Yes, you can make or buy healthier naan by using whole wheat flour, Greek yogurt for protein, reducing butter/oil, and controlling salt, with homemade versions offering the best nutritional control over ingredients like preservatives and fat content. Key swaps include whole grains for fiber, yogurt for moisture and protein, and using olive oil or cooking spray instead of heavy butter/ghee.
Roti, primarily made from whole wheat flour, generally offers more fiber, fewer calories, and less fat compared to naan, which includes all-purpose flour, yeast, and dairy products like yogurt or milk.
Naan contains carbohydrates which provide the body with energy. It also contains protein, some healthy fat, and iron. Store bought brands and homemade versions made with whole grains may contain additional benefits, such as fiber, and probiotics.
Naan is richer in manganese, phosphorus, fiber, and magnesium, while pita bread is higher in vitamin B1, selenium, folate, vitamin B2, and iron. Naan covers your daily need for manganese, 40% more than pita bread. Naan contains 18 times more saturated fat than pita bread.
What healthy breads can you add to your diet?
A typical 90-gram slice of naan bread contains around 252 calories. This high calories naan bread content is due to the ingredients like yoghurt, ghee, or butter. These are used generally to enhance its rich and delicious flavor but also do not shy away from its fat content.
Use Whole Wheat Naan: using naan made with whole wheat is healthier than using flour (maida). Limited use of Butter or Ghee: Naan without butter or ghee reduces fat. So, it is healthy. Homemade roti or naan: we can control the ingredients like oil or salt when we prepare naan or roti at home.
Naan is a type of leavened bread traditionally baked in a tandoor or oven. From a low-carb diabetes management perspective, naan is not advisable due to its high carbohydrate content which can lead to significant blood sugar spikes.
7 Healthiest Types of Bread
Rice is high in carbohydrates, yet an intriguing phenomenon is how many Chinese people stay slim despite regularly consuming it. The secret lies in a combination of key factors. Portion control is practiced diligently, ensuring that rice consumption is moderated.
The best bread for weight loss is a bread that is the most filling and contains the least unnecessary calories. When shopping, look for options that contain the lowest amount of added sugar and the highest amount of fiber. This combination for the best weight loss bread is usually 100% whole grain bread.
Naan is lighter than a regular pizza base. So, when you load it up with delicious healthy toppings, you've got yourself an EPIC healthy weeknight dinner.
What most people don't realize is, most Indians don't eat naan everyday. It's a treat reserved for special occasions. A healthier alternative that is eaten daily in most indian households, is roti (also called chapati or fulka). It's an unleavened flatbread made of just two ingredients - whole wheat flour and water.
Pita bread is considered a healthy option because it is typically made from simple ingredients: flour, water, yeast, and salt. Additionally, pita bread is typically lower in calories than other varieties of bread.
The Greek yogurt does it all: it adds protein, calcium, and probiotics, while cutting down the fat and calories significantly. It also acts as a natural leavening agent and gives it a soft, fluffy texture with a subtle tang that makes each bite irresistible. This Greek yogurt naan bread is fresh, light, and delicious.
The #1 worst food for blood sugar is sugary drinks (soda, fruit juice, sweetened teas) and other highly processed sweets like candies, donuts, and baked goods, because they contain refined sugar and low-quality carbs that cause rapid, sharp blood sugar spikes with little nutritional value, leading to weight gain and insulin resistance. Fast food, processed snacks (chips), and some energy bars also rank high on the list of offenders.
Skip: Naan
And like those fluffy spuds, this soft flatbread has little nutritional value. Most naan recipes call for Greek yogurt to give it that airy texture. But that's more than offset by less healthy ingredients like white flour, sugar, and oil.
The best bread for blood sugar is bread made with whole grains. Breads that do not spike blood sugar include low-GI breads such as pumpernickel, sourdough rye, sourdough wheat, and spelt multigrain.
Here are some bread substitutes to try
Corn, reduced-carb or whole-grain tortillas. Cheese wraps or cheese slices. Coconut wraps. Cauliflower bread.
Every food, including pita bread and naan, can have a place in a healthy diet when trying to lose weight, as long as they're enjoyed in moderation. The higher protein content in naan will allow you to feel fuller for longer, curbing cravings that cause excess snacking.
The lowest carb breads are often homemade options like cloud bread (0-1g net carbs) or those made with psyllium husk, almond flour, or coconut flour, while popular commercial choices include brands like Herman Brot, Burgen 85% Lower Carb, Hero, and Base Culture Keto, offering 1-6g net carbs per slice due to high fiber or alternative flours, making them great for keto and low-carb diets.