Corn vs Flour vs Whole Wheat Tortilla - Which is Healthier?

Tortillas are hugely popular – but given the choice between corn and flour what should we chose and why?

Given we want to have good and tasty food, but also at the same time want to be healthy, and it is crucial to select ingredients which help us ensure that the new jeans we got last month do not become tight after a few days.

If you’re a fan of Mexican food and want to know how to choose healthier Mexican cuisine at restaurants, you may notice that in the battle of corn v flour tortilla, experts always recommend corn tortillas. Let’s see why.

	corn tortilla	flour tortilla
Calories	50 calories	75-90 calories
Ingredients	Whole Grain Corns	Flour, Baking powder, Salt and Oil
Minerals	Calcium	Iron, Calcium, Magnesium
Vitamins	Vitamin A, B-3, B-6, C	Vitamin B1, B2, B9, B3

Corn tortillas are made of whole grain corns, and water. As a result, their nutrient value is high. They contain whole grain fiber, vitamins including vitamin B1, minerals, and magnesium. Flour tortillas, on the other hand, is made of flour, water, baking powder, salt, and oil. They contain little calcium and iron but a lot of fat. As a result, corn tortillas are the healthier choice in terms of nutritional value.
Corn tortillas are also smaller in size than flour tortillas. For this reason, one gains fewer calories by consuming them. This is helpful to maintain our weight and ensure we do not gain extra pounds while snacking on our favorite Mexican dishes.
Corn tortillas have lesser calories than flour tortillas. One corn tortilla contains 50 calories whereas one flour tortilla comprises 75-100 calories. Corn tortillas also contain less fat than flour tortillas. One corn tortilla contains 0.5gm fat while one flour tortilla contains 2-3gm fat.
Corn tortillas contain dietary fiber whereas flour tortillas contain sodium, carbohydrates, and calories from fat.
Corn tortilla contains more dietary fiber than flour tortilla. Dietary fibers are a significant source of healthy nutrition.
Flour tortillas contain more protein than corn tortilla. But if one prefers to have more protein, one can indeed have meat, fish or tofu in their corn tortilla.

While having corn tortillas or making them for that matter – one should bear in mind that you can only get the nutritional value of corn tortillas if you use ‘whole grain corn’ and not ‘degermed corn’.

It is mentioned in the packaging of the corn, regarding its type. Whole grain corns contain the nutritional value and health benefits stated above. But whole grain corns when degermed are stripped of most of their ingredients – fiber, magnesium, vitamin B1, and other vitamins and minerals.

Whole Wheat Tortilla

Is there any option if you want flour tortillas for those big burritos - because let’s be honest, corn tortillas are small and no way can they contain all the ingredients of a burrito. Well, there is another option – whole wheat tortillas.

In return, you will get the necessary nutrients from the whole grain just like corn and at the same time ensure you do not gain those extra calories. Whole wheat tortillas can also help protect us from developing diseases such as diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

The process of milling used for white flour removes the majority of nutrients including folic acid, iron, and fiber. Only a few nutrients are added back into the flour, but the final product is not as nutrient as the whole wheat flour and will not give us the advantage of having whole wheat products. Whole wheat tortillas can be used in any meal – egg wraps or vegetable wraps.

Whole wheat tortillas help in controlling our weight, increase bone health, give antioxidant protection and also ensure our heart health.

Which One Should You Eat?

So in conclusion – what’s better between corn and flour tortillas – hands down, corn tortillas.

But if you are an avid fan of the flour tortilla or just want a big burrito instead of small tacos – opt for the whole wheat tortilla, it's healthier and better for you and that awesome jeans you got last month.

Whole Wheat Tortilla

Which One Should You Eat?

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