The Underrated Chick-Fil-A Item Hiding Fiber Under Flavor

Chick-fil-A is a fast food restaurant that prides itself on its amazing customer service and good-quality, white-meat chicken. When you think about nutritional value here, your mind likely goes to protein over anything else, given how much poultry Chick-fil-A sells; behind the waffle fries, the classic sandwich is its best-selling item. Still, there's an unsuspecting menu item that's actually a good choice if you want to increase your fiber intake: the Chick-fil-A Cool Wrap.

The Cool Wrap is made with grilled chicken rather than the fried recipe the chain is known for. It's combined with lettuce, cheddar, and Monterey Jack (you can also pair it with a dressing if desired), then everything is rolled into a flaxseed flat bread, turning it into a wrap. The meal packs 14 grams of fiber, which is a pleasantly surprising amount for the wrap's calorie count. According to the Mayo Clinic, Americans should consume 14 grams of fiber per 1,000 calories; since this wrap has 14 grams of fiber at 660 calories, it offers about 5 extra grams of fiber for its caloric cost.

The wrap is a great choice if you're focusing on fiber intake, but it's not the only option if you're in the mood for something else. Based on Chick-fil-A's nutritional information, the Cool Wrap is the second highest-fiber single-serving meal you can order behind the Chicken Tortilla Soup, though the soup is a seasonal menu item that Chick-fil-A typically only offers between November and March. The soup offers 18 grams of fiber with 350 calories, making it a more fiber-dense option than the Cool Wrap.

If you're ordering at a time when the chicken tortilla soup isn't available, you can also opt for the Spicy Southwest Salad, which Chowhound ranked as one of the best fast food salads; it has 7 grams of fiber and 680 calories. While it doesn't contain as much fiber as either of the other items, it's still a quarter of most people's suggested daily fiber intake, so it's not a bad option if you're craving some leafy greens. Fiber is only one element of a nutritionally balanced meal, though. Depending on your dietary needs, look at other nutritional elements of these Chick-fil-A options, such as fat and sodium, to get a better understanding of whether they're the best option for you.