Oftentimes, it can be overwhelming trying to come up with easy recipes to help you stay on a healthy diet. It can be time consuming trying to come up with your own healthy recipe or trying to get inspiration from online sources.
Luckily, healthy wraps can be a great option for any meal of the day. The ingredients are affordable, they are easy to make, and they don’t require a lot of preparation. The best part is that you can mix any of the ingredients you have on hand to make a variety of different wraps to keep it interesting. Here are a few tips to consider that can help to support your weight loss.
Healthy Wrap Ideas
There are different types of tortillas to choose from, such as “whole-wheat”, “multigrain”, and “grain-free”, to name a few. A typical wrap contains a source of protein, variety of vegetables, and seasonings, sauces, or dressings. Examples of different types of wraps you can make include the following:
Breakfast wrap
Scrambled eggs, seasonings, black beans, potatoes, onion, spinach, salsa.
Southwest wrap
Cooked chicken, seasonings, corn, black beans, onion, avocado, low-fat cheese, salsa.
Greek wrap
Cooked chicken, seasonings, hummus, tomatoes, kalamata olives, cucumbers, onion, bell pepper, olive oil & vinegar.
Vegan wrap (cooked)
Cooked tofu, seasonings, chickpeas, bell pepper, spinach, mushrooms, onion, garlic.
Low-Carb Options
While you do not necessarily have to follow a low-carb diet for weight loss, you may choose to incorporate some low-carb dishes in your diet. Some of these options will be naturally low in calories.
If you are searching for a low-carb tortilla wrap, there are lots of options in the stores. There are also egg wraps that provide very little carbs and add a few grams of protein. This is a great option for someone who is on a low-carb or keto diet.
Another great option is to use lettuce instead of a tortilla. Butter lettuce or iceberg lettuce are great options for making wraps because they are sturdy, the perfect shape, and provide practically no carbs.
A low-carb diet should also mean that your diet still consists of complex carbohydrates, plenty of protein and healthy fats. The protein and fats in the diet allow you to feel full for a longer period of time, and complex carbohydrates include dietary fiber that is needed for healthy digestion.
Helpful things to consider when eating carbohydrates are that fruits and vegetables are rich in fiber, whole grains are great sources of B vitamins, and low-fat dairy products provide great sources of calcium, vitamin D, and potassium. Added sugar consumption should be limited to no more than 10% of total calories consumed as recommended in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
There is plenty of stigma around carbs. However, it is far from true that carbs are bad for you. Complex carbohydrates provide a number of benefits such as the diversity of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Examples of foods with complex carbohydrates include: fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, grains, and legumes. The 2020-2025 Dietary Guide for Americans suggestion for carbohydrate consumption is 45-65%. However, there is no one best diet for everyone when it comes to weight loss.
Low-Calorie Options
If you are searching for a low-calorie wrap, there are low-calorie tortillas that can provide as little as 50 calories per serving. Some egg wraps provide as little as 15 calories per serving and lettuce wraps provide practically no calories. Loading your wraps with lots of veggies and lean protein will allow you to get tons of nutrients and make you feel full for a longer period of time.
Raw veggies that are great to include in your wraps include: spinach, arugula, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, and cabbage. Cooked veggies can include: mushrooms, zucchini, and eggplant.
It is important to consider saturated fat content of protein foods as a source of calories as well. Low-fat protein sources can include: chicken, turkey, fish, low-fat cheese, beans, chickpeas, and tofu. Tips to remember when consuming deli meat are to be aware of sodium intake and preservatives in prepackaged meats. Therefore, it is best to choose fresh deli meat that is less processed, look for low-sodium options, and pick the cut of meat with the least amount of fat.
How to make them tasty
It’s important to make meals healthy, but it is also important to make meals taste good! There are lots of different seasonings and sauces to choose from. If you are making a Mediterranean inspired wrap, you can use a cucumber dip like tzatziki, or if you are making a Latin inspired wrap, you can use salsa or hot sauce.
Store bought light dressings can also be used in moderation or you can make your own simple homemade dressing that exclude any unnecessary additives. There are great tips from the blog post How To Choose a Salad Dressing. Take advantage of learning how to season cooked meats and learning how different ingredients complement each other. This will help you become more creative in coming up with your own recipes.
Final Thoughts
Remember that there are many combinations of ingredients that you can incorporate into your wraps. When grocery shopping, try to purchase a variety of your favorite produce, protein sources, seasonings, and sauces. This allows you to mix it up and make several cuisine styles. I would like to know about your favorite wrap ingredient combinations! Comment below!
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