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Are Tortillas Good for You?

It depends on their size, ingredients, and what you stuff them with. 

Tortillas packed with beans and veggies make a healthy meal. Photo: Getty Images

They’re essential for tacos, enchiladas, burritos, and more, but many people also use tortillas for sandwiches, pizza, and other dishes, often assuming that they’re a healthier choice than bread. “The fact that tortillas are flat and don’t seem dense in comparison to bread or other grain products adds to their attractiveness,” says Lourdes Castro Mortillaro, MS, RDN, director of the NYU Food Lab. And you’ve got low-carb, cauliflower-based, and green-tinged spinach options, and even chickpea tortillas, which may seem like they’re even better for you than the classic corn and flour varieties.

Are they? Tortillas can have roughly the same calories, carbohydrates, and fiber as bread, ounce for ounce—but that doesn’t make them unhealthy. And at the same time, not all of the healthier-sounding variations are as nutritious as they appear to be.


Corn Tortillas vs. Flour Tortillas

Corn tortillas can be more flavorful and have a bit of texture to them, while flour tortillas are blander, with a doughy consistency. Corn tortillas can supply some built-in portion control. “Corn tortillas tend to be smaller in diameter than flour tortillas,” Castro Mortillaro says.


Flour tortillas are more likely to come in 8- or 10-inch sizes or larger; the gluten protein in flour and fat added to them gives them structure and pliability that helps them hold together in larger sizes. Naturally, gluten-free corn tortillas break apart more easily the bigger (and more filled) they get. “Corn is also a better choice if sodium is a concern,” says Amy Keating, a registered dietitian at CR. And the larger the flour tortilla, the more sodium it contains. For example, Old El Paso Flour Tortillas for Burritos have 230 mg sodium each, while the company’s Restaurant Style Grande version has 620 mg.

If you like the taste of flour tortillas but are looking for something a little better for you, choose whole wheat over regular; you’ll get more fiber. For example, one La Banderita regular flour tortilla has 100 calories, 15 grams of carbs, 1 gram of fiber, and 160 mg of sodium. The whole-wheat variety has 80 calories, 13 grams of carbs, 3 grams of fiber, and 150 mg of sodium each.

Low-Carb Tortillas

A number of brands offer “low-carb” tortillas, so cutting back on the nutrient doesn’t mean having to go without tacos. What’s tricky, though, is that many aren’t necessarily low-carb—or low-calorie. “They are low in net carbs, which is the number reached when you subtract the amount of fiber from the total amount of carbohydrates,” Castro Mortillaro says. “Net carbs” isn’t a universally recognized concept; the American Diabetes Association recommends people with diabetes track total carbs instead.

What’s more, these products often have added ingredients, such as soy fiber and cellulose, to increase the amount of fiber per serving. “The research is pretty clear on the fact that isolated nutrients taken from their natural food source do not offer the same benefits as when the nutrients are consumed in their whole form,” Castro Mortillaro says. Before you buy low-carb tortillas, look at the nutrition facts panel and the ingredients list to be sure of what you’re getting.

Veggie Tortillas

These healthier-sounding vegetable-infused options tend to be similar in calories and carbs as other tortillas. And they may not actually be veggie-packed. While Mission’s Garden Spinach Herb Wraps, for instance, contain a bit of spinach powder, they also rely on Yellow 5 Lake and Blue 1 Lake for their bright hue. La Tortilla Factory Power Greens Wraps contain actual kale, spinach, chard, and parsley, but they make up just 2 percent or less of the ingredients.

Cauliflower tortillas are another “veggie” option. Some, like La Tortilla Factory Cauliflower Tortillas, have cauliflower purée as the first ingredient, meaning that it’s the most prevalent. And they’re typically mixed with gluten-free flours—cassava, tapioca, and chickpea flours in La Tortilla’s case. But others, such as Ortega Cauliflower & Flour Tortillas, contain cauliflower but have refined wheat flour as the first ingredient.

“If you love cauliflower and want the health benefits from it, such as fiber and antioxidants, you would be better off using a basic corn tortilla and stuffing it with roasted or grilled cauliflower,” Castro Mortillaro says.

Wrapping It Up

Regardless of the tortilla you choose, look for one made with simple, basic ingredients. Commercial varieties may have preservatives and other additives. The tortillas made with ingredients you could stock in your kitchen are more likely to be better tasting and better for you. As always, the nutrition and ingredients list on the back of the package will give you more useful information than the marketing on the front of the package.

The larger the tortilla, the more calories and carbs it will have. For a balanced meal, stick with one or two moderately sized tortillas and stuff them with a mixture of beans and vegetables. For instance, fill a corn tortilla with black beans seasoned with garlic powder and cumin, corn, chopped peppers, sliced avocado, and salsa.

Or for breakfast, consider migas, which is a dish of scrambled eggs with peppers, tomatoes, and onions. Instead of adding the typical fried tortilla strips, simply serve it over a corn tortilla. For something less traditional, roll a whole-wheat flour tortilla with peanut butter and banana slices for an easy breakfast, or wrap grilled salmon with mango salsa into corn tortillas for dinner. And enjoy, Castro Mortillaro says: “Eating with your hands makes mealtime all the more fun.”


Rachel Meltzer Warren

Rachel Meltzer Warren, MS, RD, is a freelance writer based in the New York area who contributes to Consumer Reports on food and nutrition topics.


(Sources: Consumer Report)

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