Quick Answer
Fresh spring rolls can be a low calorie food option, depending on the ingredients used. The rice paper wrappers are very low in calories, so the main factors are the fillings. Choosing fresh, low-calorie fillings like vegetables, lean protein, herbs and rice noodles will result in a low calorie spring roll. The calories can add up quickly if using higher calorie fillings like avocado, peanut sauce, fried tofu or meat. Overall, a spring roll made with lean fillings averages around 50-150 calories per roll.
Calories in Fresh Spring Roll Wrappers
The outer wrappers used for spring rolls are made from rice paper, which is an extremely low calorie ingredient.
Here are the nutrition facts for a standard 8.5-inch rice paper wrapper:
| Calories | Carbs | Protein | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | 3g | 0g | 0g |
As you can see, a single spring roll wrapper contains just 15 calories and no fat. There are 3 grams of carbs, which comes from the rice flour used to make the wrappers.
This means the wrappers add very minimal calories to fresh spring rolls. The fillings you choose will make up the bulk of the calories.
Low Calorie Spring Roll Fillings
Here are some healthy, low-calorie fillings to use in fresh spring rolls:
– Lettuce leaves – 5 calories per leaf
– Carrots – 30 calories per 1/2 cup shredded
– Bell peppers – 15 calories per 1/2 cup sliced
– Cucumbers – 8 calories per 1/2 cup sliced
– Bean sprouts – 15 calories per 1/2 cup
– Vermicelli noodles – 40 calories per 1/2 cup
– Shrimp – 30 calories for 6 large shrimp
– Chicken breast – 50 calories per ounce
– Tofu – 60 calories per 3 ounces
– Fresh herbs like mint, basil, cilantro – less than 5 calories per tablespoon
When making your spring rolls, aim to fill them mostly with vegetables and herbs, which provide nutrients and bulk but very minimal calories.
Then add smaller amounts of lean protein like shrimp, chicken or tofu to boost the protein content.
Finally, rice noodles add nice texture and only 40 calories per 1/2 cup.
As long as you stick with these low-calorie fillings, the spring rolls will be light and nutrient-dense.
High Calorie Spring Roll Fillings to Avoid
On the other hand, there are some higher calorie ingredients that can quickly add a lot of calories to fresh spring rolls:
– Avocado – 160 calories per 1/2 cup mashed
– Peanut sauce – 153 calories per 2 tablespoons
– Fried tofu – 90 calories per 3 ounces
– Pork – 145 calories per 3 ounces
– Beef – 150 calories per 3 ounces
– Cream cheese – 100 calories per 2 tablespoons
While these ingredients taste great, they pack a lot more calories into each roll. Even small amounts of items like avocado, peanut sauce and meat can make a significant impact.
If you’re aiming for lower calorie spring rolls, it’s best to use these higher calorie ingredients sparingly or avoid them altogether. Stick to the lean proteins and lots of veggies instead.
Average Calories per Fresh Spring Roll
Given the very low calorie rice paper wrappers and wide range of possible fillings, the calories in fresh spring rolls can vary significantly.
Here is an estimate of the average calories per roll based on typical filling combinations:
| Filling Combination | Average Calories Per Roll |
|---|---|
| Vegetables + shrimp | 50-80 |
| Vegetables + chicken | 60-100 |
| Vegetables + tofu | 70-120 |
| Vegetables + pork | 100-150 |
| Vegetables + peanut sauce | 150-200 |
As you can see, rolls filled with veggies and lean proteins like shrimp and chicken tend to be around 50-100 calories each.
The more meat and high calorie sauces you add, the more the calories increase. An all-veggie spring roll is lowest at around 50 calories.
How to Make Low Calorie Spring Rolls
Here are some tips for keeping your fresh spring rolls on the lighter side:
– Use a lettuce leaf or extra rice paper instead of meat for the wrap. This avoids any high-calorie fillings right off the bat.
– Load up on shredded veggies like carrots, cabbage, bell peppers, cucumbers and bean sprouts. They provide nutrients and bulk with minimal calories.
– Use lean proteins like shrimp, chicken breast or firm tofu in small amounts instead of fattier cuts of meat.
– Skip the peanut sauce, which can have over 150 calories per tablespoon. Opt for lower calorie dipping sauces like rice vinegar, lime juice, or soy sauce with chili paste instead.
– Avoid avocado and cheese since they’re high in fat and calories.
– Use just a small amount of oils for cooking. A spray oil is a good option to get a light coating without excess calories.
– Fill each roll mostly with vegetables and a pinch of protein rather than overloading with noodles, meat or sauce.
Following these guidelines will help keep your spring rolls around 100 calories or under, making them a great light and healthy meal or snack!
Low Calorie Spring Roll Recipe
Here is a recipe for fresh shrimp spring rolls that clocks in at just 60-70 calories per roll:
Ingredients
– 8 rice paper wrappers
– 1 cup shredded carrots
– 1 cup shredded cabbage
– 1 cucumber, julienned
– 1 mango, julienned
– 1⁄4 cup chopped cilantro
– 1⁄4 cup chopped mint
– 8 large cooked shrimp, chopped
– 1⁄2 cup vermicelli noodles
Dipping Sauce
– 2 tbsp lime juice
– 1 tsp honey
– 1 tsp chili garlic sauce
– Pinch of salt
Instructions
1. Prep the vegetables – shred the carrot and cabbage, julienne the cucumber and mango, chop the herbs. Cook the shrimp.
2. Cook the vermicelli noodles according to package instructions.
3. Prepare the dipping sauce by mixing together the lime juice, honey, chili garlic sauce and salt.
4. Fill a large bowl with warm water. Dip one rice paper wrapper in the water for about 10 seconds until pliable.
5. Lay the wrapper on a work surface. In a line across the lower third, add 2-3 shrimp pieces, a small handful each of the vegetables, herbs, and noodles.
6. Fold the bottom edge over the filling, then tightly roll the wrapper, tucking in the sides as you go.
7. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling ingredients.
8. Serve the spring rolls with the dipping sauce.
With all those low-calorie vegetables and lean protein, each of these shrimp spring rolls comes out to just 60-70 calories. The flavorful dipping sauce adds lots of taste without many calories.
To make this recipe even lower in calories, you could leave out the vermicelli noodles and use lettuce leaves instead of rice paper wrappers. Enjoy the light, refreshing flavors!
Common Questions about Spring Roll Calories
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about the calories in different types of spring rolls:
Are fried spring rolls lower in calories than fresh spring rolls?
No, fried spring rolls are much higher in calories than fresh spring rolls. The fresh wrappers have about 15 calories each, while fried wrappers clock in around 50 calories or more per piece. Frying also adds a significant amount of oil, bumping up the calories even more.
Do shrimp spring rolls have fewer calories than other types?
Spring rolls with shrimp tend to be lower in calories than ones made with beef or pork, since shrimp is a leaner protein. But veggies and tofu spring rolls can be just as low-calorie as shrimp rolls. The key is sticking to low-calorie fillings overall.
How many calories in a veggie spring roll?
A veggie spring roll made with lots of shredded vegetables and rice paper wrappers will be very low in calories, around 50-80 calories per roll depending on the veggie fillings. This makes them a great low-calorie choice.
Which is lower calorie – spring rolls or summer rolls?
Spring rolls and summer rolls generally have a very similar amount of calories, around 50-150 calories each depending on fillings. Summer rolls may be slightly lower calorie on average since they often contain more raw vegetables. But both types can be low or high calorie depending on the ingredients used.
Do I need to dip spring rolls in sauce? Does it add calories?
It’s not necessary to use sauce with spring rolls. The rolls often have plenty of flavor from fresh herbs, spices, chili and lime juice mixed into the fillings. Skipping the sauce avoids excess calories from oil, sugar and peanuts. However, using just a small amount of low-calorie dipping sauce can add lots of flavor without too many calories. Go for sauces based on vinegar, lime, soy sauce and chili paste rather than coconut milk or peanut sauce.
Nutrition Benefits of Low Calorie Spring Rolls
Here are some of the key nutrients found in fresh spring rolls made with lean, low-calorie fillings:
– Fiber – from cabbage, carrots, bell peppers and cucumbers. Helps lower cholesterol and improves digestive health.
– Vitamin C – bell peppers, mango, herbs, and cabbage are all high in immune-boosting vitamin C.
– Vitamin K – green leafy vegetables like lettuce and cabbage provide vitamin K, which supports bone and heart health.
– Vitamin A – carotenoids like beta carotene found in carrots promote eye and skin health.
– Manganese – whole grains in the rice paper provide manganese to aid metabolism and bone formation.
– Antioxidants – ingredients like carrots, peppers, mango and fresh herbs contain antioxidant compounds that reduce cellular damage.
So not only are fresh spring rolls low in calories, they also deliver a concentrated dose of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants from all the nutrient-dense plant foods. This makes them a very healthy and nutritious low-calorie food choice.
Healthy Low-Calorie Dipping Sauces for Spring Rolls
For added flavor, try dipping your low-cal spring rolls in one of these lighter dipping sauces:
– Rice vinegar and lime: Mix together 1 part rice vinegar with 1 part fresh lime juice. Add a pinch of salt and pepper.
– Chili garlic sauce: Simply use this flavorful sauce on its own or mix with a splash of lime.
– Ginger soy sauce: Whisk together 2 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce with 1 tsp sesame oil and 1 tsp grated fresh ginger.
– Hoisin peanut sauce: Mix 2 tbsp hoisin sauce with 2 tsp natural peanut butter and chili paste or sriracha to taste. Thin with a splash of warm water.
– Thai sweet chili sauce: Use this sauce alone or dilute with a bit of water to reduce thickness.
– Salsa: Fresh tomato salsa adds a tasty, low-calorie dipping sauce.
– Peanut vinaigrette: Whisk together 2 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp peanut butter, 1 tsp honey, and chili garlic sauce.
These flavorful sauces all have around 25-75 calories per serving, so they won’t sabotage your low-calorie spring rolls when used sparingly.
Conclusion
Fresh spring rolls can certainly be a low-calorie food option when made with healthy lean ingredients like fresh vegetables, shrimp, chicken or tofu. Aim for lots of shredded veggies, just a small amount of protein, and simple herb seasonings. Avoid high-calorie ingredients like avocado, creamy sauces and fried proteins. With the right filling combinations, fresh spring rolls will average just 50-150 calories each, making them a nutritious light meal or snack. Pair them with a tangy, low-cal dipping sauce for maximum flavor without excess calories.
