Heart Health

Indians develop heart disease around a decade earlier than Western populations, and at lower body weights. "You look fine" is not reassurance.

Most of what protects a heart is boring and cumulative. It is what you eat most days, not what you eat occasionally. Which makes the flour in your dabba a more serious piece of equipment than it looks.

What actually moves the needle

• Whole grain, in real quantity. In a dose response meta analysis of 45 studies, eating around 50g of whole grain a day, roughly three servings, was associated with a 22% lower risk of cardiovascular mortality, with benefit continuing to rise at higher intakes.
• Beta glucan for LDL. Around 3g of beta glucan per day lowers total and LDL cholesterol. It is one of the few grain effects with a formally authorised health claim behind it, and barley is the richest common source.
• Magnesium and potassium. Both sit in the bran and germ, both matter for blood pressure, and both are the first casualties of refining.

Recommended for you

Six flours from our range, chosen for this concern and ranked by how much difference they make.

High Protein Barley Flour

The clearest evidence on this page. Beta glucan and LDL cholesterol is about as settled as grain nutrition gets. Blend 25% daily.

From Rs. 113.33

Jowar Atta

Sorghum carries a distinctive load of polyphenols and is naturally gluten free. A reliable everyday base, not a novelty.

From Rs. 113.33

Bajra Atta

One of the better cereal sources of magnesium, which matters for blood pressure and vascular tone.

From Rs. 113.33

Khapli Atta

The high fibre wheat. The easiest way to raise your whole grain intake without changing a single recipe.

From Rs. 189.52

Multigrain Atta

Eight grains at once. The simplest way to hit the 50g whole grain mark without thinking about it.

From Rs. 113.33

High Protein Almond Flour

Monounsaturated fat, vitamin E and magnesium. Best in baking and small blends rather than as a roti base.

From Rs. 951.43

How to actually do this, this week

• Count servings, not grams. Three whole grain servings a day is the target. Two rotis of genuine whole grain plus one whole grain breakfast gets you there.
• Barley is the lever. If you change one thing for cholesterol specifically, make it a daily barley blend, and give it four to six weeks before judging.
• Watch what goes on the roti, not just the roti. Ghee and salt are doing plenty of the work here too.
• Get a lipid profile before and after, twelve weeks apart. Numbers or it did not happen.

Where this comes from

• Aune D, et al. Whole grain consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and all cause and cause specific mortality. BMJ, 2016;353:i2716. Read the paper
• EFSA. Barley beta glucans and lowering of blood cholesterol and reduced risk of coronary heart disease. EFSA Journal, 2011;9(12):2470. Read the opinion
• Hu Y, et al. Consumption of whole grains and refined grains and associated risk of cardiovascular disease events and all cause mortality. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2023. Read the paper

Nutrition information, not medical advice. Flour does not replace statins, blood pressure medication or a cardiologist. If you have diagnosed heart disease, discuss dietary changes with your doctor.