Last night I was watching "The Next Food Network Star" because I find myself on the Food Network a lot but am not necessarily a frequent watcher of that show. One of the contestants is a "healthy" eating guy, that's his schtick. At one point he said something along the lines of "if you make something a wrap, it's automatically healthier." At which point he lost all credibility with me on healthy food since it appears he hasn't actually done any research on what he's pushing.
Personally, I think the whole "healthy" wrap thing was an awesome marketing campaign because everyone generally assumes it to be true. But let's examine the facts with two comparitive options for making a sandwich:
1 Mission brand 96% Fat Free Heart Healthy 10" Tortilla, 180cal, 18 from fat, 2g Fat, 0.5g sat fat, 450mg sodium, 35g carbs, 5g fiber, 2g sugar, 5g protein.
2 slices Orowheat 100% whole wheat bread, 200cal, 20 from fat, 2g fat, 0g sat fat, 420mg sodium, 38g carbs, 6g fiber, 8g sugar, 8g protein.
Seriously the numbers are nearly a wash and if anything you get the benefit of extra protein in the bread. I think a tortilla is healthier, if you compared it to say Wonder Bread. But I also believe reasonable test and evaluation methodologies, just that engineer part of me that kicks in.
p.s. I like Chiptole burritos but there is another place the tortilla = healthy thing falls on its face. Their flour tortlla has 290cal, 80! from fat, 9g fat, 3g sat fat, 670!mg sodium, 44g carbs, 2g fiber and only 7g protein. Seriously, save yourself and order the bowl in which you can throw some lettuce in and actually make it a reasonably healthy meal if you eat there.
12 years ago
3 comments:
This very same comparison/realization totally devastated me when I was on the diabetes exchange diet during my pregnancy. 1 6" tortilla = 2 servings of carbs. How I missed my tortillas.
It always surprises me the range of calories in tortillas. I once looked at every brand in the store after Byron's accusation that I eat too many tortillas. Cause I do love tortillas. There are 90 calorie 6" tortillas and 250 calorie ones. They look the same. (Never mind the big tortillas, one of which I spotted was a whopping 500 calories). Since I love my homemade fajitas, I'd much rather have 3 90 calorie tortillas than 1.1 250 calorie tortilla (never mind the contents of 3 tortillas worth of calories compared to one.. :) )..
Which is why I don't get the points system as a method of tracking your eating. Weight watchers (and clearly Jen's pregnancy diet) gives them the same points no matter the calorie count or carb amount.
totally agree that the calorie content varies widely. I even picked a reasonably healthy tortilla to compare to. I think a traditional flour tortilla is made with flour and lard, even without lard it is made with crisco or something.
So you have to get the fat free/calorie reduced "versions" for a tortilla to not be just plain bad for you.
Post a Comment