Corn vs Flour Tortillas: Which are Better?
How to be healthy while still enjoying Taco Tuesday.
Tacos have become quite the trendy food– from the taco cleanse, to festivals dedicated to tacos, to an abundance of amazing taco joints opening at every turn. And, of course, the making of any taco begs the question: corn vs flour tortilla? If you're trying to be healthy, here's what you need to know when it comes to corn vs flour.
Corn tortillas are – you guessed it – made out of corn (and water). But, hold up, that doesn't mean they count towards your daily recommended veggies. In fact, the Whole Grains Council explains that only fresh corn is classified as a vegetable, while dried corn is classified as a whole grain.
So while corn tortillas may not be a vegetable, they are in fact whole grains, but only when the label reads "whole grain corn" and not "degermed corn." When corn is not whole, then you're getting tortillas that have been stripped of most of their nutrients – fiber, magnesium, vitamin B1, and other vitamins and minerals.
As far as texture and taste, corn tortillas have a somewhat grainy, chewy mouthfeel and a sweet earthiness. They are used in countless Mexican dishes, like enchiladas, taquitos, and chilaquiles. And, of course, let's not forget that corn tortillas become our favorite guacamole-dipping companion after frying.
Flour tortillas have a few more ingredients to them than corn – flour, water, oil, baking powder, salt, and water – and the end product is a thicker, softer tortilla. In my opinion, I find that flour tortillas have a stronger, doughy taste that can often take away from the flavor of what's inside.
Of course the benefit of flour tortillas is that they are big enough for burritos, and they can also replace corn tortillas in most Mexican recipes. As far as nutrients, flour tortillas will provide you with a bit of calcium and iron, but also a lot of fat. If given the choice, choose wheat tortillas (less processing, less fat, and less sodium) or homemade flour tortillas, which leave out the added preservatives that are in the ones you find in the store.
When it comes down to it, flour tortillas have more calories (think around 75 to 100 calories for one flour tortilla and 50 calories for one corn tortilla) and more fat (think 2 to 3 grams for flour and .5 grams for corn) than their corn counterpart. Not only that, but they also have more sodium, carbohydrates, and calories from fat. Corn tortillas also have more of that valuable dietary fiber.
While flour tortillas often have more protein than corn tortillas, getting your protein is a job I believe can be left up to what's on the inside– meat, fish, tofu, and beans are all great, protein-backed fillers. So it's clear that corn tortillas are overall the more healthy option, but turns out they're also the less expensive option as well– I bought 30 corn tortillas at the store for relatively the same price that I bought 10 flour tortillas.
So there you have it, the low-down on corn vs flour tortillas. Not only are corn tortillas better for you, but they're also more authentic and less expensive. If you're devoted to the flour tortilla, this doesn't mean you can't enjoy what you love– opt for a wheat or homemade version whenever you can.