Calories in Shawarma - Nutrition and Health Benefits

Shawarma is quite a delicious street food that has travelled all the way from the Middle East and has become quite popular in Indian kitchens. But are you aware of the calories and nutrients that are present in shawarma? So, this article will help you to get a clear idea about the calorie content in shawarma, the nutrients present in it, whether you can get any health benefits after having shawarma, and other details.

Calorie content in Shawarma:

Being made with meat and high amounts of oil and ghee, shawarma is obviously high in calorie content. The net number of calories that is present in shawarma may depend on the type of meat and the other ingredients that you add to it. Here are some of the factors on which the calorie content in shawarma may vary:

 The portion size of the shawarma

 The type of meat used in it

 The mayo or the dip that you use with shawarma

 The type of flatbread used for wrapping.

On average, one medium sized chicken shawarma wrap may contain approximately 350–500 calories. The calorie content may slightly increase, up to 450 to 600 calories if you are consuming a shawarma wrap with beef or lamb fillings. The calorie content will be much higher, around 700 to 1,000 calories if you are consuming a plate-style shawarma with rice and fries.

Will you find any nutrients in shawarma?

Shawarma is a dish that is not rich in high amounts of nutrients. Yet, there are certain nutritional components that you are likely to get from shawarma. Here is a list:

1. Protein:

You may get enough amounts of protein from shawarma, because this dish contains meat and some amounts of vegetables. You are likely to get almost 20 to 30 grams of protein from one serving of chicken shawarma. This will not only help you to get enough satiety but will also help you with better muscle repair.

2. Carbohydrates:

You can get enough amounts of carbohydrates from the flatbread that is used for making shawarma. You can get almost 30 to 50 grams of carbohydrates, which is likely to provide you with enough amounts of energy. You are supposed to get enough carbs if you have shawarma with rice or fries.

3. Fats:

Shawarma is usually rich in fat content, because it consists of meat which adds to the amounts of fat, and the added ghee or oil in shawarma is rich in fat content as well. You are getting almost 15 to 35 grams of fat from each serving of shawarma.

4. Vitamins and minerals:

There are very small amounts of vitamins and minerals that can be found in each serving of shawarma. Shawarma consists of vitamins such as some vitamin C (if you add enough vegetables inside the wrapping) niacin, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 and minerals such as iron and zinc.

Can you get any health benefits from shawarma?

You are not likely to get any major health benefits after having shawarma, but the following are the positive sides of having this dish:

 It is customisable

 Rich in proteins

 Provides satiety and energy.

Side effects of shawarma:

The following are the negative effects of having too much shawarma, too frequently:

 Obesity

 Cardiac problems

 Increased cholesterol levels.

Which doctor to consult before consuming shawarma?

Shawarma is quite a filling and delicious dish that is usually loved by most Indians. But being rich in high calories and fat content, shawarmas should be consumed in moderation as excessive consumption can result into adverse effects on your health. So, before you start having shawarma, it is important for you to know whether you can even have this dish at all.

For this, you need to consult a registered dietitian or a nutrition expert who will be able to tell you how much portion size of shawarma you can have each day, based on your calorie requirements, how to prepare shawarma, so the dish remains healthy, and other vital details.

Final Thoughts:

Apart from being delicious, shawarma is also dense in energy and high qaulity protein which makes this dish loved by most Indians. But you must be aware that shawarma is usually high in calorie and fat content and if you consume this frequently or in large portion size, then you are going to affect your health. So it is important to take expert opinion before you start enjoying your shawarma in moderation.

Also Check: Calories in Bread - Nutritional Information & Benefits