Croissant vs. Bagel — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

Introduction

In this article, we'll go through the main differences between bagels and croissants, focusing on nutrition and health impact.

What's the Actual Difference?

Most of us know that standard white bread has little nutritional value, but what about croissants and bagels? Croissants and bagels are popular breakfast foods, whether eaten with jam or in a breakfast sandwich. 

A bagel is a bread product that originated in Polish Jewish communities, whereas croissants are a style of viennoiserie pastries that originated in the Austrian city of Vienna.

Bagels are crisp on the outside, chewy on the inside, slightly sweet, and slightly salty. On the other hand, croissants have a buttery taste with just a hint of yeast. An authentic French croissant has a delicious taste that is difficult to replicate outside France. Both can be eaten with cream cheese, butter, and lox.

Nutrition

The nutritional differences here are depicted for butter croissants and wheat bagels. 

The serving sizes for both are usually one piece. Depending on the size, the weight of the croissant will differ. On average, one medium-sized croissant is about 57 grams, while a large one weighs 67 grams. One bagel weighs about 98 grams. 

However, to keep the comparison between the two simple, we will sometimes refer to 100-gram servings of each in this section. 

Macronutrient and Calories

As can be seen from the macronutrient comparison charts below, bagels and croissants have similar macronutrient compositions. The predominant macronutrients in both are carbs, which make up 46% of the entire macronutrient composition of croissants and 49% of the entire macronutrient composition of bagels. 

Bagels also consist of 38% water, while croissants consist of only 23% water. 

Macronutrient Comparison

Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison

Croissant

1

Protein: 8.2 g

Fats: 21 g

Carbs: 45.8 g

Water: 23.2 g

Other: 1.8 g

Bagel

4

Protein: 10.2 g

Fats: 1.53 g

Carbs: 48.89 g

Water: 37.55 g

Other: 1.83 g

Contains more FatsFats

+1272.5%

Contains more ProteinProtein	+24.4%
Contains more WaterWater	+61.9%

~equal in Carbs ~48.89g

~equal in Other ~1.83g

Calories

Both croissants and bagels are high in calories; however, croissants contain around 2 times more calories than bagels.

Per 100-gram serving, croissants contain 406 calories, whereas bagels contain 250 calories.

Fats

Croissants provide 20 times more fat than bagels.

Per 100-gram serving, croissants contain 21 grams of fat, while bagels contain only 1.53 grams.

Carbohydrates

Both bagels and croissants are considered high-carb foods. Per 100-gram servings, they provide similar amounts of carbs. Croissants provide 46 grams of carbs, while bagels provide 49 grams.

Fiber

The amount of fiber in bagels is almost 2 times higher than in croissants. 

Bagels contain 4.1g of fiber per 100g, while croissants have only 2.6g.

Vitamins

The vitamin content of croissants is generally richer than that of bagels.

Croissants contain more Vitamin A, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B2, and folate.

On the other hand, bagel contains more Vitamin B3 and Vitamin B6.

Both have equal amounts of Vitamin B1. Moreover, whereas bagels completely lack Vitamin B12, Vitamin A, and Vitamin C, croissants contain some amounts of all these vitamins. 

Vitamin Comparison

Vitamin comparison score is based on the number of vitamins by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.

Croissant

9

Bagel

2

Contains more Vitamin CVitamin C	+∞%
Contains more Vitamin AVitamin A	+∞%
Contains more Vitamin EVitamin E	+162.5%
Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2	+15.3%
Contains more Vitamin B5Vitamin B5	+129.6%
Contains more Vitamin B12Vitamin B12	+∞%
Contains more Vitamin KVitamin K	+20%
Contains more FolateFolate	+15.8%
Contains more CholineCholine	+295.9%

Contains more Vitamin B3Vitamin B3	+54%
Contains more Vitamin B6Vitamin B6	+153.4%

~equal in Vitamin D ~0µg

~equal in Vitamin B1 ~0.403mg

Minerals

Bagels are the winner in the mineral category as they contain higher levels of almost all minerals compared to croissants. 

Specifically, bagels contain 4 times more manganese, as well as slightly more selenium and iron, when compared to croissants. 

Both provide equal amounts of sodium.

Mineral Comparison

Mineral comparison score is based on the number of minerals by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.

Croissant

1

Bagel

8

Contains more CalciumCalcium

+85%

Contains more MagnesiumMagnesium	+218.8%
Contains more PotassiumPotassium	+39.8%
Contains more IronIron	+36%
Contains more CopperCopper	+118.8%
Contains more ZincZinc	+46.7%
Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus	+35.2%
Contains more ManganeseManganese	+333.3%
Contains more SeleniumSelenium	+26.4%

~equal in Sodium ~439mg

Health Impact

There are many varieties of bagels. Whole grains bagels contain a lot more fiber and antioxidants than other kinds of bagels. They have also been shown to protect against diabetes, cancer, and obesity (1). However, in some countries, bagels and other refined grain products are fortified with some nutrients that were lost during processing, such as B-complex vitamins and iron.

Croissants are extremely versatile and can be paired with various nutrient-dense toppings and fillings; they also provide a small amount of protein per serving. However, croissants are high in calories, sodium, and saturated fat. Research shows that consuming highly processed foods high in both saturated fats and simple carbohydrates, such as croissants, may harm heart health (2). As a result, some people may need to limit their intake and consider consuming low-sodium products. 

References

1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21865568/
2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33319568/