📊 All data from ICMR-NIN "Nutritive Value of Indian Foods" (2017). Values per 100g. GF = Gluten-Free. Highlighted green = highest in category. Red = lowest in category.
Complete Macro Comparison
| Flour | Energy (kcal) | Protein (g) | Carbs (g) | Fibre (g) | Fat (g) | Gluten |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Besan (chickpea flour) | 372 | 22.5 | 57.8 | 22.5 | 6.2 | GF |
| Atta (whole wheat) | 341 | 12.1 | 69.4 | 11.2 | 1.7 | Yes |
| Sooji / Rava (semolina) | 349 | 12.8 | 71.0 | 3.9 | 1.0 | Yes |
| Maida (refined wheat) | 348 | 11.0 | 73.9 | 2.7 | 0.9 | Yes |
| Bajra flour (pearl millet) | 361 | 11.6 | 67.5 | 11.5 | 5.0 | GF |
| Jowar flour (sorghum) | 349 | 10.4 | 72.6 | 9.8 | 1.9 | GF |
| Ragi flour (finger millet) | 328 | 7.3 | 72.0 | 15.1 | 1.3 | GF |
| Rice flour | 348 | 6.8 | 78.2 | 1.0 | 0.5 | GF |
Complete Micronutrient Comparison
| Flour | Iron (mg) | Calcium (mg) | Glycaemic Index | Gluten |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Besan (chickpea flour) | 8.0 | 56 | ~10 (very low) | GF |
| Bajra flour (pearl millet) | 8.0 | 42 | ~55–65 (medium) | GF |
| Atta (whole wheat) | 4.9 | 48 | ~54 (medium) | Yes |
| Sooji / Rava | 4.7 | 22 | ~55–65 (medium) | Yes |
| Ragi flour (finger millet) | 3.9 | 344 | ~54–68 (medium) | GF |
| Jowar flour (sorghum) | 4.1 | 25 | ~55–65 (medium) | GF |
| Maida (refined wheat) | 2.7 | 23 | ~71 (high) | Yes |
| Rice flour | 1.8 | 20 | ~72–95 (high) | GF |
Key Finding
Besan leads in protein — by a wide margin
Besan (22.5g protein) has nearly double the protein of any wheat flour. This reflects chickpea's legume protein content. For protein specifically, besan is the outstanding Indian flour. However, most besan applications (pakora, some sweets) involve significant added fat from cooking.
Key Finding
Ragi's calcium advantage is extraordinary
Ragi has 344mg calcium per 100g — 7× more than atta, significantly more than any other Indian flour. This is ragi's defining nutritional advantage. Bioavailability is lower than dairy calcium, but ragi is still the best plant-source calcium flour in Indian cooking by a very large margin.
Key Finding
Atta vs millet flours — much closer than claimed
Jowar, bajra, and ragi flours all have nutritional profiles reasonably close to atta in protein, carbs, and energy. Ragi exceeds atta in fibre; bajra exceeds in iron. No millet flour is dramatically superior to atta across all nutrients. The clearest advantage of millet flours is being gluten-free.
Key Finding
Maida and rice flour are the least nutritious
Maida has the lowest iron and highest GI of wheat flours. Rice flour has the lowest protein (6.8g), lowest iron (1.8mg), lowest fibre (1.0g) and highest GI of all the flours compared. Both are appropriate for specific applications — but neither is a sound nutritional staple.
Key Finding
Gluten-free does not mean more nutritious
Rice flour is gluten-free and has the worst nutritional profile of all eight flours. Besan is gluten-free and has the best protein profile. Gluten-free status is a medical requirement for some people — it is not a nutritional quality indicator for everyone else.
Key Finding
No single "best" flour — choose by application and need
Best for protein: besan. Best for calcium: ragi. Best for iron: besan or bajra. Best for everyday flatbreads: atta. Best for gluten-free flatbreads: jowar or bajra. Best for South Indian specialties: rice flour. Rotating through multiple flours provides a broader nutrient profile than any single flour eaten exclusively.
The Central Myth of Indian Flour Nutrition
"Millet flours are dramatically more nutritious than wheat"
The data shows a more nuanced reality. Jowar (sorghum) is nutritionally very similar to atta — comparable protein, fibre, energy, and glycaemic index. Bajra has more iron but less calcium. Ragi has exceptional calcium and good fibre but lower protein. No millet flour is dramatically superior to whole wheat atta across all nutritional metrics. The legitimate case for millet flours is: gluten-free suitability, crop diversity and food security, regional cultural significance, and specific nutritional advantages in specific areas (ragi for calcium, bajra for iron). The case for replacing atta wholesale with millet flours for nutritional reasons alone is not well-supported by the ICMR data.