Wheat is one of the many staple foods of our country. For thousands of years, we have been growing many varieties of wheat all over our country. Top companies like ITC, Fortune Foods, and Pillsbury have released their atta products in the market for us to choose from.
Wheat can be classified into various types of regional and strain varieties. We have written a buying guide to help you choose the right atta for your needs, and following that, we have recommendations for the ten best atta brands in the market. Read through to find out more.
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Even though we come across whole wheat flour and wheat flour most of the time, there are several types of atta available in the market. Let's find out the benefits of each and how to choose one.
The process adopted for grinding wheat also plays a major role in the nutritious value of the atta. Also, you can find multigrain atta, which is a blend of several grains or millets. We will talk about each in this section.
Chakki is the name given for traditional flour mills that use stones to grind wheat into atta. The slow grinding process ensures that the nutrients aren't lost. The main reason for the loss of nutrients in any food processing is heat. Since the chakki doesn't generate much heat, there is little loss of nutrients compared to industrial rolling mills.
The loss of beneficial fibers and nutrients while grinding in high-speed rolling mills leaves us with flour almost identical to maida, which is not of high nutritional value and doesn't support our digestive system very well. So, always try to go for whole wheat atta rather than maida to get all the wheat's nutritional benefits.
If the atta you buy doesn't mention that it is stoneground, it is most probably a rolling mill product. An industrial rolling mill grinds the wheat into very fine particles quicker than a chakki. But chakki damages the starch content and also results in lesser gluten development in atta. This results in the bread becoming denser and crumbles when torn.
On the other hand, the rolling mill imparts less damage to the starch and results in better gluten development, which makes the bread softer, fluffier, and has more holes in them. The benefit of rolling mills is only applicable in the case of western bread making. When it comes to rotis, chapatis, and puris, chakki atta is the most nutritious and easier to prepare.
Atta is wheat flour. If we add more ingredients to it, we can no longer call it atta; but we can find companies that release multigrain atta to the market. But if you check the ingredients list, you will find that at least 75% of the multigrain atta is wheat flour, and the rest will be other grains or millets.
The most popular inclusion choices in multigrain atta are the flours of oats, ragi, jowar, barley, psyllium husk, and soy, as they are known for their high protein and fiber content and also gives the atta a distinct taste.
The most common wheat varieties in India are sharbati wheat, khapli wheat, and common bread wheat. Sharbati wheat is a regional wheat variety grown in the fields of Madhya Pradesh. The adequate rainfall this region receives, and the potash-rich soil makes this wheat richer in protein. The chapatis made from it are softer and fluffier.
Khapli wheat or Emmer long wheat is another variety known for its higher fiber content keeping blood sugar levels in check, aiding weight loss by keeping you full for longer and results in better bowel movement. Durum wheat is known for its high gluten content. You can use durum wheat atta for making semolina, pasta, and even bread.
Multigrain atta is known for containing ingredients other than just grains. Companies mix the flours of many grains and millets like ragi, jowar, oats, maize, soy, channa, psyllium husk, and more to make the atta taste different and serve the purpose of providing extra nutrition.
There are several benefits to the extra ingredients present in atta. Soy is known for its high protein and iron content, oats have high fiber content known for keeping blood sugar levels in check and promoting good bowel movement, and maize is rich in magnesium, zinc, copper, manganese, and iron.
There is a chance that you may be allergic to one or more of the ingredients present in it. Most companies also mention that the wheat is processed in a facility that also processes other foods, for example, soy and tree nuts. That's why it is always safe to check the back of the pack before you buy.
Wheat is not gluten-free. Even if you find atta that says gluten-free, it only means a comparatively lesser amount of gluten in it, not absent. If you are trying to include as little gluten in your diet as possible, make sure to stay away from durum wheat, a type of wheat known for having high gluten content.
Khapli wheat atta is an excellent choice since the gluten content is weaker. You can also opt for chakki atta since stone grinding doesn't result in much gluten formation than rolling mills. Even if you are not allergic to gluten, it is wise to include as little gluten as possible in your diet since it doesn't provide any essential nutrients to your body.
Aashirvaad Atta with Multigrains is a blend of 90% wheat and 10% other grains like oats, channa, soya, psyllium husk (isabghol), and maize. The unique blend gives the atta a distinct taste and provides a range of health benefits like controlling blood sugar levels, promoting weight loss, and maintaining a healthy gut.
Customers who bought this atta could make soft, tasty rotis, and and many became regular buyers of this product Since this is multigrain atta, the buyers should check the ingredients list and make sure they are not allergic to any.
As the name suggests, Fortune Chakki Fresh Atta is made by grinding wheat on a stone flour mill. The slow grinding process retains most of the nutrients, making this type of flour healthier and tastier.
The pack mentions 0% maida, which shows that the atta is made by grinding 100% whole wheat and without subjecting it to processes that may take away the bran and the germ. Customer reviews show that chapatis and rotis made with Fortune Chakki Fresh Atta are a lot tastier, and the price is also lesser than other brands.
Aashirvaad Select Sharbati Atta is made by grinding Sharbati wheat grown exclusively in the fields of Madhya Pradesh. This type of atta is known for its higher protein content and absorbs more water resulting in softer chapatis.
Many tried several brands before settling for Aashirvaad Sharbati atta among the customers who left reviews for this product because of the comparatively superior quality and good packaging.
Swabhiman33's Khapli wheat atta is made by grinding the popular wheat variety, Emmer long wheat or Khapli. The wheat is sourced from farms that follow organic practices for cultivation and is stoneground to prevent loss of nutrients.
This wheat variety has significantly higher dietary fiber content, which is a wonderful choice for people with diabetes and those who are trying to lose weight. Khapli wheat is also known for having weaker gluten content than other wheat varieties.
Pillsbury Multi Grain Atta is a blend of 90% wheat flour and 10% of soy, maize, barley, ragi, and oats flour. The unique blend gives the chapatis and rotis made with this flour a distinct taste and more nutrition from the extra ingredients present in it.
Compared to rotis and chapatis made from whole wheat flour, this multigrain atta also provides extra iron, protein, and calcium. People who bought this found it to be softer and smoother than other multigrain atta brands, and many of them are frequent buyers too.
Aashirvaad Sugar Release Control Atta is a blend of 84.5% whole wheat flour and 15.4% of defatted soy flour, bengal gram flour, oat flour, psyllium husk powder, maize flour, and fenugreek powder. The extra ingredients are known for controlling the sugar level spikes after eating carb-rich food.
Along with its extra protein, these ingredients also help keep your gut healthy by providing 16.5 grams of fiber per 100 grams. Among the customers, some people purchased this for the members of their family who are diabetic and found it keeping the blood sugar levels steady.
Manna Multi Millet Atta is a blend of 74% whole wheat and 25% of bajra, ragi, jowar, soybean, and fenugreek seeds flour. The product provides 11g of protein, 5.1mg of iron, and 120mg of magnesium per 100 grams.
This atta is rich in zinc, calcium, magnesium, and iron. It also promotes easy digestion. Customer reviews show that the chapatis come out soft and fluffy, even though 25% of this atta is millets.
24 Mantra Organic Wholewheat Atta is made by grinding wheat sourced from farms following organic cultivation practices. The wheat is stoneground to preserve the nutrients present in the bran and germ of the wheat. The wheat contains 10.5g of protein, 11.4g of dietary fiber, 4.1mg of iron, and 125mg of magnesium per 100g.
Product reviews show that the puris and rotis made with 24 Mantra Organic Wholewheat Atta come out puffy and delicious. You can also use this whole wheat atta to make tandoori rotis and parathas.
Pure & Sure's wheat flour is made by grinding wheat grown without the use of any chemicals or pesticides, making this a healthy atta choice. You can use this atta to make soft and puffy puris, chapatis, and crispy rotis.
Customer reviews about this product mainly mention the natural flavor in the chapatis people make and how soft they turn put to be.
NutroActive Digestive Atta has the highest dietary fiber content of 25g per 100g compared to other atta brands. Other than wheat flour, it also contains wheat fiber, wheat bran, quinoa, oats, oats fiber, and amaranth, making this apt for people suffering from constipation since the fiber promotes good bowel movement.
This atta also contains 17g of protein per 100g, which helps in meeting your daily protein requirement. For people who are trying to lose weight, the high fiber and protein content reduces sugar cravings by keeping you full for many hours.
Atta can be used for preparing many dishes other than puris, rotis, parathas, and chapatis. Here is a video for you that teaches you ten healthy recipes that requires just one cup of atta. Watch the video to find out recipes for:
Along with staple foods, your storeroom also needs many other supplies for making healthy, delicious dishes. Below you will find articles that discuss buying guides and recommendations for buying butter, oats, and honey in India. Explore them and make better choices!
Now you are well-versed in choosing the best wheat variety and brand for your daily needs. Although wheat is not naturally gluten-free, you may find wheat varieties like Khapli to have weaker gluten in them. Also, keep in mind to check the ingredients list to find out the constituents of multigrain atta and also to find out if the wheat is processed in a factory that also processes other foods.
Author - Arun F Xaviour
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