Flour Tortillas: Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits
Written by Isabel Vasquez RD, LDN
Flour tortillas are incredibly popular in Northern Mexico. They’re enjoyed throughout the day—with eggs for breakfast and to make burritos in the afternoon. They’re also super popular in the US, for both Mexican food and other dishes like wraps.
Many people worry that tortillas, especially flour tortillas, are unhealthy. After all, they’re mainly a source of carbs and carbs have gotten a bad rap in recent years.
However, we’re here to tell you that flour tortillas can be a part of a healthy diet. You don’t have to fear the carbs they provide. Plus, we often eat them with sources of protein, fat, and fiber to make a well-rounded meal.
Keep reading to learn the nutrition facts and health effects of flour tortillas. Plus, we’re sharing whether corn tortillas are healthier than flour tortillas.
Flour Tortilla Nutrition Facts
One 8-inch flour tortilla (51 grams) has the following nutrition profile, per the USDA:
Calories: 146
Carbohydrates: 25 grams (g)
Protein: 4 g
Fat: 3 g
Saturated fat: 0.4 g
Iron: 1 milligram (mg), or 6% of the daily value (DV)
Sodium: 458 mg, or 20% of the DV
Calcium: 97 mg, or 7% of the DV
As you can see, flour tortillas are primarily a source of carbs. Carbs are the main source of energy for your tissues, cells, and organs, per Medline Plus.
Notably, carbs are the preferred source of energy for your brain! Yup, you need carbs to be able to focus and to prevent dreaded hanger.
As an added perk, flour tortillas have a few grams of protein and unsaturated fat to promote satiety and overall health.
Although the nutrition info from the USDA doesn’t include fiber, there’s about 1 gram of fiber per 8-inch flour tortilla, per Mission Foods. That’s about 4% of the DV.
You’ll also get some iron and calcium from each tortilla. That said, most of us eat at least two tortillas in a sitting, which provides over 10% of the DV for these two minerals.
Are Flour Tortillas Healthy?
Flour tortillas can absolutely be a part of a healthy diet. They provide carbs for energy and a little fiber which supports gut, heart, and metabolic health, per the CDC.
Plus, flour tortillas are usually made with flour that’s been fortified with calcium and iron. Calcium is important for building strong bones, per the NIH. Iron is important for transporting oxygen throughout your body, per the NIH. Flour tortillas can help boost your intake of these two essential nutrients.
Flour tortillas are also low in saturated fat—the kind of fat that can raise your cholesterol, per the American Heart Association.
What’s most important is pairing flour tortillas with complementary foods rich in protein, fiber, and unsaturated fat. This makes a well-rounded, nutritious meal that will promote overall health, prevent blood sugar spikes, and keep you full until your next meal or snack.
For the most health benefits, add lean proteins like beans, shrimp, fish, chicken breast, or lean cuts of pork; healthy fats like avocado and olive or canola oil; and veggies like onions, peppers, and tomatoes.
Culturally, we tend to do this anyway. Flour tortillas are often used to make tacos, burritos, enchiladas, or quesadillas. All of these can be super nutritious meals depending on the ingredients you use!
That said, flour tortillas can be high in sodium. For example, a pre-packaged 8-inch flour tortilla has 20% of the DV for sodium, per the USDA. That’s a lot for just one tortilla. Eating too much sodium can raise blood pressure, per the CDC.
To mitigate this, you can look for low-sodium tortillas. Also, if you make flour tortillas from scratch they probably have less sodium because you don’t need the sodium to act as a preservative.
Are Flour Tortillas Healthier than Corn Tortillas?
Corn tortillas are generally more nutrient-dense than flour tortillas. They are richer in fiber and lower in sodium and carbs, per the USDA.
However, they may not be fortified, so they can be lower in calcium and iron than fortified flour tortillas. The vitamins and minerals in each largely depend on the manufacturer and fortification.
As we mentioned above, corn tortillas are higher in fiber than flour tortillas because they are made with corn—a whole grain. For example, a large corn tortilla (44 grams) has almost 3 grams, or 10% of the DV, of fiber.
Pairing corn tortillas with veggies, avocado, and beans can easily create a meal with 20–30% or more of your total fiber needs for the day. As many as 95% of Americans don’t eat enough fiber, yet it’s super important for overall health, per the American Heart Association.
Unlike flour tortillas, corn tortillas can meaningfully contribute to your total fiber intake.
Otherwise, corn and flour tortillas both provide carbs, vitamins, and minerals. If you prefer flour tortillas and they are more authentic in your cultural cuisine, don’t feel like you need to eliminate them. You can (and probably do) pair them with fiber-rich foods to meet your fiber needs.
Frequently Asked Questions:
How many carbs are in a flour tortilla?
An 8-inch flour tortilla has about 25 grams of carbs. Especially if you have diabetes, it’s important to pair flour tortillas with sources of protein, fat, and fiber to prevent blood sugar spikes. But remember, carbs are necessary for energy and shouldn't be feared.
Do flour tortillas have any nutritional value?
Flour tortillas have plenty of nutritional value. They’re mainly a source of carbs, which give your body energy. They’re also fortified with key vitamins and minerals like calcium and iron.
Are wheat tortillas better than flour tortillas?
Wheat tortillas have about 3 more grams of fiber than flour tortillas, per the USDA, which is important for overall health. However, they’re not culturally authentic to Mexican cuisine. If you prefer flour tortillas, you can still get in plenty of fiber by pairing them with veggies, avocado, and beans.
Are tortilla wraps healthier than bread?
Tortilla wraps and bread are both a source of carbs, which your body needs for energy. Two slices of white bread have a similar amount of carbs to one 8-inch flour tortilla, and they’re both usually fortified with key vitamins and minerals. So, it’s really your preference as to which you prefer and which works best for any given meal.
Final Thoughts
Flour tortillas often get a bad rap, but they can definitely be a part of a healthy diet. They provide carbs, which are essential for giving your body energy. Plus, they’re fortified with minerals like iron and calcium to support blood and bone health.
Most of all, they’re an important cultural food in Northern Mexico, and we’re all about celebrating your cultural cuisine! Remember, we usually don’t eat flour tortillas alone. When you zoom out, you can see that flour tortillas are typically used to make well-balanced, nutritious meals.
For education on how to ADD nutrition to your favorite Latine cultural dishes, make peace with food, and focus on your health without dieting, join our nutrition library for just $27/month.
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