Are corn tortillas gluten free? Corn tortillas are gluten free, so it is a healthier option compared to flour tortillas which has gluten in it. Flour tortillas are made of wheat and that contains gluten. The people that need to avoid eating gluten foods are people that have celiac disease. Celiac disease is an autoimmune response to gluten that causes damage to your digestive system.
The best way to find out if any tortillas contain any gluten is to look at the product ingredients list. But if you buy corn tortillas you are 100% safe to know that it is 100% gluten free.
Are Corn Tortillas Gluten Free? Photo Credit: iStock-bhofack2
Corn tortillas has 100% corn which elicits whole grains. The reason the whole grains in corn tortillas is so important is it delivers fiber which promotes positive digestive and heart health. Corn Tortillas is considered a cereal grain.
When I give advice to clients about what to eat on their diet meals when it comes to tortillas, I always say go with corn tortillas over flour tortillas because that is always the healthier option.
“Most Americans don’t get enough dietary fiber in their diet. And fiber is important for promoting positive digestive and heart health. And one of the best ways to get your daily fiber is through corn tortillas which has about 3 grams of fiber per 1 large corn tortilla.” Celebrity Fitness & Nutrition Expert Obi Obadike
This is the nutrition content of Corn Tortillas vs Flour Tortillas, and the portion is 1 Large corn tortilla vs 1 Medium Flour Tortilla.
Corn Tortilla
Calories– 95.9
Carbs- 16.9 grams
Protein- 2.51 grams
Fat- 1.25 grams
Fiber- 2.77 grams
Calcium- 35.6 mg
Iron- 0.54 mg
Magnesium- 31.7 mg
Sodium- 19.8 mg
Flour Tortilla
Calories-138
Carbs- 22.2 grams
Protein- 3.69 grams
Fat- 3.6 grams
Fiber- 1.58 grams
Calcium- 65.7 mg
Iron- 1.63 mg
Magnesium- 9.9 mg
Sodium- 333 mg
Flour tortillas have more iron and calcium than corn tortillas. White flour tortillas also have twice as many calories and fat than corn tortillas. The extra calories and fat from flour tortillas puts you at a higher risk of cancers, diabetes, heart disease, etc.
There are two type of corn tortillas as there are white tortillas, yellow tortillas, and blue tortillas. The only real difference between corn and white tortillas is the color of the tortillas. But yellow tortillas does have more beta carotene than white tortillas.
Research has shown that the blue corn tortillas is the healthiest of them all. Most Americans don’t get enough dietary fiber in their diet. And fiber is important for promoting positive digestive and heart health. And one of the best ways to get your daily fiber is through corn tortillas which has about 3 grams of fiber per 1 large corn tortilla.
The Bottom Line is that corn tortillas are gluten free, and it is the healthier alternative option over flour tortillas. It has less calories, less fat and even less carbs. And it is high in fiber which helps to promote good digestive health.
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