Are store-bought wraps as healthy as they seem?

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You can find wraps at the snack bar at the station, as street food, and even in the cooler section of the discount store: wraps are ideal for on the go - no cutlery required, essentially as an alternative to a sandwich. But does the rolled-up flatbread with colorful filling always live up to its initial promise?

Experts investigated this question with a market check of 79 wraps. Why the seemingly healthy snack isn't always the best choice:

Especially in the cheapest price category, it was noticed that the wraps are cut diagonally to appear well-filled. Upon eating some, it turned out that there was a lot of dough with sauce and not much filling.

Compared to pizza or bowls, where the topping or components are clearly visible, you only find out when eating how much content is actually hidden inside. "The cross-section should honestly show what you can expect from the content and not mislead about the actual amount of filling," says Annett Reinke. Those who want to know more should pay attention to the net filling amount and the ingredients.

In most of the wraps checked, there is either meat or fish. Less than a third of the wraps in the check are vegetarian or vegan. Those who look at the price find even fewer plant-based options. In the cheapest price category up to three euros, where most wraps are available, there are hardly any vegetarian options. More than 90 percent of these wraps are filled with meat or fish.

Vegetarian variants were found more often in the higher-priced segment.

On average, a wrap had 450 kilocalories per serving. However, "individual products even exceed 700 kilocalories. That's comparable to a doner or a frozen pizza and thus no longer a light meal for in between," calculates Annett Reinke.

A labeled Nutri-Score would be helpful for orientation. However, only about half of the wraps examined were marked with this color-coded guidance.

All but one organic wrap contained numerous food additives, mainly in the fillings. However, the flatbread itself can also contain additives. Only three of the 79 wraps were made with whole grain flour.

Reinke advises: "Those who want to reduce the amount of additives in their food and at the same time increase the fiber content and thus the satiety, should make their own whole grain wraps."

As good and healthy ingredients, she mentions:

Everything rounded off with cottage cheese, pumpkin seeds, or lime juice. Don't forget the spices and fresh herbs for the taste.

**About the authors**

**APA**

The APA - Austria Presse Agentur eG is the largest national news and press agency in Austria with headquarters in Vienna. It is owned by Austrian daily newspapers and the ORF.