Flatbread is one of the most popular types of bread worldwide, especially Greek or Turkish pita bread and Indian naan. Though these flatbreads look similar, they have many differences; for instance, pita is older than naan, having originated around 4,000 years ago in the Middle East, while naan originated in southeast India about 2,500 years ago.

Pita is a leavened flatbread made from yeast, water, and flour, and can be cooked by baking, steaming, frying, grilling, and most traditionally, on a stovetop or hot stone; high heat is needed to form the signature "pocket" in the pita. Some pitas are used as wraps, such as in Palestinian shawarma or Greek gyros, while others are flavored with herbs and spices.

Meanwhile, naan bread derives from the Persian word "non," and uses yeast to create its characteristic bubbly appearance. It is cooked by slapping the dough onto the walls of a clay oven called a tandoor, and naan's mild taste balances out powerfully-flavored Indian foods, and can be used as an edible utensil to scoop up sauces and other foods.

Another big difference between pita and naan is that naan includes dairy and animal products, such as yogurt, milk, eggs, and sometimes butter or ghee, to create a softer end product, while pita contains no such ingredients. No matter how similar these two flatbreads seem, they have very distinct origins, preparations, and uses.