Invented in the 1940s and popularized in the 1970s, nachos have become a favorite snack food in the United States. Nachos consist of corn tortilla chips topped with melted cheese and jalapeno peppers, then placed under a broiler to melt the cheese and toast the chips. While nachos can provide certain vitamins and minerals, it is important to remember that the dish also contains significant amounts of fat and cholesterol.
Components
A single serving of nachos weighs around 204g, as indicated by the USDA Nutrient Database. Of that measure, 60g consist of carbohydrates and 34g are made up of fat. Protein provides 17g. A serving of nachos contains no significant quantities of dietary fiber.
Caloric Value
Within a single serving of nachos there are around 608 total calories. The highest number of calories comes from fat at 293 calories per serving. Carbohydrates contribute 250 calories and proteins provide 65 calories. One serving of nachos can equal 30 percent of what the average person needs in calories per day.
Vitamins
A significant number of vitamins are available within a serving of nachos. Vitamin A is particularly high at 4061 IU, or over 500 percent of the daily recommended intake for that vitamin. Other significant quantities of vitamins include pantothenic acid at 2.4mg or 48 percent, and riboflavin at 0.5mg or 41 percent. Lesser amounts include vitamin C, thiamin, niacin, vitamin B-6, folate and vitamin B-12.
Minerals
The same serving of nachos also includes many essential dietary minerals. Of these, calcium is the highest at 620mg, or over 60 percent of the daily recommended value. Other substantial amounts of minerals include phosphorus at 394mg or 56 percent, magnesium at 108mg or 48 percent, and manganese at 0.4mg or 20 percent. Iron, potassium, selenium and copper are also available in a single serving of nachos.
Warning
The American Heart Association warns that excessive amounts of cholesterol and saturated fat in the diet may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. A serving of nachos contains significant amounts of both, with 14 gof saturated fat at 70 percent and 84mg of cholesterol at 28 percent of the daily allowable intake of these nutritional components. Also, those on a low sodium diet may want to avoid eating nachos due to a high amount of sodium. A single serving contains over 1,700 mg of sodium or well over 100 percent of the daily allowance for this mineral.
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