Cereals and millets · IFCT 2017
Wheat flour (atta and maida): nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, whole wheat atta gives 320 kcal, 10.6 g protein, 11.4 g dietary fibre and 4.1 mg iron, according to IFCT 2017. Refined maida, from the same grain, has only 2.8 g fibre and 1.77 mg iron per 100 g. That gap, about four times the fibre, is the whole case for choosing atta over maida.
About wheat flour (atta and maida)
Atta is whole wheat ground with its bran and germ, the flour behind the chapati, phulka, paratha, puri, thepla and rotli eaten across north, west and central India. Traditionally it is milled in a stone chakki, which gives a slightly coarse, warm-tasting flour. IFCT 2017 records it as atta in Hindi and Punjabi, ata in Bengali, kaneek in Marathi, godhambu mavu in Malayalam, mulu godumai maavu in Tamil and sampurna godhuma pindi in Telugu.
Maida is what remains when the bran and germ are sifted away: a fine, white flour of mostly starch. It makes naan, kulcha, bhatura, samosa and kachori pastry, Kerala parotta, rumali roti, bakery bread and most biscuits. Many dishes, such as Amritsari kulcha, depend on its soft stretch.
IFCT 2017 tests both. Per 100 g, maida has 352 kcal, 10.4 g protein, 0.8 g fat, 74.3 g carbohydrate, 2.8 g fibre, 1.77 mg iron and 20 mg calcium, so its protein is similar but almost everything else is lower.
What wheat flour (atta and maida) brings to a meal
- 01
Fibre kept in the flour
Atta has 11.4 g dietary fibre per 100 g, 5th of 14 cereals and millets and 35th of 256 foods. Maida's 2.8 g shows how much of a grain's fibre lies in the bran that refining removes.
- 02
Iron and zinc
Atta gives 4.1 mg iron and 2.85 mg zinc per 100 g, ranking 7th and 2nd in its group. 100 g covers about 22 per cent of a man's daily iron and 17 per cent of his zinc.
- 03
Good thiamine and selenium
With 0.42 mg thiamine per 100 g, atta ranks 20th of 239 foods and meets 23 per cent of a man's need. It also carries 53.1 micrograms of selenium per 100 g.
- 04
Protein for a staple
Atta has 10.6 g protein per 100 g, 5th among the grains, covering about 20 per cent of a man's daily requirement. Rotis with dal make a well-balanced pair.
Wheat flour (atta and maida) nutrition facts per 100 g
Every value IFCT 2017 reports for the edible portion, with the share of an adult's daily need that 100 g covers where ICMR-NIN sets a requirement.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Adult man | Adult woman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy and macronutrients | |||
| Energy | 320 kcal | 15% | 19% |
| Protein | 10.6 g | 20% | 23% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 64.2 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 11.4 g | ||
| Free sugars | 1.8 g | ||
| Total fat | 1.5 g | ||
| Water | 11.1 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 0.21 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.15 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.74 g | ||
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 45 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 31 mg | 3% | 3% |
| Iron | 4.1 mg | 22% | 14% |
| Zinc | 2.85 mg | 17% | 22% |
| Magnesium | 125 mg | 28% | 34% |
| Phosphorus | 315 mg | ||
| Potassium | 311 mg | ||
| Sodium | 2 mg | ||
| Copper | 0.48 mg | ||
| Selenium | 53.1 µg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Beta-carotene | 3 µg | ||
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.42 mg | 23% | 25% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.15 mg | 6% | 6% |
| Niacin (B3) | 2.37 mg | 13% | 17% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.25 mg | 10% | 13% |
| Folate (B9) | 29 µg | 10% | 13% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.21 mg | ||
| Vitamin K1 | 1.5 µg | ||
Values per 100 g of the edible portion. Source: Longvah T, Ananthan R, Bhaskarachary K, Venkaiah K. Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. National Institute of Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research, Hyderabad. Daily-need shares use the ICMR-NIN 2020 recommended dietary allowances for a 65 kg man and a 55 kg woman doing sedentary work (ICMR-NIN brief note). Nutrients IFCT did not analyse for this food are left out rather than shown as zero.
Cite this page
NNWA Nutrition and Wellness Academy. Wheat flour (atta and maida): nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/cereals-and-millets/wheat-flour-atta/
Where wheat flour (atta and maida) sits among Indian foods
Ranked per 100 g against the other 13 cereals and millets and every food in the tables.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | In cereals and millets | Among all foods |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dietary fibre | 11.4 g | 5th of 14 | 35th of 182 |
| Zinc | 2.85 mg | 3rd of 14 | 37th of 243 |
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.42 mg | 3rd of 14 | 20th of 239 |
Every form of wheat flour (atta and maida) in IFCT 2017
The tables analyse these separately. The figures above are for the row marked first.
| Form | Energy | Protein | Fibre | Iron | Calcium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wheat flour, atta (shown above) | 320 kcal | 10.6 g | 11.4 g | 4.1 mg | 31 mg |
| Refined | 352 kcal | 10.4 g | 2.8 g | 1.77 mg | 20 mg |
How wheat flour (atta and maida) is eaten
- Phulka and chapati: soft atta dough rolled thin and puffed over a flame, the everyday bread of north and west India.
- Paratha and thepla: atta kneaded with ghee, methi, ajwain or mashed vegetables and cooked on a tawa.
- Missi roti: atta mixed with besan, onion and spices for a protein-richer flatbread.
- Litti: thick atta dough stuffed with spiced sattu and baked or roasted, the Bihari classic with chokha.
- Swap in baking: half the maida in cakes or cookies can be replaced with fine atta.
Recipes in the NNWA database that use it
Amritsari Kulcha
North Indian · Main course
Litti Chokha (Bihari Baked Wheat Balls with Mashed Vegetables)
East Indian · Main course
Missi Roti
North Indian · Side dish
Multigrain Roti (Mixed-Flour Flatbread)
Pan-Indian · Side dish
Rava Dosa
South Indian · Breakfast
Sarson Ka Saag with Makki di Roti (Mustard Greens with Cornmeal Flatbread)
North Indian · Main course
Cooked dishes that use it, with calories per serving
Calories in Aloo Paratha
191 kcal in 1 aloo paratha.
Calories in Atta Ladoo
142 kcal in 1 atta ladoo.
Calories in Dal Dhokli
231 kcal in 1 bowl of dal dhokli.
Calories in Dal Paratha
206 kcal in 1 dal paratha.
Calories in Fish Fry
95 kcal in 1 piece of fish fry.
Calories in Gobi Paratha
181 kcal in 1 gobi paratha.
Calories in Keema Paratha
238 kcal in 1 keema paratha.
Calories in Khakhra
135 kcal in 1 khakhra.
Calories in Matar Kachori
190 kcal in 1 matar kachori.
Calories in Matar Paratha
207 kcal in 1 matar paratha.
Calories in Methi Paratha
135 kcal in 1 methi paratha.
Calories in Methi Thepla
126 kcal in 1 methi thepla.
Calories in Mooli Paratha
184 kcal in 1 mooli paratha.
Calories in Naan
152 kcal in 1 naan.
Calories in Onion Paratha
146 kcal in 1 onion paratha.
Calories in Paneer Kathi Roll
424 kcal in 1 paneer kathi roll.
Calories in Paneer Paratha
224 kcal in 1 paneer paratha.
Calories in Plain Paratha
166 kcal in 1 plain paratha.
Calories in Puran Poli
196 kcal in 1 puran poli.
Calories in Puri
80 kcal in 1 puri.
Calories in Rava Dosa
167 kcal in 1 rava dosa.
Calories in Samosa
200 kcal in 1 samosa.
Before you plan around it
Atta contains gluten, so it is not suitable for people with coeliac disease. Like other whole grains it carries phytate, which reduces how much of its iron and zinc the body absorbs; a raita or a squeeze of lemon with the meal helps with iron. Packaged atta labelled multigrain or chakki-fresh varies a great deal, so read the ingredient list. And while atta beats maida, the ghee or butter spread on rotis, and the number of rotis, decide a meal's energy far more than the choice of flour.
Food composition is general information, not a diet plan. Anyone managing a medical condition should plan their diet with a doctor or a registered dietitian.
What people ask about wheat flour (atta and maida)
Is atta healthier than maida?
Yes, on fibre and minerals. IFCT 2017 lists 11.4 g fibre and 4.1 mg iron per 100 g of atta against 2.8 g fibre and 1.77 mg iron for maida. Protein is almost the same, 10.6 g versus 10.4 g. Maida also has more energy, 352 kcal against 320 kcal.
Does atta contain gluten?
Yes. Wheat atta contains gluten, the protein that lets chapati dough stretch and puff. People with coeliac disease must avoid it and use jowar, bajra, ragi, rice or rajgira flour instead.
How much protein is in wheat atta?
Atta has 10.6 g protein per 100 g in IFCT 2017, 5th of the 14 cereals and millets. Atta protein covers about 20 per cent of a man's daily need and 23 per cent of a woman's. Wheat protein is low in lysine, so dal or curd alongside improves it.
Is atta good for people with diabetes?
Atta's 11.4 g fibre per 100 g makes it a better choice than maida, but it is still 64.2 g carbohydrate per 100 g. The number of rotis and what goes with them matter most. Roti numbers for people with diabetes are best agreed with a doctor or dietitian.
Related foods and tables
Wheat (whole, suji and dalia)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Jowar (sorghum)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Bajra (pearl millet)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Ragi (finger millet)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Bengal gram (chana)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Atta vs Maida
Side by side, per 100 g.
Bajra vs Wheat atta
Side by side, per 100 g.
Jowar vs Wheat atta
Side by side, per 100 g.
Ragi vs Wheat atta
Side by side, per 100 g.
White rice vs Wheat atta
Side by side, per 100 g.
Calories in One Chapati: By Size, With Ghee, and Compared With Rice
The portion-by-portion answer, in the NNWA journal.
Dietary fibre content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by dietary fibre per 100 g.
Zinc content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by zinc per 100 g.
Thiamine (vitamin B1) content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by thiamine (vitamin b1) per 100 g.
All cereals and millets
14 foods in this group, compared.
Learn to use this data
Certification in Nutrition
Reading food composition tables and turning them into meal plans is taught in this NNWA course.