How many calories are in a bagel with cream cheese? There are many famous bagel toppings like jam, cheese spread, butter, etc. Talking about the initial 17th century, bagel cream cheese topping for the most comfort food across the world and the most frequently eaten breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Baghel cream cheese is one of people’s go-to favorites, but does it count as healthy?
As per recent studies, these oversized food items have a negative reputation. Because of the claim that it has high carbohydrate content which makes them slightly unhealthy for consumption.
If you are fond of consuming bagels. But are scared that it would impact your health by giving you excessive calories then read this article till the end.
Further in this blog, we will be reviewing all the aspects of the bagel and its nutritional value. To conclude whether it has good nutrients or not, and whether it is healthy for consumption or not.
Number of carbohydrates and grains in Bagel –
Bagel is known to be an excellent source of carbohydrates from grains. The US department of agriculture says that 6 to 8 ounces a day should be the recommended bagel intake for adults.
But at least 3 to 4 ounces a day should be whole grains as a single Bagal can contain more servings.
Bagel and calories –
If we talk about one large plain Bagel that measures up to 4 and a half inches and 130 grams in weight. It has more refined carbohydrates than the recommended dosage.
If we talk about the calorie breakdown in detail then one large plain Bagel which is 41/2 ounces contains 360 calories. Talking about the green cheese, if you add one tablespoon of it then again it will give you extra 70 calories which adds up to a total of 413 calories.
So if you have a specific amount of calorie intake in a day. Then you must avoid consuming one whole bagel at a time. As it can give you quite a good amount of calories from simply one intake.
This bagel of 413 calories will give you more refined cars. As compared to a slice of white bread that has only 79 calories and weighs only one ounce.
In simple words, one single bagel will be equal to 4 slices of white bread. That is definitely too much to consume at a go.
The nutritional content of bagels
Talking about the nutritional content of Baghel, can depend on various factors and may vary depending on the countless varieties made from various ingredients that are available in different sizes.
If we talk about the most basic bagel, is prepared from Salt water, refined wheat flour, and yeast. Many other types of bagels can also contain additional ingredients like sugar, spices, herbs, and dry fruit.
For instance, if we take a typical plain Bagel that is medium in size. It will be 105 grams and will contain the following nutrients-
- 11 grams protein
- 219 calories
- 2 grams fat
- 56 grams carbohydrates
- 3 grams fiber
- 14% of the daily value of the Thiamine
- 24% of the daily value of manganese
- 19% of the daily value of copper 8% of the daily value of Zink
- 8% of the daily value is iron
- 6% of the daily value of calcium.
The above nutritional breakdown of the bagel might make it clear that they are high in carbohydrates. While giving you only small amounts of protein and fat.
Although they do contain certain small quantities of other nutrients naturally like vitamins and minerals. And talking about some other countries like the United States and other refined grain products. Bagels have more enriched nutrients like iron and b vitamins that are usefully lost during processing otherwise.
Why is Baghel not always the healthiest choice?
Although Bagel has some amount of good nutrients that you can add to your diet. Although can be considered healthy, they also have certain potential drawbacks that cannot be neglected.
Before you make it a part of your daily diet routine you must know these demerits of consuming bagels.
Some of the drawbacks of bagels are as follows-
High-calorie product
Well, this is really the biggest and the main potential problem for consuming bagels. Because it is high in calories and it is comparatively easy to overeat in one go similar to the case of fast foods.
As per the national institute of health the average serving size of the bagel has doubled in the last 20 years. Reference Link
Higher quantities of free refined carbs such as bagels might contribute to the risk of heart disease. And chronic conditions including type 2 diabetes. Not to forget, these ultra-processed foods are not very good for your gut health as well.
However, this surely doesn’t mean that you have to give up on it completely. You can definitely eat them once in a while while keeping a check on your portion control.
Hence if you are enjoying and eating it occasionally, you shouldn’t be worried about the drawbacks.
To meet your overall dietary goals just make sure to include a good amount of nutrient-dense full foods in your everyday meal plan.
Health benefits of Bagel-
Well, we just discussed the drawbacks of consuming bagels. But that certainly doesn’t mean that it does not have any potential health benefits or pros.
Yes, you heard that right!
Certain varieties of bagels may offer health benefits as not all bagels are created equally.
If you choose the right kind of variety containing whole-food ingredients. It can help you in building a more nutritious diet.
Whole grains
Since most of the bagels have refined wheat flour. It can contribute to a spike of calories and hence provide only a few word nutrients.
However, some of the bagels are made with whole grains offering you multiple potential health benefits as well as a variety of nutrients.
What makes the bagel healthy?
The ones that are made with whole grains are rich in minerals and have an abundance of vitamins and fiber. And refined grains not only help in balancing your blood sugar levels. But also aids healthy digestion.
It is also believed that if you take 2 to 3 servings of these whole green bagels in a day. It can help in treating chronic illnesses. The ones we discussed above such as type diabetes, heart disease as well as certain types of cancer.
So in order to get all these benefits. Just consider buying bagels made with whole greens like whole wheat, oats, rye, spelled, etc.
Ways to get the most amount of benefit from your beagle –
Keeping a check on your portion size is the key!
While purchasing the bagels, you should be paying attention to the portions you are having in one go.
Every time you buy a package don’t forget to check the nutrition label to see what it contains. And if you find that the particular pack has more carbs and calories and they don’t align with your dietary needs. Then you must go for smaller portions and consider eating a lesser quantity of the same.
In case you end up buying a big packet. You can also keep the other half for another person or consume it later. Also, try eating it less frequently and look for other options to maintain a balanced diet.
Keep a check on the ingredient list :
Well in the present scenario being mindful of the ingredients is a very important aspect that a lot of times people neglect.
In terms of your favorite bagels. The ingredients can definitely affect their nutrient content. This is why you must research the ingredients mentioned in the package thoroughly. And opt for the ones that are made from whole grains without any added sugar.
In case you are on a low-sodium diet then definitely avoid eating bagels that have a lot of salt content in them.
Make sure you choose your toppings in the right way:
Well, a lot of times it happens that you order your favorite meal, and count the calories but forget to check the calories of the toppings.
Toppings are nothing but the additional ingredient that you add up to your dishes just to enhance the taste and complete the dish.
In the case of bagels. The most popular yet tempting toppings include butter, jam, cream cheese, etc. which have a lot of excess calories as they are high in sugar and saturated fat.
So consuming them occasionally is definitely not wrong. But keep a check on how frequently you consume them and it’s better always to look for more nutritious options instead.
When it comes to toppings you can replace them with avocado, hummus, or nuts. Instead of cream cheese, etc to get the most benefit from them as they have more fiber and other nutrients.
If you want to make it high in protein content you can also go for scrambled eggs or sliced turkey.
If you are fond of vegetables. Then it is a great opportunity for you to fill your bagels with your favorite vegetable toppings like freshly sliced tomatoes, onions, etc. To make them rich in veggies similar to a sandwich.
The bottom line
Baghel is an amazing meal option to consider if you keep a check on your portion size, frequency of eating them as well as the mindfulness of the ingredient list and the topping.
So yes while making a few modifications here and there you can definitely make it fit into your healthy diet chart and get the most from it.
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