A tuna salad wrap can be a delicious and nutritious lunch option. However, it’s important to pay attention to portion sizes and ingredients to keep the calorie count reasonable. In this article, we’ll break down the typical calorie count of a tuna salad wrap and look at ways to modify it to be lower or higher in calories. We’ll also provide tips for building your own healthy tuna salad wrap at home.
What’s in a Typical Tuna Salad Wrap?
A typical tuna salad wrap contains the following ingredients:
- Tortilla or wrap (large 10-12 inch)
- 3-5 oz tuna salad made with mayonnaise
- Lettuce
- Tomatoes
- Onions
- Pickles
- Cheese (optional)
The tuna salad is the main calorie driver in the wrap. An average 5 ounce scoop of tuna salad contains around 330 calories. The tortilla or wrap can range from 150-300 calories depending on the size and type of bread used. Vegetables like lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and pickles add minimal calories. Adding cheese will tack on about 50-100 extra calories.
Total Calories in a Tuna Salad Wrap
So how many calories are in a full tuna salad wrap?
A typical tuna salad wrap with 5 ounces of tuna salad, veggies, and a large 12-inch wrap will contain **500-700 calories**.
This calorie range can vary based on the specific ingredients used. Here is a breakdown of the typical calorie count for each component:
| Ingredient | Calories |
|---|---|
| 12-inch wrap | 300 |
| 5 oz tuna salad | 330 |
| Lettuce | 5 |
| Tomatoes | 10 |
| Onions | 15 |
| Pickles | 5 |
| Cheese (optional) | 50 |
| Total | 500-700 |
As you can see, the tortilla and tuna salad provide the bulk of the calories. The vegetable toppings add small amounts of calories. Cheese can tack on an extra 50 calories or so.
Factors that Increase Calories in a Tuna Wrap
There are a few factors that can increase the calorie count of a tuna salad wrap:
- Large tortilla or bread – Larger wraps that are 12-inches or more can have 300 calories or more.
- Higher amounts of tuna salad – Adding more than 5 ounces of tuna salad increases calories.
- Full fat mayonnaise-based tuna salad – Regular mayo adds more calories than light mayo or Greek yogurt.
- Fried tortilla or bread – Using fried or oil-brushed wraps adds fat and calories.
- Additional high-calorie toppings – Cheese, avocado, bacon, ranch dressing will all increase calories.
Sticking with a medium wrap, light tuna salad, and lower-calorie toppings will help keep the calorie count on the lower end. Large wraps, more tuna salad, and fried wraps can make the sandwich contain 700-900 calories or more.
How to Modify Calories in a Tuna Wrap
There are a few easy ways to adjust the nutrition and calories in a tuna salad wrap:
Use a smaller wrap or tortilla – Switch from a large 12-inch wrap to a medium 9 or 10-inch wrap to save 100-200 calories.
Reduce the amount of tuna salad – Stick to 3-4 ounces of tuna salad rather than 5-6 ounces to cut around 100 calories.
Use Greek yogurt instead of mayo – Mixed tuna with Greek yogurt instead of regular mayonnaise can save around 50 calories per serving.
Load up on veggies – Add extra lettuce, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, and pickles for very low calorie volume.
Skip the cheese and other extras – Pass on high-calorie cheeses and extras like avocado or bacon.
Opt for mustard instead of mayo – Mustard packs flavor without all the calories of mayonnaise.
Use reduced-calorie bread – Look for light wraps, flatbreads, or lettuce wraps to save calories.
With some simplesubs like these, you can easily make a tuna salad wrap that’s under 500 calories. A lighter option like this makes a filling, healthier lunch.
Tips for Building Your Own Tuna Wrap
Making your own tuna salad wrap at home gives you full control over the ingredients and nutrition. Here are some tips for put together a tasty DIY tuna wrap:
– Pick your base – Look for medium or small whole wheat tortillas, flatbreads, lettuce wraps, or other lower calorie options.
– Use light mayo or Greek yogurt – Mixing tuna with a lighter dressing cuts calories without sacrificing moisture.
– Load up the veggies – Get creative with crunchy vegetable toppings like lettuce, spinach, cucumber, bell pepper, and carrots.
– Use higher protein bread – Look for tortillas and flatbreads with at least 5g protein to stay full longer.
– DIY flavorful tuna – Experiment with lemon juice, mustard, garlic, onion, vinegar, salt, and pepper.
– Try oven-roasted tuna – Roasting canned tuna brings out delicious flavor.
– Keep it chilled – Store assembled wraps in the fridge to allow flavors to blend.
With some simple planning and smart ingredient swaps, you can definitely keep a tuna salad wrap under 500 calories without sacrificing taste or satisfaction!
General Guidelines for Calories in Wraps
Here are some general guidelines for calories in various types of wraps when dining out or looking at restaurant nutrition info:
- Small (8-inch) tortilla wrap – Around 200 calories
- Medium (10-inch) flour tortilla – 250-300 calories
- Large (12-inch) tortilla wrap – 300-400+ calories
- Flatbread or lavash wrap – 180-250 calories
- White or wheat wrap – White is slightly higher in calories than wheat
- Quinoa, spinach, tomato wraps – Tend to be lower calorie options
In terms of fillings, roasted vegetables, grilled chicken, tuna, and turkey tend to be lower calorie options. Fried fillings like crispy chicken or beef and heavy sauces will greatly increase calories.
The Healthiest Bread Options for Wraps
Picking the healthiest bread or wrap for your tuna salad sandwich can make a difference in its nutrition profile. Here are some of the top low calorie, higher protein options:
– Sprouted grain tortillas or wraps – Sprouting breaks down starches into natural sugars, making the wraps easier to digest while upping protein. Brands like Food for Life and Tumaro’s make great sprouted tortillas.
– Lettuce wraps – Using lettuce leaves instead of tortillas is an ultralow carb, low calorie option. Look for sturdy lettuce leaves like romaine or iceberg.
– High-fiber tortillas – Fiber-enriched or high-fiber tortillas help increase satiety and cut carbs.
– Flatbreads – Flatbreads can provide a thinner, lighter wrap alternative while still offering around 5g of protein.
– Collard green wraps – Sturdy, low-calorie collard green leaves make an excellent mineral-rich wrap.
– Coconut wraps – Wraps made from coconut flour are low in carbs and calories but high in healthy fats. Popular brands include CocoJack and Raw Generation.
Picking the healthiest bread or wrap base combined with a lighter tuna salad filling is key to keeping calories in check.
Lowest Calorie Options for Tuna Wraps
If you’re looking to really minimize calories in your tuna wraps, here are some of the absolute lowest calorie options:
– Lettuce wrap with 3 oz tuna salad mixed with Greek yogurt – Around 150 calories
– Collard green wrap with 2 oz tuna and mustard – Around 125 calories
– Flatbread with 3 oz oven-roasted tuna and vegetables – Around 200 calories
– Coconut wrap with 3 oz lemon-pepper tuna salad – Around 190 calories
– Spinach Herb tortilla with 2 oz tuna salad and tomatoes – Around 180 calories
The key is sticking to a thinner, lighter wrap base, lowering the amount of tuna salad, and picking lighter dressing options. With the right techniques, you can definitely keep tuna wraps under 300 calories.
Higher Calorie Tuna Wrap Options
On the flip side, there are also ways to construct a tuna wrap with higher calorie counts if you need a heartier meal. Some options include:
– Large 12-inch tortilla wrap with 6 oz tuna salad and cheese – Around 700 calories
– Pita wrap with 4 oz tuna salad, cheese, and avocado – Around 600 calories
– Fried chicken tortilla wrap with tuna salad – Around 800 calories
– Cheesy flatbread with bacon, 4 oz tuna salad, and ranch – Around 550 calories
– Jumbo wrap from restaurants with breaded, fried tuna – Up to 1000+ calories
By picking calorie-dense ingredients like large tortillas, breaded tuna, bacon, cheese, avocado, and heavy sauces, you can easily construct a higher calorie tuna wrap.
Healthiest Low-Calorie Tuna Salad Recipe
If you want to keep calories as low as possible in your homemade tuna salad, here is an excellent healthy recipe to follow:
Ingredients:
– 1 (5 oz) can tuna packed in water – 90 calories
– 2 tbsp nonfat Greek yogurt – 20 calories
– 1 tbsp mustard – 0 calories
– 1⁄2 tbsp lemon juice – 0 calories
– 1⁄4 cup diced onion – 10 calories
– 1⁄4 cup diced celery – 5 calories
– Salt, pepper, dill to taste
Totals:
– 125 calories
– 22g protein
This lighter tuna salad has only 125 calories in a generous 5 ounce serving. You can then pair it with a lettuce wrap or flatbread for an ultra low-calorie tuna wrap.
The nonfat Greek yogurt provides creaminess and protein with less calories than mayonnaise. Mustard, lemon, onions, celery, and seasonings add tons of flavor. This tuna salad recipe makes a fresh, healthy filling for any wrap.
Conclusion
A tuna salad wrap can be a nutritional powerhouse meal – as long as you pay attention to ingredients and portions. A typical tuna wrap made with a large tortilla, regular mayo-based tuna salad, and veggies clocks in around 500-700 calories. Choosing lighter wraps, modified tuna salads, and extra vegetables are simple ways to cut calories without sacrificing taste or satisfaction. With some basic guidelines and healthy recipe ideas in mind, you can build tasty tuna wraps that work for your nutrition goals. Whether you’re looking to lose weight or just pack in some protein and nutrients, tuna salad wraps can be an incredibly versatile and healthy lunch option.
