Nutritional Information On Chocolate-covered Pretzels

Nothing beats a chocolate-covered pretzel to satisfy your need for something both salty and sweet. But like any snack-food, over-indulging on this treat can wreak havoc on your diet plan. Knowing the nutrition information for chocolate-covered pretzels can help you make adjustments to your diet to balance your intake and still satisfy your cravings.

Calories

Nutrition information for chocolate-covered pretzels can vary depending on the maker. A 1-oz. serving can range from 130 to 140 calories. As part of a healthy diet, the U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends you limit your intake of foods with added sugar and fat, like the chocolate-covered pretzel, to less than 5 to 15 percent of your daily calorie intake. On a 2,000-calorie diet, that means less than 100 to 300 calories a day. Foods high in sugar and fat add calories to your diet but offer very little nutritional value. Limiting your intake can help you satisfy your cravings and still leave room for more nutrient-rich foods such as fruits and vegetables.

Fat

A 1-oz. serving of chocolate-covered pretzels contains 5 to 6 g of total fat and 2 to 4 g of saturated fat. Most of the fat in a chocolate-covered pretzel comes from the added chocolate. A 1-oz. serving of plain pretzels without the chocolate contains 1 g of total fat and 0.2 g of saturated fat. While fat is an essential nutrient, consuming too much saturated fat can increase your blood cholesterol levels. The American Heart Association recommends you limit total fat intake to 25 to 35 percent of calories, and saturated fat to less than 7 percent of calories. On a 2,000-calorie diet that means 55 to 78 g of total fat, and less than 15 g of saturated fat.

Carbohydrates and Protein

Most of the calories in the pretzel come from its carbohydrate content. A 1-oz. serving contains 19 to 20 g of carbohydrates,12 g of sugar and 2 g of protein. Carbohydrates are also an essential nutrient, providing your body with its preferred source of energy. A healthy diet should contain 45 to 65 percent of its calories from carbohydrates, or about 225 to 325 g on a 2,000-calorie diet. The chocolate-covered pretzel is not a significant source of protein, but most Americans who follow a balanced diet should be able to meet their needs, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Women need 46 g of protein a day and men 56 g a day.

Sodium

As a salty snack food, the chocolate pretzel is a relatively low-sodium choice. The sodium content in a 1-oz. serving can range from 100 to 160 mg. A low-sodium food item contains less than 140 mg of sodium per serving. The higher your daily sodium intake, the greater your risk of developing high blood pressure, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Try to limit your daily intake of sodium to less than 2,300 mg a day.