When we enter a fast food restaurant, we order salads or chicken or bread sandwiches or wraps. The stuffings inside the wraps and the ingredients that one adds in between the two slices of bread in a sandwich varies. But between wraps and bread, which is better? Also, how to look for a healthy wrap?
Wraps vs bread sandwiches
Fast food is not healthy because it is loaded with saturated fats, sugars, and salt. But once in a while, we do feel like having them. These foods are convenient when one is busy or traveling. They are less messy and are on the go foods.
Usually, we order bread sandwiches or wraps at these fast food outlets. But between the two which is healthier? And how to hunt for a healthy wrap?
Lainey Younkin is a weight loss expert. She advises on which of the two to have. And how to make wraps healthy? But she warns that white wraps and white bread sandwiches are equally bad for health. They have more calories with less nutrients. Dietary fiber and protein is low in them.
White foods vs whole wheat foods
Lainey clarifies that not all wraps or breads are bad for health. Those made from refined flour lack nutrients. They have simple carbs in them and can cause blood sugar dysregulation. They also cause weight gain. She explains:
“When it comes to wraps and breads, the best option for weight loss will be the one that gives you the most fiber and protein for the fewest calories,”
White foods made from refined flour also lead to body inflammation and its ill-consequences. She adds:
“Some wraps, especially those from sandwich shops and chain restaurants, can have 200-400 calories per wrap that mostly comes from refined carbohydrates, meaning they lack fiber.”
Opt for whole wheat wraps and sandwiches.
Giving details, she says:
“Joseph’s Flax, Oat Bran, & Whole Wheat wraps, for example, pack 7 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber for just 80 calories, which is a better option than many whole wheat bread.”
Multi grain wraps and breads
But Lainey cautions that multigrain wraps or breads may not necessarily be good. Because it only means that they have flour from multiple grains. But these all might be refined or white and hence not healthy. She enlightens:
“Flip over the package and check the ingredients list and the nutrition facts panel. Aim for 3-5 grams of fiber and 3-5 grams of protein per serving,”
“Fiber and protein work together to slow the rise of blood sugar, slow the emptying of your stomach, and suppress hunger hormones, which keep you full longer and aid weight loss.”
Also read the label carefully to know the sugar and salt content of the wraps or breads. If these are high, it is not good for health and weight. She enlists:
“The American Heart Association recommends that women consume no more than 24 grams of added sugar per day and men consume no more than 36 grams of added sugar per day. Dave’s Killer Bread Powerseed bread and Ezekiel bread are two of my favorite brands to recommend to clients for weight loss.”
Read here: Five beverages with high refined sugars to have only occasionally
Have enough fiber and protein in meals for weight loss and proper control of blood sugar, she says. Serving size does not matter. One should aim for meeting the daily requirements of these two vital nutrients.