‘Doesn’t digest well’: Expert breaks down the impact of tortillas—should you choose corn or flour?

With diabetes on the rise in the U.S., there's growing awareness of how even seemingly innocuous foods can impact blood sugar levels.

While one might be aware of the obvious foods that cause blood sugar spikes, such as junk foods and sodas, others may surprise those with concerns about blood sugar levels.

TikTok user Justin (@isnulinresitant1) has previously sparked discussion with his videos testing how various foods and drinks affected his blood sugar levels, such as a recent experiment he conducted with Celsius energy drinks. Now, he’s run another experiment to determine which Mexican cuisine staple is better for his blood sugar: Corn vs. flour tortillas. 

On two separate days, he consumed two flour and two corn tortillas, then measured his blood sugar level to see exactly how each food performed. 

Corn vs. flour tortillas: Which is healthier?

The result was unexpected. While the corn tortillas have fewer calories, fats, and carbohydrates than their flour counterparts, surprisingly, they ended up causing a higher spike than the flour ones. 

After eating two flour tortillas, Justin experienced a blood sugar spike of 30 mg/dL, whereas after eating two corn tortillas, his blood sugar spiked by 35 mg/dL—5 mg/dL higher than the spike caused by the flour tortillas. 

“This is very interesting to me simply because the flour tortillas were a little bit larger, and they had more carbohydrate content than these corn tortillas, but I had a higher spike from the corn tortillas,” Justin says.

For context, the flour tortillas had 35 grams of carbohydrates, whereas the corn tortillas had just 18 grams of carbohydrates.

However, Justin acknowledges that his results may not be universal, as he could simply be more sensitive to corn flour than wheat flour.

“If you're concerned with your blood sugar, it's a good idea to test the various foods to see which ones you react to more than others,” he concludes. “Remember that individual results will vary.”

In an article by Healthline about the safest flours to consume as a person with diabetes, health specialists recommend diabetics use corn flour “infrequently,” grouping it alongside all-purpose flour in terms of safety. According to the article, it’s best to go for flours that are low in carbs and high in fiber, protein, or heart-healthy fats, such as almond, coconut, chickpea, oat, and spelt flour.

As Web MD adds about the debate: Corn tortillas generally have "fewer calories, sodium, and carbs [and] more fiber than flour tortillas."

@insulinresistant1 Corn Vs flour tortillas, and my blood sugar. How do they affect my glucose levels? #glucose #bloodsugar #insulinresistant1 #corntortillas ♬ original sound - Justin / Stop Spiking Sugar

The video has more than 1,200 comments, with users expressing both disappointment and disbelief at the results.

“NO WAY, i thought corn tortillas were going to be better :(,“ says a user. 

“This is why gluten free isn't always healthier,” adds another.

“So odd. Im from México and mom has diabetes. She can eat up to 3 corn tortillas and still won't have the same impact as 1 flour tortilla,” states a third.

We have reached out to Justin via Instagram DM. 

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