Grains and bread
Corn tortilla
Per 100 g (3.5 oz), corn tortillas combine 5.2 g of fiber and 5.7 g of protein with 222 kcal, a moderate energy density.
Estimated satietyHow it is calculated
Estimated satiety: 2 out of 5
| Starting point | +1 |
|---|---|
| Moderate energy density | 0 |
| Moderate fiber per calorie | +1 |
Our own estimate from the values per 100 g: useful for comparing foods with each other, not a measurement in people. Holt index (1995): this food was not measured.
- Prepared by
- Alex Gonzalez
- Last updated
- Next review
- Sources
- 6 primary
- Data
- USDA FDC 173241
No clinical review. No advertising from drug companies and no affiliate links.How we work
Nutrition facts
- Calories
- 67 kcal per serving
- 222 kcal per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Protein
- 1.7 g per serving
- 5.7 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Carbohydrates
- 14 g per serving
- 46.6 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- of which sugars
- 0.3 g per serving
- 0.9 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Fiber
- 1.6 g per serving
- 5.2 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Fat
- 0.8 g per serving
- 2.5 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- of which saturated
- 0.1 g per serving
- 0.3 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Water
- 13.2 g per serving
- 44.1 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Source: USDA FoodData Central: Tortillas, ready-to-bake or -fry, corn, without added salt (FDC ID 173241), accessed September 23, 2026.
A typical 30 g (1 oz) serving provides about 67 kcal, 1.7 g of protein, and 1.6 g of fiber.
What it is and how to eat it
The corn tortilla is a thin disk of nixtamalized corn dough, meaning corn cooked with lime (calcium hydroxide) and then ground, cooked on a griddle called a comal, and it is the foundation of Mexican and Central American food. In Spain "tortilla" usually means the egg omelet, so corn tortillas are sold as tortillas de maíz or tortillas mexicanas, and it is worth checking the label, because wheat and mixed-flour tortillas are also sold. This page covers corn tortillas without added salt, with 222 kcal, 5.7 g of protein, 5.2 g of fiber and 175 mg of calcium per 100 g according to USDA.
Two tortillas of about 30 g (1.1 oz) each provide 133 kcal, 3.4 g of protein and 3.1 g of fiber, so how filling they are depends mostly on the filling. The 2025 nutrition advisory on GLP-1 therapy suggests eating the protein part of a meal first, as in the chicken and nopal tacos or the nopal and black bean tacos with queso fresco, and avoiding fatty foods in the first few days of treatment. In those days, and after each dose increase, soft tortillas warmed on the comal usually sit better than fried ones in tostadas, tortilla chips or chilaquiles; in broth, as in the light tortilla soup with chicken, they are easy to eat with a small appetite.
What the evidence says
Nixtamalization adds calcium, which passes from the lime into the grain: according to USDA, this tortilla has 175 mg per 100 g, so two tortillas provide 105 mg. In a trial with 9 Mexican women, published in the Journal of Nutrition in 2005, 30% and 32% of the calcium was absorbed from tortillas made with home-nixtamalized corn and with commercial nixtamalized flour, about 98 and 60 mg in total per test, against less than 4 mg from tortillas made with non-nixtamalized corn flour, which had almost no calcium. With 175 mg of calcium and 5.2 g of fiber per 100 g, it meets the EU minimums for "source of calcium" (120 mg) and "source of fibre" (3 g) claims, although not the 6 g for "high fibre" (Regulations (EC) No 1924/2006 and (EU) No 1169/2011).
Recipes with this food
Nopal and black bean tacos with queso fresco16.8 g protein per serving
Chicken and nopal tacos31.6 g protein per serving
Mexican-style tofu tacos23 g protein per serving
Scrambled eggs with beans and tomato21.6 g protein per serving
Egg white huevos rancheros26.6 g protein per serving
Light tortilla soup with chicken31.8 g protein per serving
Satiety
The 1 to 5 score is our own estimate: it starts at 1 point, adds points for low energy density, for protein and fiber per 100 kcal, and for the water in solid foods, and subtracts points for drinks with calories. It is useful for comparing foods with each other; it is not a measurement in people.
What to keep in mind on a GLP-1 medication
Frequently asked questions about corn tortillas
How much protein is in a corn tortilla?
A corn tortilla, our reference serving of 30 g (1 oz), has about 1.7 g of protein. 100 g (3.5 oz) of corn tortillas has 5.7 g of protein. That is 2.6 g of protein per 100 kcal.
How many calories does a corn tortilla have?
A corn tortilla, our reference serving of 30 g (1 oz), has about 67 kcal. 100 g (3.5 oz) of corn tortillas has 222 kcal. That is a moderate energy density.
Do corn tortillas have fiber?
A corn tortilla, our reference serving of 30 g (1 oz), has about 1.6 g of fiber. 100 g (3.5 oz) of corn tortillas has 5.2 g of fiber. They carry our “High in fiber” tag.
Are corn tortillas filling?
Not very filling for the calories they provide: our estimated satiety score is 2 out of 5. It is based on: moderate energy density; moderate fiber per calorie. It is an estimate based on its composition, not a measurement in people.
What should I know about corn tortillas on a GLP-1 medication?
Based on our tags, this is what matters about corn tortillas on a GLP-1 medication. “High in fiber”: a good amount of fiber, which helps keep you regular; it is easier to tolerate when you increase it gradually and drink enough water. These are general guidelines, not medical advice: everyone tolerates foods differently.
What counts as a normal serving of corn tortillas?
We use 30 g (1 oz) as a typical serving, roughly a corn tortilla. That amount provides about 67 kcal, 1.7 g of protein, and 1.6 g of fiber. It is a reference for calculations, not a recommendation of how much to eat.
Compare with…
Similar foods
Sources
Sources for the data on this page, with the access date.
- Official databaseU.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service.USDA FoodData Central: Tortillas, ready-to-bake or -fry, corn, without added salt (FDC ID 173241).accessed .
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service.USDA FoodData Central: Tortillas, ready-to-bake or -fry, corn (FDC ID 175036), sugars value.accessed .
- Clinical guidelineObesity (Wiley).Mozaffarian D, et al. Nutritional priorities to support GLP-1 therapy for obesity: A joint Advisory from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, the American Society for Nutrition, the Obesity Medicine Association, and The Obesity Society. Obesity. 2025;33(8):1475-1503. doi:10.1002/oby.24336.accessed .
- Clinical trialJournal of Nutrition.Rosado JL, Díaz M, Rosas A, Griffit I, García OP. Calcium absorption from corn tortilla is relatively high and is dependent upon calcium content and liming in Mexican women. J Nutr. 2005;135(11):2578-2581. doi:10.1093/jn/135.11.2578.accessed .
- RegulatorOfficial Journal of the European Union (EUR-Lex).Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 on nutrition and health claims made on foods (Annex).accessed .
- RegulatorOfficial Journal of the European Union (EUR-Lex).Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers (Annex XIII, nutrient reference values).accessed .