Does Pita Aid Weight Loss? Here Are 8 Easy and Healthy Recipes You’ll Love

Pita bread, that classic Arabic flatbread, holds a big spot in the heart of Middle Eastern cuisine. Usually, it gets its rise from yeast and then bakes up nice and puffy over a roaring open fire. When it chills out a bit, slicing it open reveals a magical pocket.

Pita bread or pitta bread has a soft to spongy texture and is usually pale white with some spots of brown as it can often be unevenly cooked. Pita bread can be consumed in a great variety of ways. It can be consumed with sauces or dips like hummus or mashed chickpeas or something simple such as olive oil. It can also be prepared and used like bread for sandwiches made with falafel, gyros, and kebabs or filling the pocket with meat and vegetables. It can also be cut into smaller pieces, baked, and served as pita chips.

In this article, we’ll show you the basic recipe for whole-wheat pita bread and then a few tried and tested recipes so you can get used to making them. From there, you can basically put nearly anything in these pita pockets and it’ll taste good so long as you balance out the components.

Gluten-Free Variant

Pita bread, also known as pitta bread, is traditionally not gluten-free as it is made with a variety of wheat flours – such as white, whole wheat, or multigrain. It is also made with baker’s yeast or baking powder – as leavening agents, as well as sugar, oil, and salt. Due to its popularity and market demand for gluten-free diets, pita bread has also had gluten-free pita-free variants that have become easily purchasable and ready-made. There are recipes for gluten-free diets that can easily be made as well.

As popular as the gluten-free variant is, it should be noted that compared to the traditional whole grains, they have fewer micronutrients like fiber.

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Benefits of Pita Bread:

As the ingredients and recipe for Pita bread have multiple varieties, the nutritional value can also vary. Regardless of the varieties, adding Pita bread to your diet can add the following benefits to your health:

• Pita bread is low in Caloric content, which makes it good for weight loss.
• It is a great source of carbohydrates, protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
• Pita bread originating from pita bread can contain up to
• It is a satiating food that is very filling especially when consumed with its traditional hummus and olive oil
• It can assist in cholesterol reduction, helping reduce the risk of chances of heart disease and complications of type 2 diabetes. (2)

1. The Basic Low-Calorie Pita Bread Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Whole Wheat Flour, 240g
• 1 Tbsp Active Dry or Instant Yeast, 1 packet, 7g
• ¾ cup Warm Water
• ¼ tsp Salt, Optional
• Herbs & Spices, Optional

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 500°F.
2. Sift flour into a large bowl.
3. Active Dry Yeast: Combine yeast with water in a bowl
4. Instant Yeast: Stir yeast together with flour
5. Gradually add water to flour and mix well until the dough starts to clean the sides of the bowl.
6. Knead the dough until smooth and elastic, about 4-5 minutes. Do not over-knead.
7. Divide dough into 10 balls.
8. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each ball into a 5-6” circle, about ⅛-¼ inch thick.
9. Place dough on a nonstick baking sheet and set aside to rise for 30 minutes.
10. Flip each pita over on its other side (Important) and bake for 5 minutes.
11. Pitas may be hard when they come out of the oven, but will soften as they cool.
12. Cut pitas in half crosswise and stuff with your choice of fillings!

Nutrition Facts:

• Servings: 10 5-6” pitas
• Serving size: 1 pita
• Calories: 80kcal
• Carbohydrates: 17.6g
• Protein: 3.2g

2. 1 Falafel Pita

There are a lot of ways to cut down on this street food icon. First, baking the falafels instead of deep frying them results in a lower calorie and fat content, second, using the whole wheat pita recipe helps and adds fiber content and finally just having 1  falafel in the pita brings down the number of calories, you can add more of course but that will increase the calories. If you want to have more filling, add more cucumber or tomatoes. As an alternative, you can also instead use Tzatziki sauce instead of tahini for a creamy sauce.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 6 pita bread loaves
• 18 cooked falafel balls, from homemade or store-bought falafel mix
• 2 medium tomatoes, diced
• 1 medium cucumber, unpeeled and diced
• 1 medium white or red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
• 3 sandwich pickles, sliced, optional
• Tahini sauce, homemade or store-bought, to taste

Instructions:

1. Gather the ingredients.
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle to medium-high heat. Coat with olive oil and heat a pita round for 2 minutes on each side. The pita may begin to brown a little. Repeat with the remaining pita rounds, making sure to cut the top part to reveal the pocket after heating.
3. Bake the Falafel balls, this should reduce the calorie content by quite a bit. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Spray a baking sheet with cooking oil, grease it with vegetable oil, or line it with parchment paper.
4. Place the falafel balls with at least 3 inches of space between and then Bake for 10 minutes, flip, and bake for an extra 10 to 12 minutes, until golden brown.
5. Stuff each pita round with 1 falafel balls and a spoonful each of diced tomatoes and cucumber. Top each with sliced onion, chopped parsley, the optional pickles, and a generous drizzle of tahini sauce.

Nutrition Facts:

• 238 Calories
• 30.7g Carbohydrates
• 7.1 g Protein

3. Pita Chips

A nice and more substantial alternative to tortilla chips or potato chips, Pita chips are healthier as they are not fried but baked. Serve this with your choice of dipping be it Tahini, Hummus or Tzatziki. You can even try it with salsa or any other dip. This is so versatile and makes for a wonderful, low-calorie party snack.

Ingredients:

• 2-5 Pita Pockets
• Olive oil
• Salt

Instructions:

1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees F. And prepare a large sheet pan (do not line with parchment).
2. Split the pita pockets in half to make single rounds of pita. Place each pita flat on your cutting board and split them in half from the seam with a sharp knife or kitchen shears (you should end up with 2 single rounds of pita). Note: If your pitas are the thick, single-layer kind, you can skip this step as you can’t split them.
3. Brush with extra virgin olive oil & Season. Brush the pita rounds with extra virgin olive oil and season with kosher salt on both sides
4. Using a knife or a pair of kitchen shears again, cut each round of pita into 8 triangles.
5. Bake them, Arrange the pita triangles on the prepared sheet pan. Bake anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes, checking occasionally to turn over the pita triangles that have gained color until you have pita chips that are crispy and golden brown to your liking.

Nutrition Facts:

• Calories: 14.3kcal
• Carbohydrates: 2.6g
• Protein: 0.4g

4. Hummus Pita Pockets

This goes with almost anything but is almost a completely vegan meal if you take out the feta cheese. The bulk of the volume of the food here is made up of vegetables and the fact that you’re using whole wheat bread makes this a healthier alternative to any burger. Even if it is low-calorie, it can still be a very healthy and refreshing afternoon or mid-day snack.

Ingredients:

• 6 Whole wheat or whole grain bread or pita pockets
• 1 cup Hummus, (store-bought or homemade)
• 4 tbsp Crumbled feta cheese
• Green Leafy Vegetables of your choice
• Julienned carrots
•  Radishes, sliced thin

Instructions

1. Open up your pita and spread a thin layer of hummus.
2. Evenly sprinkle in feta cheese and stuff with your thinly sliced radishes, calories and other leafy greens.

Nutrition Facts:

• 289 Calories
• 36g Carbohydrates
• 12g  Protein

5. Healthy Pita Pockets

This healthy alternative is a great vegetarian alternative. It has good fiber content and is relatively low-calorie.

Ingredients:

For the Filling:

• 1 cup chickpeas
• 3 tbsp chopped parsley
• 1 tbsp chopped garlic
• 1 tsp white pepper powder
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp low-fat curds

For the Herbed Mayonnaise:

• ⅓ cup low-fat curds
• ¼ tsp sugar
• ¾ tsp olive oil
• 2 pinches pepper
• ½ tsp mustard
• 1 slice of bread

Instructions:

For the Filling:

1. Combine the chickpeas, parsley, onions, and garlic in a mixer and blend
2. Transfer it to a bowl, add the curds, pepper, salt, and lemon juice, and mix well.
3. Divide into the desired number of portions

For the Mayonnaise:

1. Combine the bread, curds, sugar, and oil and blend in a mixer to a smooth paste
2. Transfer to a bowl and  mix in the pepper mustard powder, parsley, and salt
3. Divide into your desired number of portions

To Assemble:

1. Put some cabbage leaves in the pita and stuff it with the filling
2. Place a little bit of mined carrot or diced cucumber on top and top with the herbed mayonnaise

Nutrition Facts:

• 170 g Calories
• 29.5 g Carbohydrates
• 7 g Protein

6. Greek Gyros in Pita

You don’t need to be on the street to enjoy some legendary street food. Make this at home for friends and family and have total control of the flavor and caloric content of the classic Greek staple.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground lamb or 85% lean ground beef
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ onion cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 clove garlic sliced
• 3 ounces bacon cut into 1-inch pieces

Instructions:

1. To a medium bowl add lamb, salt, pepper, oregano and cumin. Mix with your hands until thoroughly combined. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 300˚F.
3. Add onion and garlic to the bowl of a food processor and pulse several times to mince; scrape down sides with a rubber spatula. Add lamb mixture and bacon pieces; process to a smooth puree, scraping down sides as necessary.
4. Line a baking sheet with foil. Transfer the meat mixture to the center. Wet hands and form the meat into a rectangle, approximately 8-inches long, 5-inches wide and 1 ½-inches high.
5. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until an instant-read thermometer reads 155˚F. Remove from the oven and let stand 15 minutes before slicing.
6. Adjust oven rack to highest position and preheat the broiler. Line the baking sheet with foil.
7. Transfer loaf to a cutting board and carefully slice crosswise into ⅛-inch thick slices. Arrange slices on a prepared baking sheet, leaving a little room between each one. Broil 2 minutes, until slices are hot and edges are crispy. Remove from the oven and tent with foil.
8. Serving Suggestion: Warm pita bread and spread with a thick layer of tzatziki sauce, pile on gyro meat slices and top with thinly sliced onion and chopped tomato.

Nutrition Facts:

• 418 Calories
• 2g Carbohydrates
• 22g Protein

7. Italian Sausage and Bell Peppers in Pita

Take a trip to  Italy with grilled Italian sausage and bell peppers. Stuff them in pita pockets and you’ve got yourself an irresistibly addictive snack. The bell pepper perfectly complements the richness of the sausage links. It’s relatively healthy, with the use of whole wheat pita and fresh vegetables and all, so go ahead and enjoy it!

Ingredients:

• 6 pre cooked Italian chicken sausage links
• 3 bell peppers, any color, sliced thin
• 1-2 red and yellow onions, sliced thin
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• salt and pepper
• 6 soft whole wheat pitas
• your favorite mustard
• crumbled feta, optional, for serving

Instructions:

1. Turn the grill on to medium heat. Preheat a large grilling basket on the grill.
2. Place sliced peppers and onions into a large mixing bowl. Drizzle olive oil, add oregano, and season well with salt and pepper. Toss peppers and onions until mixed well. Pour vegetables into a grilling basket and let cook for 15-20 minutes until soft and slightly charred. Make sure to toss peppers and onions often with tongs while cooking to ensure they are cooking evenly.
3. Place Italian chicken sausage links on the grill, over medium heat, and cook 3-4 minutes on each side. When done cooking, slice each link diagonally and set it aside.
4. Warm pita bread by placing it on the top rack of the grill for just a minute or two on each side until softened.
5. Assemble your sandwiches with your favorite mustard, sliced sausages, peppers, and onions. Top with crumbled feta if you like.

8. Nachos Jalapeno Pita Pockets

Take a trip South of the border and keep coming back for more of these delicious Pita Pockets.

Ingredients:

• 3 whole pita bread rounds
• 1-1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 2 green onions chopped
• 1 medium to large size tomato chopped
• 12 nacho (pre-sliced pickled) jalapeno slices from a jar
• 1/2 cup salsa
• 1 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 2 teaspoons granulated garlic
• 2 limes, quartered for serving

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cut the pita bread into quarters. Carefully open each pita quarter.
3. Inside each pita quarter, add the cheddar cheese, green onion, tomatoes, a nacho jalapeno slice, and salsa.
4. On the top of each pita,  add the jack cheese, cilantro, and garlic powder.
5. Set each pita quarter on a cookie sheet and bake in a preheated oven just long enough for the cheese to melt. This should not take more than just 5 minutes.
6. Right before serving, drizzle freshly squeezed lime juice on top of the quesadillas.  Serve while warm.

9. Hummus Pita Rollups

Here’s a different way to present a classic combination of pita and hummus.

Ingredients:

• 5 Pita Bread Slices
• 250 gm Tabbouleh salad
• 250 gm Hummus
• Rocket Lettuce
• Salt & Pepper

Instructions:

1. In the center of a pita, spread some hummus, from one side to the other.
2. Add some of the Tabbouleh salad, & some rocket lettuce.
3. Wrap up in a tight roll, and place a toothpick every 5cm.
4. Cut in between each toothpick, & lay the pinwheels on a platter to serve.

Flatbreads like Pita are nearly omnipresent in any culture in any region of the world, this low calorie, whole wheat pita recipe is so flexible that you can stuff it with any kind of filling from all over the world and it would feel as though each recipe were made with stuffing them in pita bread in mind.

Delicious, healthy food need not be expensive. Pita bread is a great addition to your low carb diet. Eat pita bread as an alternative healthy snack. It adds great variety to your food options and you get to enjoy pita bread’s healthy nutrients.

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