Wraps are a super convenient way of making a quick meal and can be filled with a variety of ingredients. Many people turn to wraps as a “low-carb” alternative to bread but is this really the case?
When making a sandwich you generally use 2 pieces of bread which leads to a serving size of around 85g. Whereas, when using a wrap, you can use 1 wrap with a serving size of around 45g to get the same result. The carbohydrates in 2 slices of bread ranges between 30-40g, whereas in 1 wrap the carbohydrates are usually around 18-25g. However, if you are considering a 70-80g wrap, the carbohydrate amount can be much the same as 2 pieces of bread.
This article will compare wholegrain and wholemeal wraps with servings sizes between 40-50g. However, there are other options available, such as wraps larger wraps. Therefore, when reading nutrition labels ensure you are comparing products of the same serving size.
Helga’s Mini Wraps Mixed Grain
| Energy (kJ) | 640 |
| Protein (g) | 4.6 |
| Fat (g) | 4.5 |
| Saturated fat (g) | 2.3 |
| Carbohydrate (g) | 23.8 |
| Sugar (g) | 1.6 |
| Sodium (mg) | 225 |
| Fibre (g) | 2.3 |
Helga’s are one of the most popular brands that come to mind when thinking of wraps and bread. These wraps have the highest kJ’s and carbohydrates compared to the other wraps in this review. However, it also provides the highest amount of protein and moderate fibre. The only other thing to consider would be the fat and saturated fat content, as we should be aiming to consume <10g saturated fat per day. These wraps can be found at Coles or Woolworths for $5.
Mission Whole Wheat Mini Wraps
| Energy (kJ) | 586 |
| Protein (g) | 4.0 |
| Fat (g) | 4.5 |
| Saturated fat (g) | 2.2 |
| Carbohydrate (g) | 19.2 |
| Sugar (g) | 1.2 |
| Sodium (mg) | 418 |
| Fibre (g) | 2.8 |
Mission is another popular brand for wraps and provide a large variety of white, low GI, flavoured, salt reduced and many more to choose from. It has slightly less kJ’s and protein than Helga’s, however, the fat and saturated fat content is much the same. Carbohydrates are a little lower and contains moderate fibre, however it does have nearly double the amount of sodium. This may be something to consider if you are looking for a lower salt option. These wraps can be found at Coles or Woolworths for $5.
Coles Soft Wholemeal & Wholegrain Wraps
| Energy (kJ) | 565 |
| Protein (g) | 3.8 |
| Fat (g) | 3.6 |
| Saturated fat (g) | 1.8 |
| Carbohydrate (g) | 20.8 |
| Sugar (g) | 2.0 |
| Sodium (mg) | 221.5 |
| Fibre (g) | 2.0 |
Coles wholemeal and wholegrain wraps are a great option if you are looking for a cheaper alternative, only $2 per pack of 8! These wraps are slightly lower in everything, especially fibre, however, for sugar is higher when compared to Helga’s and Mission. A great alternative when looking to save a bit of money. These wraps can be found at Coles.
Woolworths Wholegrain Wrap
| Energy (kJ) | 496 |
| Protein (g) | 4.3 |
| Fat (g) | 2.4 |
| Saturated fat (g) | 1.2 |
| Carbohydrate (g) | 18.1 |
| Sugar (g) | 1.2 |
| Sodium (mg) | 158 |
| Fibre (g) | 3.1 |
Woolworths wholegrain wraps are also only $2 for a pack of 8 and are similar to Coles, however, have a slightly better nutritional composition. Lower in energy, sodium, fat, and sugar. Higher in protein and fibre, providing us with a better option when considering overall health. These can be found at Woolworths.
Simson’s Pantry Wholegrain Super Barley
| Energy (kJ) | 413 |
| Protein (g) | 4.4 |
| Fat (g) | 1.6 |
| Saturated fat (g) | 0.3 |
| Carbohydrate (g) | 13.6 |
| Sugar (g) | 1.6 |
| Sodium (mg) | 176 |
| Fibre (g) | 6.1 |
| Insoluble fibre (g) | 4.9 |
| Soluble fibre (g) | 1.0 |
| Resistant starch (g) | 0.2 |
Simson’s Pantry may be a bit more costly at $8 per pack of 5, but they have the best nutritional composition compared to the rest. Lowest in energy, they also only have 1.6g of fat in which only 0.3g of this is saturated fat. Also, the lowest in sugar and sodium; it provides a moderate amount of protein, like the other wraps. This wrap contains 6.1g of fibre and has the additional benefit of providing us with the amount of each type of fibre. These wraps are a great alternative if you don’t mind spending a bit of extra money. These can be found and Coles and Woolworths.
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