Multigrain Atta (Mixed Flour): Worth It, and a Home Mix Recipe (Video)

Transcript

Multigrain Atta: Worth It?

Ever wonder if multigrain atta is worth the extra cost? Let’s break down what’s really inside, how to make it at home, and what it means for your blood sugar.

What Multigrain Atta Is

Most multigrain atta is just wheat with a sprinkle of other grains. It only pays off if the label shows a real share of barley, chickpeas, millet or oats. Often it’s cheaper and better to blend your own.

At a Glance

A quick snapshot: store packs list wheat first, then smaller grains. A home mix is roughly 70% wheat, 30% other grains by weight. It stays fresh three to four weeks in a cool tin, or up to two months in the fridge. It isn’t gluten-free because both wheat and barley contain gluten.

Inside a Pack

Turn the bag over and read the ingredients from biggest to smallest. Wheat will dominate, followed by soy, chickpeas, oats, maize, barley, millet and sometimes fiber husk or fenugreek. If percentages are shown, wheat makes up the bulk and the rest together are usually under a fifth. Whole-wheat atta already supplies ten grams of fiber per hundred grams, so a multigrain blend often adds little extra.

Multigrain vs Chakki

Plain chakki atta is a whole grain with bran and germ intact, and it stays soft for three to six weeks. Store-bought multigrain atta is a bit grainy and lasts until the pack date. A homemade 70-30 mix is slightly denser and stays good for three to four weeks. The added grains contribute a modest boost in protein, fiber and minerals, but the effect on a single roti is small.

Barley Fact

Barley, known locally as jau, is one of the oldest cultivated grains, grown alongside wheat for about ten thousand years.

Make Your Own Mix

To make about five kilograms, weigh 3.5 kg wheat, 500 g hulled barley, 500 g split chickpeas, 250 g pearl millet and 250 g sorghum. Clean each grain on a tray, removing stones and any weevils. If you wash, dry them completely in the sun before grinding. Lightly toast chickpeas for five to seven minutes and millet for three to four minutes until nutty. Then grind in small batches, sieve, and store airtight.

Why It Gets Bitter

Whole grains keep oil in their germ, especially barley, soy, oats and flax. When you grind, that oil meets air and enzymes, turning rancid over a week or two, especially in hot kitchens. The smell becomes sharp, like old crayons, and the flour may turn grey or black. Throw away any damp, clumped or mouldy flour because mould can carry aflatoxin that cooking won’t destroy.

Side Effects & Thyroid

Switching to a mix heavy in chickpeas or soy can cause gas for a few days, so start with one multigrain roti per meal and stay hydrated. The blend isn’t gluten-free, so it’s not suitable for coeliac disease. Large amounts of soy or certain millets may affect thyroid iodine use, but normal roti portions are unlikely to cause problems.

Diabetes & Blood Sugar

Multigrain atta is a fine choice, but no flour magically controls blood sugar. It’s still mostly starch, and the extra fiber and protein only make the rise a bit gentler than refined flour. The biggest impact comes from the rest of the plate, how many rotis, the amount of vegetables, dal, and a short walk after eating. A thin roti with a full bowl of dal beats two thick multigrain rotis.

When to Be Careful

If you have coeliac disease, a wheat allergy, or a soy or chickpea allergy, avoid the mix. Those on insulin or sulfonylureas should not change medication without a doctor’s advice, especially if you’re eating fewer rotis, which could cause low blood sugar. Kidney disease, gout, thyroid issues, or any flour that smells musty or shows mould should also be avoided.

Takeaway

For the full details and the exact recipe, head over to thecareonline.com. Remember, this is general guidance, not medical advice.