A nutritious diet designed around variety, moderation and balancing food with physical activity can include Del Taco. Follow federal recommendations when ordering at Del Taco---choose lean proteins, low-fat dairy products, fruits, vegetables and whole grains whenever possible and limit fat, sodium, cholesterol and added sugar.
Calories
Excess calorie consumption leads to weight gain, obesity and chronic diseases according to the United States Department of Agriculture, or USDA. An occasional high-calorie food or meal should be balanced with lower-calorie foods throughout the day and physical activity. Share entrees, pass on desserts and avoid deep-fried items at Del Taco to reduce calorie intake. Ordering a cheeseburger instead of a triple del cheeseburger cuts calories by 520. Split items like the macho beef burrito, which has 1,010 calories--more than 50 percent of the calories recommended over an entire day.
Fat
Consuming too much fat, especially saturated and trans-fats and cholesterol, increases the risk of heart disease. Fat is also high in calories. The triple del cheeseburger is the highest fat item at Del Taco with 66 grams of fat, 27 g of saturated fat and 185 milligrams of cholesterol. That is 100 percent of the fat, 122 percent of the saturated fat and 93 percent of the cholesterol recommended over an entire day in a single burger. Be aware that the Del Taco salad has 46 g of total fat and 18 g of saturated fat. Order the 5-piece hash brown sticks instead of the 8-piece at breakfast to decrease fat by 9 g. Reduce fat by limiting high-fat condiments like cheese, salad dressing and sour cream, avoiding deep-fried items and skipping or sharing desserts. The 4-piece caramel cheese cake bites have 52 g of fat. The chicken del taco carbon is one of the lowest fat options at Del Taco with only 5 g of fat.
Sodium
Sodium is an essential mineral, but too much can cause high blood pressure in certain individuals. The USDA recommends less than 2,300 mg of sodium a day. The highest-sodium items at Del Taco are the macho beef burrito and macho combo burrito, which each have more than 2,100 mg of sodium. Other high-sodium menu items are the bacon double del cheese burger and macho nachos, which have 1,440 and 2,050 mg of sodium respectively.
Added Sugar
Sugar adds calories to foods without providing essential nutrients. Too much sugar causes tooth decay and can raise blood sugar, which is unhealthy for diabetics and pre-diabetics. Limit or avoid regular soda, milkshakes and desserts at Del Taco to prevent consuming too much sugar. A medium soda has 180 g of sugar, and the chocolate shake has 117 g of sugar. The best beverages are water, diet soda and unsweetened coffee and iced tea, which are sugar-free, and low-fat milk, which has only 13 g of sugar.
Condiments and Extras
Condiments and extras at Del Taco add calories, fat and sodium. The deluxe chili cheese fries outweigh an order of plain medium fries by 230 calories, 14 g of fat, 8 g of saturated fat and 500 mg of sodium. A macho beef burrito beats a regular beef burrito by 540 calories, 24 g of fat and 960 mg of sodium. A side of cheddar cheese has 50 calories and 4 g of fat, and a sour cream side has 30 calories and 2 g of fat. The best condiment at Del Taco is the salsa, which is fat-free and only has 5 calories.
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