Chipotle is a Mexican-inspired fast food restaurant that serves up burritos and tacos and prides itself on serving only natural and unprocessed ingredients. Eating a healthy meal at a fast food outlet is often difficult, but Chipotle makes it much easier by offering many items that are low in fat and calories. HelpGuide.org recommends skipping tortilla chips and sour cream to further control the calorie and fat content of your meal.
Fat
Chipotle made Health Magazine's Top 10 List of Healthiest Fast Food chains because its menu features healthier options than most. For example, a Burrito Bowl with chicken, rice, pinto beans, lettuce and tomato salsa has only 10.5 g of fat. However, if you add cheese and sour cream, that healthy total skyrockets to 29 g of fat. Adding a tortilla to create a traditional burrito and you'll get another 9 g of fat. Clearly it is important to go easy on certain ingredients and stick to vegetables and grilled meat to keep fat low.
Calories
If you are watching your weight but still want to eat fast food, Chipotle's offerings are much lower in calories than at other fast food restaurants. According to HelpGuide.org, you should choose beans and vegetables in soft tortillas over those that are fried and covered in sour cream and cheese. An order of Carnitas Soft Tacos weighs in at 590 calories with rice, lettuce and tomato salsa.
Sodium
Health Magazine recommends Chipotle's meals because they are low in sodium. Too much salt in your diet can result in high blood pressure, so watching your intake is important for health. A Steak Burrito Bowl with rice, black beans and lettuce contains 720 mg of sodium, but adding the tortilla and some salsa increases this amount to 1,860 mg. So, while it is possible to create a low-sodium meal at Chipotle, you should be careful about add-ons, which can really increase your intake.
Fiber
Because of the whole beans offered on the menu at Chipotle, a meal there can help you reach your daily recommended totals for fiber, which aids in healthy digestion and lowers your risk of heart disease. According to the Topeka Capital Journal, both black beans and pinto beans are good sources of fiber. A vegetarian burrito at Chipotle made with black beans, rice, fajita vegetables, lettuce and corn salsa weighs in at 18 g of fiber.
Protein
A meal with a good amount of protein can help you stay full until your next meal. Eating beans, rice and tortillas together supplies you with high-quality protein. An order of vegetarian tacos at Chipotle contains 20 g of protein when made with pinto beans, rice, fajita vegetables, lettuce and corn salsa. Cheese and sour cream add another 8 g and 2 g, respectively, but go easy on these since your server may load your tacos with more than one portion.
Considerations
Chipotle claims its food is more nutritious and satisfying than at other fast food places, and its nutrition information supports that claim. If you go easy on add-ins and stick to healthy meats, beans and vegetables, it is possible to create a meal that contains a reasonable amount of fat and calories. HelpGuide.org recommends watching portion sizes, as many of the items at fast food restaurants, Chipotle included, are more than one portion.
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