The Myriad benefits of Wheat Atta

Wheat atta is one of the most popular food items available today. It is an inseparable diet constituent of the Indian population and forms the base for a host of baked products such as bread, biscuits, chapatis, etc. Since whole wheat flour is obtained by grounding the entire wheat kernel, it has a nutty flavour and a brown colour.

In addition to starch content, wheat atta is also a source of gluten, polysaccharides, and lipids. It is used in the preparation of many food items and is a highly versatile food product. Let’s have a brief look at the whole wheat atta manufacturing process, it’s nutrition content, and the various effects that its regular consumption has on your body.

How is whole wheat atta made?

The wheat kernel constitutes of primarily 3 parts, the fibre rich-bran, nutrient rich-germ and the endosperm. Whole wheat atta is made by grinding the wheat kernels wholly with the end product having a brown colour, nutty flavour and sand-like texture.

Image source

Whole wheat atta is rich in nutrients and is a vital source of vitamins, minerals & dietary fibre. Whole wheat flour may be bleached or unbleached. The bleached variety has a pale white colour as opposed to the unbleached flour variety that has a slightly brownish appearance.

Dishes prepared using whole wheat atta

Wheat atta is a highly versatile food item that can be used to prepare a host of delicious dishes. Ranging from the Indian staple flatbread to sweet atta halwa, everything can be prepared using the whole wheat atta. Below is a list of a few dishes that can be prepared using whole wheat atta:

• Chapatis (flatbread)
• Whole wheat atta waffle
• Poori
• Halwa
• Paratha
• Whole wheat atta cake
• Pita bread, etc.

Wheat flour nutrition benefits

The nutrition benefits of wheat flour solely depend on the variety of flour that you consume. Whole wheat atta is the most nutritious flour variety due to its high fibre and low gluten content. Let’s have a detailed look at whole wheat flour benefits and how its regular consumption benefits your body:

• Assists in carbohydrate metabolism: In a study published on ResearchGate, whole wheat flour benefits your body by providing Vitamin B1, that assists your body in metabolising glucose. Vitamin B1 also aids in energy extraction from food and facilitates its transformation into ATP.
• Balanced source of protein: Wheat flour has a fair amount of protein content. Since proteins are the building blocks of your body, it can help in building body tissues and repairing the damaged cells in your body.
• Improves brain function: Whole wheat atta is a rich source of Niacin that is proven to improve cognitive brain function. In fact, a study published on SpringerLink stated that Niacin may also reduce the symptoms of arthritis and prevents the possibility of your body harbouring heart diseases.
• Highly rich in antioxidants: The Vitamin B1 content in whole wheat flour is a powerful antioxidant that can aid your body in removing harmful toxins, as concluded by a study published on ScienceCongress.
• Perfect for diabetics: Wheat flour is an excellent source of Zinc & Magnesium that are proven to improve insulin response by lowering your body’s insulin resistance, as concluded by a study published on SpringerLink. This makes whole wheat atta an excellent choice for diabetics.
• Helps in maintaining bone health: A ResearchGate study stated that the Phosphorus content in whole wheat atta could help your body in maintaining bone health as well as filtering out the waste from your kidneys.
• Rich in folic acid: The Folic acid content in whole wheat atta helps your body to produce and maintain red blood cells. It also protects against DNA alterations that may lead to cancer later in your life.
• Helps fight anaemia: Whole wheat flour is rich in Iron that can help your body in maintaining a healthy haemoglobin level. The ResearchGate study also proves that the high Iron content can help your body in fighting anaemia.

Wheat flour nutrition composition perfectly checks the requirements for a healthy meal plan. The easy preparation method of dishes using wheat atta makes it an extremely popular food item among the Indian masses.

Image source