Atta is Indian whole wheat flour used to make flatbread such as chapati, roti, paratha or puri. Traditionally fresh Atta were prepared at home by grinding wheat in homemade stone grinder known as Chakki. Atta has high fiber content due to high bran and also has high in gluten thus its doughs can be strong and rolled out very thin.

Atta consist of all parts of wheat grain. It has bran, which contains fiber and other nutrients (vitamins B, iron, magnesium, and phytochemicals), endosperm, which contains carbohydrate, and germ, which consist of vitamin E and polyunsaturated fat, remain. Atta is considered healthier than Maida, which has endosperm only, thus rich in carbohydrate.

Indian all-purpose flour is known as Maida. Maida is used in many Indian flatbreads such as biscuit, breads, rusk, naan etc.

All-purpose flour or pastry flour found in United States is considered the best substitute for Maida. Our recommendation is use both or mixture of both depending on personal preference or recipe.

While making Maida, most of wheat grain bran, which contains fiber and other nutrients, and germ, which consist of vitamin E and polyunsaturated fat, are removed. The remaining wheat grain consisting endosperm containing carbohydrate. Thus, Maida may not be a good source of nutrition. For many recipe, maida can be substituted with Atta, which is whole wheat flour and contains more nutrition.

Bran, also known as miller's bran, is the hard outer layers of cereal grain. It consists of the combined aleurone and pericarp.

Corn (maize) bran also includes the pedicel. Along with germ, it is an integral part of whole grains, and is often produced as a by-product of milling in the production of refined grains.