A NEW STUDY has brought bad news for anyone who thinks of wraps as a healthy option.

A new study by Safe Food has found that some of them could contain almost 1,000 calories, with many also having a high fat and salt content.

The average McDonald’s Big Mac contains around 563 calories – meaning you’d have to eat almost two of them to to match the most calorific wrap included in the study.

The all-Ireland advisory body has said that around one in three individuals believe wraps to be a healthier option than eating a sandwich for lunch.

Commenting on the report, Dr Marian Faughnan, chief specialist in nutrition with SafeFood, said, “Wraps and sandwiches are a healthy option but we need to choose smaller portion sizes and fillings such as lean meat or fish and plenty of salad and vegetables.”

How did they carry this out? 

Around 240 wraps from 80 outlets around Ireland were examined. The largest wrap was around two and a half times the size of the smallest wrap they encountered.

The highest calorie count came out at 997 calories with the lowest being 267 calories.

The three most popular wrap types were chicken salad, chicken tikka and salad and chicken Caesar salad.

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It was shown that eating a chicken wrap at lunchtime with a packet of crisps and a soft drink could result in a 1,400 calories intake during lunchtime alone.

What should people do?

Safefood has some basic advice for people looking to cut back on their lunchtime calorie count.

“If you want a healthier option, choose a smaller portion size and go for grilled chicken instead of coated/deep-fried varieties,” Dr Faughnan said.

Individuals are also advised to cut back on salty meats and to try and add more wholegrain breads, salads and vegetables.  

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