Biscuits are a form of quick bread, which means the dough doesn’t need time to rise before you put it in the oven. Other forms of quick bread include cornbread and soda bread.
Similar to other forms of bread, biscuits are commonly served with butter and other condiments such as jam.
Sometimes they are combined with other ingredients to create different flavors or even used to make certain dishes.
Popular varieties such as a savory cheese and chive biscuit could be served with an onion chutney or pickle of some sort.
Plain biscuits are usually served with butter and jam.
In the United Kingdom, biscuits are known as scones. However, these contain eggs. Similarly to biscuits they are served in a variety of sweet and savory flavors.
A common time to have a scone is during an afternoon tea in which they are served with cream and jam.
They aren’t the most nutritious or low-calorie items so you might be wondering how many calories are in a biscuit. This article will review this question.
What Are Biscuits Made Of?
Biscuits are small pieces of bread that are quite firm and dry on the outside with a soft and crumbly interior.
The main ingredients needed to make a biscuit are flour, butter, salt, milk or buttermilk and baking powder.
The amounts used of these ingredients may vary from recipe to recipe as historically they have been passed down through many generations which can lead to slight changes.
How Many Calories Are There?
According to the USDA there are 353 in 100g of biscuits. So eating a lot of them isn’t a great idea as the calories can quickly start to add up.
The amount of calories in a biscuit can depend on the size and the percentages of ingredients.
For example, a two and a half inch diameter biscuit contains around 212 calories whereas a four inch diameter biscuit could contain 357 calories.
Nutritional Information Of A Biscuit
Let’s take a look at the nutritional information of a biscuit, as the amount of calories doesn’t always mean that a food is unhealthy for you.
A food could be calorie-dense but contain many vital nutrients we need to stay healthy.
Carbohydrates
One biscuit weighing 45g has 166 calories (USDA).
The majority of the calories come from the 19.3g of carbohydrates, but as the main ingredient of the food is flour this is not surprising.
A single biscuit of this size also contains 1.2g of fiber and 1.8g of sugar.
As biscuits are commonly made with refined white flour, a starchy, complex carbohydrate they have a high glycemic index which provides the body with a quick acting source of energy which crashes shortly afterwards leaving you hungry again.
Fat
Although the fat content of a biscuit is dependent on the recipe, in this scenario there is a total of 8.5g of fat.
The majority of this fat is saturated fats which equal to 5.3g per serving.
Men should eat no more than 30g of saturated fat per day, with women eating even less at 20g per day.
Therefore, one biscuit provides nearly a quarter of your daily allowance.
Protein
One biscuit provides you with 3.2g of protein. The amount of protein each of us needs per day is dependent on our physical characteristics and activity levels.
On the whole, we need between 50-175g of protein per day. This demonstrates that a singular biscuit isn’t a complete source of protein.
Vitamins And Minerals
Biscuits do contain many vital vitamins and minerals such as calcium, iron, zinc and certain B vitamins like folate.
We are taught from a young age that vitamins and minerals are important for our immune systems as well as supporting normal growth and development.
One biscuit provides us with less than 10% of the daily value of these essential nutrients.
There are 441 mg of sodium in one serving, which accounts for nearly 20% of our daily allowance.
The majority of Americans consume more sodium than they need per day which can lead to the development of high blood pressure and heart disease.
You can see how easy it is to go over this limit with one small snack.
It’s important that we check the nutritional value of our food for the benefits of our health.
Health Benefits Of Biscuits
There are some positive benefits that come from eating biscuits, besides their delicious and comforting taste.
They offer us a quick source of energy which can be ideal before you exercise and may affect your body’s ability to build muscle.
Although they aren’t the most nutritious foods, they do contain some essential vitamins and minerals such as magnesium and iron.
Refined foods such as flour are enriched with these extra nutrients which can help you meet your daily needs.
Finally, as a calorie-dense food they can help with those who are looking to gain weight. You can fit a lot into a small serving, which is ideal to fill you up!
Healthier Biscuits
Creating a healthier version of your favorite biscuit recipe means you can still enjoy them and not worry so much about the content.
Try substituting milk or buttermilk with low-fat or Greek yogurt to significantly reduce the fat content of the biscuits.
Using whole wheat flour can also be a great swap as it has more nutrients and vitamins.
When serving your biscuits, you could try using a plant-based butter or a sugar-free jam to make a lighter and healthier version of the original dish.
Why not skip the butter altogether and try serving with applesauce, mashed bananas or your favorite nut butter for an equally delicious experience.
Final Thoughts
Biscuits are quite calorie-dense food which don’t provide a lot of nutrients.
Most of the calories come from the fat and carbohydrate content which means they should be enjoyed in moderation as part of a healthy balanced diet.
We hope you found this article interesting and informative, helping you better understand the calorie-content of biscuits in order to make healthier food choices.
One of the most common things I talk to my clients about is calories, but so few of them actually know anything about them.
Calories is not a dirty word. If you remove emotion from it, it is simply a unit of energy.
We need calories to live and thrive, and knowing how many to consume is important to ensure that you’re living a healthy lifestyle.
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