Your doctor said you can’t eat tortillas because you have diabetes—or that you should only have one. But then your cousin told you that low-carb or keto tortillas are the best choice. Now, you’re confused and frustrated.
Good news! You can still enjoy tortillas while managing your blood sugar. Hola, I’m Lorena, a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) and Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES). I’m here to help you learn how to manage your blood sugar with confidence AND plan meals you enjoy – including tortillas,
In this article, I’ll explain which tortillas are healthier and what you need to know when you buy tortillas and have diabetes.
Understanding Diabetes and Diet
Diabetes is a condition that affects how your body turns your food into energy. If your body doesn’t make enough insulin or can’t use insulin well, your blood glucose (sugar) levels rise.
Diet is the cornerstone of managing diabetes.
Carbohydrates have the greatest impact on blood glucose (sugar). When you eat carbs, your body breaks them down into glucose, which enters the bloodstream. Some carbs cause a rapid spike in blood glucose, while others lead to a gradual increase.
The goal here isn’t to skip all carbs – we need them. But if you have diabetes, you have to learn what foods have carbohydrates so that you don’t eat more than your body can handle at once.
One of my favorite cultural foods is tortillas…and they can raise your blood sugar!
Why do tortillas affect blood glucose levels?
Tortillas, whether made from corn or flour, are a source of carbohydrate. Your body breaks down those delicious tortillas into glucose (aka sugar), which raises your blood glucose.
The size of the tortilla also matters. A small taco-sized tortilla may cause a smaller rise in blood glucose compared to a large burrito-sized one.
It also matters what your tortillas are made from; corn or flour.
Corn vs. Flour Tortillas: Which is Healthier?
Corn tortillas
If you make your own tortillas, the size and amount of masa you use determine the carb content. For example:
- ¼ cup corn masa flour, 2-3 small tortillas (~23 g carbs)
- Most store-bought corn tortillas contain 20-25g carbs per tortilla
Corn tortillas prepared with whole corn are a whole grain, linked to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancer.
Corn tortillas made from nixtamalized masa are produced using corn that has undergone an alkaline cooking process. This nixtamalization enhances the nutritional value of the corn, offering benefits such as:
- Increasing vitamin B3 availability (Niacin)
- Increases calcium absorption
- Improves corn digestibility
- Enhances iron and zinc absorption
Flour Tortillas
Flour tortillas are made from enriched white flour or whole wheat flour. Like corn tortillas, they contain carbohydrates, and their impact on blood glucose depends on size and the number of the tortillas you eat.
Key takeaways: Which tortilla is healthier?
I recommend whole grains like whole wheat flour tortillas and corn tortillas because:
- Whole grains contain a wide range of essential nutrients such as B vitamins, iron, copper, zinc, magnesium, antioxidants, and phytochemicals.
- Blood sugar management: Reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and may help slow down the rise of blood glucose after meals
- Heart health: May lower cholesterol levels, reduce blood pressure, and reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke
- Digestive health: May prevent constipation and digestive issues
How many Tortillas can I Eat in a Diabetes-Friendly Diet?
This depends! The number of tortillas that are the right fit for your meal depends on your total meal composition, carbohydrate intake and blood glucose targets.
For example, Mariana’s typical lunch goal is to have about 50-60 grams of carbohydrate. At lunch, she plans to eat:
- Pork tenderloin with tomatillo salsa – 0 grams of carbohydrate
- Tossed salad – lettuce, tomato slices, onion, green olives, radishes, with olive olive oil and vinegar – 5 grams of carbohydrate
- 1 cup of refried beans – 25 grams of carbohydrate
- Total carbohydrate so far: 30 grams.
If Mariana adds 2 small corn tortillas (20-30 additional grams of carbohydrate), she stays within her usual carbohydrate budget. And when she checked her blood sugar after lunch, her blood sugar was on target!
Monitoring Blood Sugar After Eating Tortillas
To understand how tortillas affect your blood glucose, try paired testing.
- Using your glucometer or continuous glucose monitoring, check your blood glucose before eating and 2 hours after the first bite.
- Your goal: Pre-meal: 80-130 mg/dl and post-meal less than 180mg/dl (unless your doctor says otherwise)
- Using a continuous glucose monitor or a biosensor will allow you to monitor your glucose more often.
- For type 1s: If your blood glucose is higher than the pre-meal goal, then use the correction factor and use the insulin to carb ratio before you have your meal as recommended by your diabetes team. Check your blood glucose to determine your post meal blood glucose and if adjustments are needed. If you are within target, use insulin to carb ratio and follow the same steps to check your glucose.
- For type 2s: Check your glucose prior to eating tortillas and 2 hours after the same bite. If you use prandial insulin (insulin with meals) then use the amount indicated by your diabetes team. If not, then check your glucose after 2 hours and determine how much your glucose increased. Adjust your portions accordingly.
Some people with diabetes prefer to use a lower-carb tortilla so that they can more easily stay on target with their blood sugars overall. I have a few favorite products for you to try!
Low Carb Tortillas for Persons with Diabetes
{These days there are more tortilla options than ever before – here are a few you might not have tried yet but could enjoy – they may have a lower impact on your blood sugar)
Mission Protein Plant Powered Tortillas
- These tortillas pack a nutritional punch with 14 grams of dietary fiber per tortilla and only 2 grams of net carbs. However – I share that number with caution. While manufacturers use the term “net carbs” by subtracting fiber from total carbohydrates, people with diabetes beware. All 16 grams of carbohydrates might still affect your post-meal blood glucose, so it’s crucial to monitor your glucose after eating it and see how your body reacts – this gives you data so that you can adjust accordingly at your next meal. Learn more about net carbs here.
- Tip: for the biggest nutrition boost, choose whole wheat protein plant tortillas.
- If you are not used to high-fiber foods, start slowly and drink plenty of water to avoid stomach upset or constipation.
- With 7 grams of protein, these tortillas outshine most others, which typically contain 2-4 grams. For comparison, an egg has 6 grams of protein. If you are looking to increase your protein intake, these tortillas could be a smart choice.
Mission Carb Balance Burrito Flour Tortillas
- These tortillas boast 28 grams of dietary fiber, 32 grams of carbohydrates and 4 grams of net carbohydrates. As mentioned earlier, diabetes organizations haven’t officially endorsed the concept of net carbs. Diabetes professionals recommend using total carbohydrate count to estimate post-meal blood glucose increases.
- The best way to determine how this food affects you is by monitoring your post-meal blood glucose levels. Remember, if you eat a tortilla alone, you will determine how the tortilla affects your glucose level, but if you eat it with other foods, all the foods will influence your glucose levels.
- Each tortilla contains 10 grams of protein, but it does not consist of whole grains.
- If you are considering Carb Balance Flour Tortilla, I would recommend the Carb Balance Burrito Whole Wheat Tortilla instead.
Mission Gluten Free Spinach Herb Tortilla Wraps
- These tortilla wraps contain 6 grams of dietary fiber and 26 grams of carbs. Although they’re gluten-free and don’t contain wheat or corn, they do have rice flour, and potato starch which are carbohydrates.
- It is important to note that gluten-free does not mean carbohydrate-free. I’ve encountered many patients who mistakenly believe gluten-free products won’t affect their blood glucose levels, so I wanted to highlight this product.
- If you require a gluten-free option because you have celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity, this might suit you, but be aware it will impact your glucose levels, so plan accordingly.
- These tortilla wraps are high in fiber (6 grams) and offer a spinach flavor, which might make them a favorite for some.
Registered Dietitian’s Tortilla Recommendations
There are plenty of tortilla options available, from homemade to store-bought varieties. Tortillas can fit into a diabetes-friendly meal plan when chosen carefully. For example, there are vegetable- and seed-based tortillas made with ingredients like cauliflower, nopal and chia seeds that may help reduce post-meal glucose levels. Low-carb tortilla options can also have a similar effect.
The key is to monitor your post-meal blood glucose levels to determine how different tortillas affect you and adjust portions accordingly.
