Is Chapati / roti (wheat) safe during pregnancy?

Grains & cereals Also called Ata (Bengali); Mulu Godumai maavu (Tamil); Sampurna godhuma pindi (Telugu); Kaneek (Marathi); Godhambu mavu (Malayalam); Sampurna godhi hittu (Kannada); Samagra gha (Gujarati); Gehun (Hindi); Gom (Bengali); Godumai (Tamil); Godhumalu (Telugu); Gehu (Marathi); Godhumbu (Malayalam); Godhi (Kannada); Ghaun (Gujarati).

Part of a healthy pregnancy diet

The US FDA names whole-wheat chapati as a whole grain; ICMR-NIN's sample pregnancy diet includes phulka and methi or palak roti.[1,2]

What official sources say

US FDA: Dietary Advice Before and During Pregnancy

  • Examples of whole grains include: Whole-wheat chapati[1]
  • Examples of whole grains include: Wheat[1]
  • If you are or might become pregnant you should consume a variety of foods, including whole grains such as wheat, oats, and barley for good nutrition.[1]

ICMR-NIN: Dietary Guidelines for Indians 2024

  • Its sample pregnancy diet includes rice or phulka. (p. 17)[2]
  • Among its dos for pregnancy it suggests fenugreek (methi) roti, spinach (palak) roti, vegetable idli and vegetable dosa. (p. 17)[2]

Related general rules

US FDA: Dietary Advice Before and During Pregnancy

  • By eating a variety of grains during pregnancy, you can promote better health for your baby.[1]

NHS: Have a healthy diet in pregnancy

  • Starchy foods include bread, potatoes, breakfast cereals, rice, pasta, noodles, maize, millet, oats, yams and cornmeal.[3]

Nutrition per 100 g (USDA)

Energy299 kcal
Protein7.85 g
Fibre9.7 g
Sugars2.93 g
Iron2.2 mg
Calcium36 mg
Folate (DFE)45 µg
Folate, total45 µg
Vitamin A (RAE)0 µg
Vitamin C0 mg
Vitamin D0 µg
Vitamin B120 µg
Choline7.8 mg
DHA (omega-3)0 g
EPA (omega-3)0 g
Caffeine0 mg
Sodium298 mg

USDA FoodData Central: Bread, chapati or roti, whole wheat, commercially prepared, frozen (FDC ID 174075), per 100 g. Public domain. Values describe that USDA record; composition varies with variety and preparation.

Sources

  1. US FDA: Dietary Advice Before and During Pregnancy · fda.gov. US government work, public domain; quoted. No endorsement implied.
  2. ICMR-NIN: Dietary Guidelines for Indians 2024 · nin.res.in. Printed page 17. Paraphrased and cited by printed page; the text is not reproduced.
  3. NHS: Have a healthy diet in pregnancy · nhs.uk. Paraphrased. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (OGL v3.0). Not endorsed by the NHS.

Sources checked 26 September 2026.

Quotes are checked word for word against each source page, and paraphrases against the original text. Official bodies are named as sources only: none of them reviewed or endorses this page.

Educational information, not medical advice. Your own doctor or midwife may advise differently for you — follow their advice.