Biggest Loser Nutritionist - Cheryl Forberg - Registered Dietitian

Researching restaurant foods

Question: Are spinach wraps OK, or are they still made of white flour?

Cheryl responds:

This question came to me from a Biggest Loser contestant who wasn’t sure about a tortilla in her favorite wrap sandwich from a local restaurant. It "tasted too good to be good for her” -- sound familiar?

The answer to her question depends on the brand. The first ingredient on a nutrition facts label will indicate whether this is made primarily of "white stuff" or a whole grain flour. The nutrition facts panel will also provide information on the number of calories, fat grams, fiber grams etc.

In her case, I called the restaurant where she'd ordered the wrap and after a little research, I was able to find the vendor of the tortilla and obtain the nutrition information. This is something that you can and should do to be proactive about making the right choices when you dine out. If your favorite restaurant has a dish that tastes "too good to be true," make a few calls and inquire about the ingredients. If your favorite dish has a day’s worth of calories in half a serving, you’ll know it’s not for you. If the nutrition facts on the product label reveal more optimistic results, you can find out the source of the restaurant's ingredient (if it’s something premade such as a tortilla) and you may even be able to buy the product yourself to prepare at home.

In the case of her spinach tortilla -- well, if the tortilla itself has 300 kcals (as this one did) you'll know it’s not for you.