5 Low Carb Tortillas You Can Buy
What qualifies a tortilla as low-carb and how to choose the right one for you.
There are so many lower carb tortillas that are appearing on market shelves, but it might be hard to know what exactly that means. Find out what to look for in a lower carb tortilla, what qualifies as a “lower carb” tortilla and our top five picks for you to try below.
What Is a Low Carb Tortilla?
There’s no formal definition of the term “low carb”, however if you look at a standard, 49-gram flour tortilla from Mission Foods, one tortilla provides 140 calories, 3 grams fat, 4 grams protein, 1 gram fiber and 26 grams carbs. In order to qualify as a lower carb tortilla, you should look for tortillas that are lower than those 26 grams of carbs.
Choosing a Lower Carb Tortilla
Choosing a lower carb tortilla means looking for one that’s lower in carbs than a traditional tortilla. Looking for one that’s about 15 grams of carbs or less per tortilla is reasonable, which also equates to one slice of bread.
On some packages you’ll find the “net carbs” showcased, which are typically used for folks following a keto diet. Since fiber is an indigestible substance, net carbs are calculated by subtracting the grams fiber from the total grams of carbs.
Many of the new low carb tortillas to hit market shelves are made from ingredients such as cheese, almond flour or cauliflower, so be sure to read the ingredient list to make sure it’s what you’re looking for.
It should also be noted that a low carb tortilla doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s low in calories. The tortilla can be made with a high-fat ingredient where the calories and fat are high but the carbs are low. So, if you’re opting for low carb tortillas to cut your overall calories or for weight loss, be sure to read the nutrition facts panel carefully. Eating a low-carb tortilla that’s high in calories could potentially sabotage your weight loss efforts.
5 Lower Carb Tortillas to Try
The lower carb tortillas below all contain 15 grams of carbs or less per tortilla.
La Tortilla Factory sells a line of low-carb tortillas that range from 45 to 100 calories, 3 to 10 grams net carbs and 3 to 8 grams protein. Varieties include quinoa & flax, whole wheat and flour. There are also various sizes available of the whole wheat and flour, depending on your needs (taco, burrito, tortilla).
The Maria and Ricardo’s Almond Flour Keto tortillas provide 6.5 grams carbs or 4 net carbs per tortilla. Flavors include Flax & Seeds, Sea Salt and the ‘Everything Seasoning’ tortilla. They’re also keto certified, gluten-free certified, paleo certified, vegan, rain free, soy free, dairy free and egg free and non-GMO project verified.
If you’re looking to go really low on the carbs, these lightly based cheese wraps do the trick. Each provides 130 to 150 calories, 11 to 15 grams protein, and 1 gram carbs. Flavors include Cheddar, Parmesan and Jarlsberg.
Mission sells a cauliflower tortilla that is naturally gluten-free with no artificial colors and vegan friendly. Each tortilla provides 90 calories, 14 grams carbs and 4 grams fiber.
These organic coconut wraps are gluten-free, grain-free and made from three ingredients: coconut meat, coconut water and unrefined coconut oil. They’re also non-GMO, paleo- and keto-approved, and vegan. Each original wrap provides 70 calories, 6 grams carbs, and 2 grams fiber. Other flavors include turmeric, cinnamon and moringa.
Toby Amidor, MS, RD, CDN, is a registered dietitian and consultant who specializes in food safety and culinary nutrition. She is the author of The Greek Yogurt Kitchen: More Than 130 Delicious, Healthy Recipes for Every Meal of the Day.
*This article was written and/or reviewed by an independent registered dietitian nutritionist.
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