Naam bread is currently sold in almost any supermarket, it is a flat bread that looks like the base of a pizza and is of Indian origin. A very particular bread that, although it is perfect to accompany different dishes, is not as healthy as it may seem. We are going to know its origin, how it is prepared and accompanied, its nutritional values, if it has health benefits and the contraindications of this bread.
Naam bread can be found in Mercadona, Lidl, Carrefour, Ahorra Más, Aldi, in El Corte Inglés supermarkets, among other establishments. A bread with very little crumb where its appearance reminds us a lot of homemade pizza bases.
It is a bread that goes with almost all meals, that is why it is known as "napkin bread", but that does not make it a quality and very healthy bread, since the best option is always to choose bread with whole wheat flour. 100% and whole grains, instead of opting for ultra-processed white bread with sakes and refined oils.
History of naam bread and how it is prepared
It is a traditional bread from India and that little by little has spread to all corners of Asia and then to the rest of the world. It is a flat and elastic bread, so it is not hard or crunchy like the Andalusian regañás, the crumb is dense but concentrated in a small space and serves to accompany all kinds of savory dishes.
This bread has a history as old as the history of the India, its preparation in its place of origin is usually traditional in many homes and restaurants. It is prepared in a cylindrical clay oven called a tandoor. The oven is placed over a heat source, such as a campfire, and closed so that the heat is concentrated inside. That heat is what allows the naan bread to form its crumb.
Given how easy it is to prepare this bread and how well it combines with different ingredients, it has become a very versatile bread and depending on where we eat it, it will have one flavor or another. The basic ingredients are wheat flour, yeast, sugar. natural yogurt, butter and sesame seeds.
As a curiosity, naam means bread And surely if we go to our nearest supermarket we will find it in the bread section, in the Asian section or in similar aisles.
Nutritional values
We already say that this flatbread is not very healthy, since its ingredients are not healthy. For a bread to be, it must have 100% whole wheat flour, extra virgin olive oil, very little salt, no trace of sugar and also whole grain seeds.
Returning to the nutritional values of naam bread, we see that 100 grams of this product provide us with 286 kilocalories, 46,2 grams of carbohydrates, 3,40 grams of sugar, 10,20 grams of protein, 4,8 grams of fiber and 35% of this bread is hydration.
There are also important vitamins and minerals for our body. In 100 grams of naam we have 6 IU of vitamin A, 1,32 mg of vitamin E, 3,3 micrograms of vitamin K, 3,6 mg of vitamin B3 and 16 micrograms of vitamin B9. All these values are normal to low, but in the minerals we have 1,40 mg of manganese, which is equivalent to 70% of the amount of manganese that an adult needs. For the rest, we have 11,4 micrograms of selenium, 1,24 mg of zinc, 467 mg of sodium, 188 mg of phosphorus, 68 mg of magnesium, 185 mg of potassium, 1,73 mg of iron and 59 mg of calcium .
Flatbread Benefits
Indian flatbread is not very healthy as we have seen, but it does have some benefits that we would like to highlight in this text. These benefits are only for those people who maintain an active lifestyle, who play sports, eat healthy, have healthy lifestyle habits, etc. Otherwise, bread as high in calories as this should not be consumed.
Suitable for hypercaloric diets
100 grams of this flat plan is almost 300 kilocalories, that is, what has been a normal meal. In a slimming diet, these types of breads are not welcome, since they add many extra calories. However, in hypercaloric diets to gain muscle mass, this bread can be consumed, as long as we send those calories to training. If we have a sedentary life, then this roll is not our best ally.
Vegetable proteins
In this bread, being Indian, it is 100% of vegetable origin, unless we add yogurt, honey or some derivative that is not suitable for vegan and vegetarian diets. Approximately, we are talking about 10 grams of protein per flat naam bun, and that translates into energy for our muscles during training.
Let's remember that proteins are not only good for muscle fibers, but these amino acids help form other tissues, hormones, enzymes, antibodies, neurotransmitters, etc. Therefore, at least, we must consume 0,8 grams of protein for each kilo of weight to avoid deficiencies.
easy to chew
It is true that naam bread or flatbread looks hard, tasteless, crunchy and difficult to chew, but no. It's about a flat bun with dense crumb and is elastic so it can easily cost and can be chewed.
It is suitable for all ages, although those with few teeth may find it difficult to bite into this bread, because this flat bun can be eaten only if we know how to make it with seasoning.
Combines with all meals
The naam or flat plan is known as napkin bread, as we have said before, because it combines very well with all kinds of food, even if it is with white rice or a salad. What it best combines with is meat in sauce and fish with sauce.
We can use it for curry, as a spread; in vegetable stews; with sweet or spicy sauces; with cheese and spices, in soups; To dip with guacamole, cream cheese or similar.
Who cannot eat naam bread?
If we are overweight or have a very sedentary life, these types of high-calorie foods are not recommended, much less if we have a strict eating plan due to a disease in the digestive system.
If we have diabetes or some type of blood sugar imbalance, the consumption of this type of bread is not recommended either, since its carbohydrates are released quickly and cause blood glucose spikes.
There are many versions of these types of breads, and there are even some with nuts or sausages, but almost all of them can be made suitable for vegan and keto diets. Remember that the vegan diet does not admit ingredients or foods of animal origin. While the keto diet, the only prohibition is not to exceed the amount of carbohydrates. In this case, on average, naam breads have more than 20 grams of carbohydrates when a more or less strict keto diet cannot exceed 20 grams per day.