Post-Passover Eating: Phyllo Dough or Puff Pastry? A Nutritional Insight

With Passover behind us, many people are eager to return to their regular culinary routines while still maintaining a healthy lifestyle. A common question arises: nutritionally speaking, which is the better choice—puff pastry or phyllo dough? On Dr. Maya Rozman’s 103FM program, a listener sought clarification on a previous statement: Is there truly no significant calorie difference between the two?

Dr. Rozman addressed the question directly: “I’m not sure in what context I said that. If you compare 100 grams of each, puff pastry contains three and a half times more calories than phyllo dough. The reason is simple: puff pastry is high in fat, whereas phyllo dough is made only of white flour and contains no fat.”

At first glance, phyllo dough seems like the clear choice for those seeking a lower-fat option. However, Dr. Rozman emphasized the importance of looking closely at the details and see the full picture. “When using phyllo dough, the instructions often recommend brushing it with oil. From a health perspective, using high-quality oils is definitely the better option. But once you brush oil onto the phyllo, you’re not exactly reducing calories,” she explained.

Both doughs are commonly used for pastries, but they differ significantly. Puff pastry is made of multiple layers of fat and flour, creating a rich, flaky texture but also contributing to its very high fat content, often including saturated fats. Phyllo dough, on the other hand, is extremely thin and nearly fat-free, offering a lighter alternative—but it does require added oil during preparation to keep it from drying out.

The bottom line? The healthier choice ultimately depends on the amount and type of oil you use. Paying attention to these small details and choosing higher-quality oils can make phyllo dough a nutritionally advantageous option.