Whole wheat atta flour in a brass bowl alongside golden wheat grains and dough on a wooden board.

Protein in Atta

Written by Pradnya Ganorkar · Updated 25 October 2026

Whole wheat atta has 10.57 g of protein per 100 g, according to the Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. This is the mean of samples from 6 regions of India, per 100 g of dry flour. Atta is also called Ata, Kaneek, Gahama atta and Godhambu mavu.

Source of the values: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017 (ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad), food code A019: Wheat flour, atta, mean of samples from 6 regions of India, per 100 g edible portion.

The full breakdown

All values below are for 100 g of atta.

| Nutrient | Per 100 g | |—|—| | Energy | 320 kcal (1340 kJ) | | Protein | 10.57 g | | Carbohydrate (available) | 64.17 g | | Total fat | 1.53 g | | Dietary fibre | 11.36 g | | Total sugars | 1.80 g | | Calcium | 30.94 mg | | Iron | 4.10 mg | | Potassium | 311 mg | | Sodium | 2.04 mg | | Magnesium | 125 mg | | Zinc | 2.85 mg | | Folate | 29.22 µg | | Thiamine (B1) | 0.42 mg |

These are averages across many samples, so the packet in your kitchen may differ a little.

How atta compares

Here are similar rows from the same table, side by side, all per 100 g.

| Food | Protein | Energy | Carbohydrate (available) | Total fat | Dietary fibre | Total sugars | |—|—|—|—|—|—|—| | Atta | 10.57 g | 320 kcal (1340 kJ) | 64.17 g | 1.53 g | 11.36 g | 1.80 g | | Amaranth seed | 14.59 g | 356 kcal (1490 kJ) | 59.98 g | 5.74 g | 7.02 g | 0.88 g | | Bajra | 10.96 g | 348 kcal (1456 kJ) | 61.78 g | 5.43 g | 11.49 g | 0.81 g | | Barley | 10.94 g | 316 kcal (1321 kJ) | 61.29 g | 1.30 g | 15.64 g | 0.06 g |

Amaranth seed has 14.59 g of protein per 100 g, which is higher than atta. Bajra has 10.96 g and barley has 10.94 g, both slightly above atta.

Good to know

Why does wheat flour have protein? The protein in wheat flour comes mainly from two classes of protein. Glutenin gives dough its elasticity, and gliadin helps the dough rise. When flour is mixed with water, they form gluten.

Why does roti show a lower number than dry atta? The water added to make dough increases the weight but adds no nutrients. So a per 100 g figure for cooked roti looks lower than the figure for dry flour. When you compare, check whether a number is for flour or for bread.

Is roti a protein food? Pradnya Ganorkar of Nutrimate Wellness explains: "Wheat atta does have some protein, but a couple of rotis give far less than a meal needs. Roti is mainly a carbohydrate food, so the protein has to come from what you eat with it."

What is protein-rich atta? Under FSSAI standards, protein rich wheat flour (protein prachur atta) is made by mixing wheat flour with solvent extracted groundnut flour, solvent extracted soya flour and whey protein powder. It is a blended product, not plain atta, so read the label on any pack you buy.

For more everyday options, see our guide to protein-rich everyday Indian foods.

Questions people ask

Does atta roti contain protein?

Yes. Atta has 10.57 g of protein per 100 g, so roti made from it carries some protein. It is still mainly a carbohydrate food, so most people get the larger share of protein from what they eat with it, such as dal, curd or paneer.

How can I add more protein to my roti?

Pradnya Ganorkar says to mix some besan, sattu or soya flour into your regular atta, because it still tastes like roti. She also recommends pairing roti with dal, paneer, curd, egg or chicken instead of only sabzi.

Why does my day look full of food but low on protein?

In our experience, people are often surprised that their day looks full of food but low on protein. Roti, rice and poha fill the plate, and the protein number stays low until dal, curd or paneer are added to most meals.

With Nutrimate Wellness

Seeing the protein in your atta is useful, but the daily total is what counts. Nutrimate AI Nutrition and Fitness Tracking offers AI-assisted food logging, Indian food nutrition information, and calorie and protein tracking, along with WhatsApp-based food logging. Read more on the Nutrimate app page or try the calorie calculator.

Sources

Values are per 100 g of the edible part of the food, from the Indian Food Composition Tables 2017 (ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition). Actual values vary with variety, season, cooking and portion size.

This article is general information, not medical advice. Speak to a doctor or registered dietitian about your own needs.

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