The Nutritional Facts Of Lettuce Wraps

Lettuce wraps offer a fresh, crisp alternative to bread-based or tortilla wraps. You may think that lettuce wraps are nutritionally superior to other types of wraps, but this is not always the case -- it very much depends on the stuffing used for the wrap. One brand of lettuce wraps is moderately high in calories, fat, sodium and cholesterol. Despite this, these lettuce wraps still contain healthy protein and may be part of a healthy diet if eaten sparingly.

Calories

One commercially available brand of lettuce wraps contains approximately 584.9 calories per serving, or two lettuce wraps. The number of calories may vary depending on what filling you use to wrap in lettuce leaves. In this case, the recipe calls for chicken, vegetables and sauce. The amount of calories in this serving of lettuce wraps accounts for 29.2 percent of your daily allowable calories if you follow a 2,000 calorie diet.

Fat

A serving of these lettuce wraps is quite high in fat, with 24.3 g. As a rule, you should aim to limit fat in your diet to 20 to 35 percent of your daily caloric intake. In a 2,000 calorie diet, this equates to approximately 44 to 78 g of fat, so if you take in the minimum amount of fat, one serving of this dish accounts for over half the recommended amount. These wraps contain 3.4 g of saturated fat, the type that is not good for you. Best practice limits saturated fat consumption to 16 to 22 g per day.

Cholesterol

Lettuce wraps made from this recipe are moderately high in cholesterol. One serving contains 75.5 mg of cholesterol; the suggested limit stands at 300 mg per day. MayoClinic.com recommends cutting cholesterol even further to 200 mg if you have a risk of heart disease. You can cut back on the cholesterol in lettuce wraps by using nonstick cookware and omitting cooking oil as well as going easy on the sauce.

Protein

Lettuce wraps stuffed with chicken are a good source of protein. Each serving has 31.4 g of protein, which contributes quite a bit of the 50 to 175 g of protein you should consume each day. The protein in this dish is complete, which means your meal plan contains all the essential amino acids you should consume for optimal body function. Protein is vitally important for energy and tissue repair.

Sodium

The sauce that coats the chicken in this lettuce wrap recipe contributes a great deal of sodium to your diet. One serving of these lettuce wraps contains 2,418.4 mg of sodium. Even if you are completely healthy, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises a limit of 2,300 mg per day. Including excess sodium in your diet on a regular basis can elevate your blood pressure and cause a variety of other health problems.