The Surprising Truth About Taco Bell Nutrition: Can You Eat Healthy at Your Favorite Fast Food Joint?
Fast food chains have often been criticized for offering meals that are high in calories, saturated fats, and sugar. However, many people still enjoy the convenience and affordability that fast food restaurants offer. Taco Bell is no exception, with more than 7,000 locations worldwide.
But can you eat healthy at Taco Bell? In this article, we’ll explore the surprising truth about Taco Bell nutrition and provide tips on how to make healthier food choices while still enjoying your favorite fast food joint.
Understanding Taco Bell’s Nutritional Information
Before we dive into the specifics of Taco Bell’s menu, it’s important to understand how the chain provides its nutritional information. Taco Bell uses a traffic light system, with green indicating healthier options, yellow indicating moderate choices, and red indicating items that should be consumed in moderation.
Additionally, Taco Bell provides a customizable nutrition calculator on its website, allowing customers to see the nutritional information for their specific order.
Healthy Menu Choices at Taco Bell
Contrary to popular belief, you can find healthy options on Taco Bell’s menu. Here are a few of our top picks:
- Veggie Power Bowl: This bowl features black beans, rice, lettuce, guacamole, and pico de gallo. It’s vegetarian, vegan, and contains only 430 calories.
- Fresco Crunchy Taco: This taco features seasoned beef, lettuce, and tomatoes, all topped with a flavorful salsa. It’s only 150 calories and 7 grams of protein.
- Black Bean Crunchwrap Supreme: This vegetarian option features a black bean patty, lettuce, tomato, and reduced-fat sour cream. It contains 510 calories and 17 grams of protein.
Unhealthy Menu Choices at Taco Bell
While Taco Bell does offer healthier options, it’s important to be aware of some of their less-than-healthy choices. Here are a few of the worst offenders:
- XXL Grilled Stuft Burrito: This burrito contains beef, rice, cheese, and sour cream, totaling a whopping 870 calories and 41 grams of fat.
- Nacho Fries BellGrande: This side dish contains seasoned fries, beef, nacho cheese sauce, sour cream, and tomatoes, totaling 760 calories and 43 grams of fat.
- Caramel Apple Empanada: This dessert option may sound innocent enough, but it contains 310 calories and 16 grams of fat.
Tips for Making Healthier Choices at Taco Bell
If you’re looking to make healthier choices at Taco Bell, here are a few tips to keep in mind:
- Opt for grilled rather than fried menu items.
- Choose items that are lower in calories and fat.
- Load up on veggies and skip extras like cheese and sour cream.
- Consider ordering from the vegetarian menu.
The Bottom Line
While Taco Bell may not be known for its health-conscious menu items, there are still plenty of options available for those looking to make healthier choices. By understanding the nutritional information provided by the chain and making smart food choices, you can still enjoy your favorite dishes without sacrificing your health and wellness.
