Calories in a Whole Wheat Bagel With Cream Cheese

A whole wheat bagel with cream cheese is a satisfying breakfast food that can be eaten for lunch as well. It is a treat for dieters since you can reduce the calorie content of a whole-wheat bagel with cream cheese by spreading the bagel with cream cheese that has a reduced fat content. The calories in a whole-wheat bagel with cream cheese will safely fit into almost anyone's diet

The Whole Wheat Bagel

According to a list of foods that meet the Connecticut Nutrition Standards, put together by the Connecticut State Department of Education, one whole-wheat bagel that weighs 2.8 oz. has 180 calories. A whole-wheat bagel is not high in calories, nor is it high in fat. Though fat is an essential part of a diet, too much fat can cause health problems. A 2.8-oz. bagel contains only 1 g of fat.

Regular Cream Cheese

The number of calories in 1 tbsp. of regular cream cheese is 48. If you add that number to the number of calories in a whole- wheat bagel, the total number of calories in a whole-wheat bagel with regular cream cheese is 228. Since 228 calories is not a great amount, you may want to add another tablespoon of cream cheese. The total caloric figure for your whole-wheat bagel with 2 tbsp. of regular cream cheese will then amount to 276. There are 5 g of fat in 1 tbsp. of regular cream cheese.

Low Fat Cream Cheese

One tablespoon of low-fat cream cheese contains only 34 calories. Since the number of calories in 1 tbsp. of the low fat version of cream cheese is 14 calories less than regular cream cheese, the total number of calories in a whole-wheat bagel with 2 tbsp. of cream cheese on it will be only 248 calories. The fat content in 1 tbsp. of low-fat cream cheese is 2 g lower than the fat content in 1 tbsp. of regular cream cheese.

Non-Fat Cream Cheese

There are about 6 calories in 1 tbsp. of non-fat cream cheese. This is good news for people who like a whole-wheat bagel with a lot of cream cheese on it because they can put as many as 8 tbsp. of non-fat cream cheese on their bagel, for a total of 228 calories, which is the same amount of calories in a whole-wheat bagel with 1 tbsp. of regular cream cheese.

Benefits

According to MyPyramid.gov, half the grains you eat should be whole grains such as whole wheat. MyPyramid also states the consumption of 3 oz. of grains every day could help control your weight. The United States Department of Agriculture reports that a current study paid for by the Agricultural Research Service revealed people who ate a minimum of three servings of foods containing whole grains were less vulnerable to metabolic syndrome, symptoms of which include stomach fat, elevated triglycerides and decreased HDL cholesterol, an elevation in blood pressure and difficulty keeping blood sugar under control. When you include a whole-wheat bagel with a moderate amount of cream cheese in your diet, you put yourself one step closer to better health.

References

• Elook.org: Nutritional Information on Dairy and Egg Products
• Connecticut State Department of Education: List of Acceptable Food and Beverages
• United States Department of Agriculture: A Grain of Truth About Fiber Intake
• MyPyramid.gov: Grain Group: Make Half Your Grains Whole
• MyPyramid.gov: Why is it important to eat grains, especially whole grains?