If you're looking for food that's light, low-calorie and includes things like tofu, your best bet is to look somewhere other than south Texas. The region's fare is full of heavy, hearty and spicy dishes, with regional influences that bring it plenty of meat, spices and cheese. Eight of the 28 counties that make up south Texas border Mexico, giving the area a heavy Hispanic population and influence.
Characteristics
Basic staples of south Texas food are rice, beans, vegetables, meat and the ever-present tortilla, notes the "The Encyclopedia of Food and Culture." The meat choice is often beef and the vegetables include an array of squash, prickly pear cactus pads known as nopales and other veggies native to the region. Slow-cooking and slow-grilling are two common cooking methods. Influences include Native American and Mexican cultures and regional specialties include salpicon, which is a salad that includes vegetables mixed with shredded beef.
Misconceptions
While south Texas does have many dishes influenced by Mexican culture, the denizens don't survive on tacos alone, explains "The Encyclopedia of Food and Culture." Those not native to the area often assume the region is stocked only with burritos, enchiladas, tostadas and other foods commonly found in Mexican restaurants across the nation. While those foods are common in restaurants, they are not the only culinary choices.
Chilies
South Texas food would not be complete without chilies, according to "The Encyclopedia of Food and Culture." These peppy peppers may sometimes be small, but they pack quite a punch with their flavor. Green chilies are a staple in sauces, salsas, stews, the American concoction of chili and in a variety of entrees. Red chilies, which are the ripe version of the green, are often dried, crushed and sprinkled over and into a variety of dishes or mixed with other spices for a specialized flavor.
Chili
Another huge staple across south Texas is chili, a dish with American roots. Unlike chili in other regions, chili in south Texas often consists only of meat and spices and is not your usual tomato and bean mixture. Beans are often served on the side. Chili con carne, which simply translates to chili with meat, is a common dish. Chili comes in both red and green varieties with a wide array of variations based on different towns, neighborhoods or family recipes.
Considerations
While the food in South Texas is filling and flavorful, it also tends to make people fat, according to state comptroller's website. South Texas's San Antonio ranks at the top out of all the cities in Texas for having the highest percent of adults who are obese or overweight, with 66.4 percent. Texas overall takes the number 10 slot in the country with the number of adults who are overweight or obese. A scant 35.9 percent of adults in Texas are a normal weight, while 37.1 percent are overweight and a full 27 percent fall into the obese category. Obesity has also grown by a hefty rate, with the percentage of adults who are obese increasing by 119.5 percent from 1990 to 2005.
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