Mexican food served in the United States is often packed with calories, sodium and fat. Choose carefully if you dine at a Mexican restaurant.
Amounts
A chicken fajita contains 450 calories, according to the CalorieKing website. A cheese quesadilla has around 490 calories and a large beef burrito contains about 440 calories. A taco salad with salsa and the taco shell can weigh in at 860 calories, while an enchilada with sauce and sour cream contains only about 210 calories.
Nutrition
Calories aren't the only problem with Mexican food. According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, an order of beef and cheese nachos contains as much fat as 10 glazed doughnuts. A chicken burrito dinner has a day's worth of sodium and a chile relleno dinner contains as much saturated fat as 27 slices of bacon. Chicken fajitas are a healthier and lighter choice, but only if you omit the refried beans and sour cream.
Tips
HelpGuide.org recommends choosing the soft shell chicken taco instead of the crispy shell version. Choose black beans over refried beans and limit sour cream and cheese, adding salsa instead. Try making your own Mexican food and load up on the vegetables; add plenty of corn, black beans and tomatoes.
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