Tag: Leavened vs unleavened

Bread and roti are both staple foods in various cultures, but they are not the same thing. While bread is often leavened and baked, roti is traditionally an unleavened flatbread cooked on a griddle. Understanding the distinctions in their ingredients and preparation reveals why they offer different flavors and nutritional profiles.

Bread is one of the oldest prepared foods, with archaeological evidence of bread-making dating back over 14,000 years. So, what is classified as bread in its various forms today? While a simple mixture of flour and water can suffice, the true definition can be surprisingly complex, encompassing everything from fluffy, leavened loaves to dense, unleavened flatbreads and even legally defined commercial products.

According to nutritional experts, freshly made chapati is often a more natural, higher-fiber, and lower-sodium option compared to most commercially produced bread. Understanding the key characteristics is crucial to determine what is the difference between bread and chapati and which best fits your lifestyle.