Corn tortilla vs flour tortilla: which has more protein?
Full comparison · Protein · Calories · Carbs · Healthier
Flour tortilla has more protein: 5.7 g per 3.5 oz (100 g) of corn tortilla vs 8 g in flour tortilla (41% more).
USDA FoodData Central.
| Corn tortilla | Flour tortilla | |
|---|---|---|
| Per 3.5 oz (100 g) | 5.7 g | 8 g |
| Per serving | 1.6 g in 1 oz (28 g) | 3.9 g in 1 tortilla (1.7 oz, 49 g) |
| Per 100 calories | 2.6 g | 2.7 g |
| To get 30 g of protein | 18.6 oz (526 g), about 18.5 × 1 oz | 13.2 oz (375 g), about 7.6 × 1 tortilla |
Protein per calorie
Per 100 calories, corn tortilla gives 2.6 g of protein and flour tortilla 2.7 g. This is the number that matters when you are fitting protein into a calorie budget, and it can rank foods differently from grams per 3.5 oz (100 g).
What the numbers don't tell you
Per tortilla, the gap is wider than the per-weight table suggests. A medium corn tortilla weighs 1 oz (28 g) in US survey data and has about 61 calories and 12.5 g of carbohydrate. The flour tortilla here, at 1.7 oz (49 g), has about 146 calories, 24 g of carbohydrate and 364 mg of sodium, against about 13 mg in the corn one.
The table leaves out folic acid. US enriched flour and grain products must carry 140 mcg of added folic acid per 3.5 oz (100 g) to reduce the risk of neural tube defects. Whether a flour tortilla used enriched flour is on its label. A 2019 US survey of 43 corn masa and tortilla products found folic acid in 3 masa flours and in no corn tortilla. Its authors advise Hispanic women of reproductive age to take a daily supplement with at least 400 mcg of folic acid.
If you count carbs, two medium corn tortillas, about 25 g of carbohydrate and 122 calories, come close to one flour tortilla, with far less sodium. We have no source on blood sugar response, wheat allergy or celiac disease for either, so this page cannot rank them on those. If corn tortillas are your staple and pregnancy is possible, the supplement advice is the part that applies.
Evidence behind this note
- Level E A medium corn tortilla weighs 0.99 oz (28 g) in USDA survey data, about 61 calories, a small one 18 g and a large one 44 g. USDA FNDDS (FoodData Central survey 2024-10-31), Tortilla, corn, food code 52215100, fdc_id 2707823
- Level E According to the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, US enriched flours and grain products must contain 140 mcg of added folic acid per 3.5 oz (100 g). NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, Folate fact sheet for health professionals
- Level C A 2019 US survey of 43 corn masa and tortilla products found no fortified corn tortillas, so the authors advise Hispanic women of reproductive age to take a daily supplement with at least 400 mcg of folic acid. Birth Defects Res, 2019
- Level C A 2019 national survey of 43 unique corn masa and tortilla products found folic acid in three masa flours and in none of the corn tortillas. Birth Defects Res, 2019
Written from the studies and agency guidance we hold for both foods, reviewed by the Bioma editorial system. How we verify.
Keep exploring
Read more about these foods
- Corn tortilla: plain bread, mostly studied as a carrier for added minerals
- Flour tortilla: what enriched wheat flour carries, and one overdosed batch
Rankings and guides
Where the numbers come from
- Corn tortilla: USDA FoodData Central, Tortillas, ready-to-bake or -fry, corn, FDC ID 175036 · all forms of corn tortilla
- Flour tortilla: USDA FoodData Central, Tortillas, ready-to-bake or -fry, flour, shelf stable, FDC ID 167535 · all forms of flour tortilla
Each food is one USDA entry, chosen as it is usually eaten. Other cuts, brands and preparations differ; the links show them. % DV uses FDA Daily Values for adults. How we verify.