Through its many evolutions, food experts and historians agree that the croissant has become a uniquely French pastry. The French government even named it as the national French product in 1920. Many other countries also have their own spin-offs of the croissant.

While croissants do provide some nutritional benefits, they're also high in fats and calories. They're best enjoyed as part of a balanced diet, rather than a daily breakfast item. Pairing a croissant with fruits, lean proteins, and other nutrient-dense foods can help balance your meal.

The dough used to make pastries usually contains much more butter, shortening, or oil, and has a higher fat content as a result. Because of this distinction, a croissant is not just bread. A croissant is considered a pastry.

Croissants are often stuffed with different sweet or savory fillings. The classic sweet-filled croissants use almonds, marzipan, or chocolate, whereas savory croissants might be filled variously with cheese, spinach, or ham.