating whole wheat roti, and rice for every meal can also get monotonous, and right now may be the best time to experiment with our cooking skills, especially if it helps to lose weight. By making little changes you can turn your regular whole wheat roti into a high-fibre, healthier food that will help you lose weight.

How can you increase the fibre-content of your chapatis

Fibre helps in weight loss as it aids the process of digestion, and also fills you up well. This helps you control your portions and appetite. To increase the fibre content of your chapatis, you can add whole grains to the whole wheat flour, or make chapatis with multigrain, or whole grain flour. Some common high-fibre healthy flours include ragi, bajra, etc.

You can also add vegetable filling to your chapatis to make them high in fibre content. Grated carrot, radish, broccoli, cauliflower, etc can be added as filling to make the chapatis healthier, and more filling.

How to reduce the calorie content of chapatis

To reduce the calorie and fat content of chapatis, make sure you eat them plain – without butter or ghee. Prefer to eat a roti, rather a paratha which is cooked in oil. Use of multigrain flour, or whole grain flour like Ragi or Nachni can help reduce the calorie content of the chapatis. Always remember that portion control is key for weight loss.

Disclaimer: Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purpose only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a dietician before starting any fitness programme or making any changes to your diet.