Taco Bell began as one drive-in restaurant opened by founder Glenn Bell in 1954. The first franchise opened in 1964 and by 1967 there over 100 Taco Bells. Now a nationwide chain, its Tex-Mex style menu has expanded quite a bit from the original taco choices to include burritos, chalupas, nachos and taco salads. Taco Bell is a fast-food style restaurant. It does offer some healthier options on its Fresco- style Drive-Thru Diet Menu.
Calories
At Taco Bell, the serving size is one of each of the items, although portion size varies. The Taco Bell food items with the lowest calories include Fresco Crunchy Taco from their Drive-Thru Diet Menu at 150 calories and the Chicken Soft Taco and Mini-Quesadilla with 190 calories. The food with the highest calorie count is the Volcano Nachos at 980 calories, but if this is shared the total calories should be divided by the number of people sharing it. For three people sharing it, the calorie intake for each would be 327 calories. The Chicken Ranch Taco Salad at 910 calories provides nearly half the calories for a 2,000-calorie a day diet.
Carbohydrates
The carbohydrates eaten daily are the foundation of every diet and should comprise 40 to 60 percent of the day's calories, according to MedlinePlus. The single-serving foods containing a higher amount of carbohydrates at Taco Bell are the Grilled Stuft Burrito with 80 g and Fiesta Taco Salad with 73 g. Surprisingly, the menu item with the highest amount of carbohydrates is a 40 oz. Tropicana Pink Lemonade with 135 g. Lower carb menu items include the Fresco Crunchy Taco with 13 g and the Fresco Grilled Steak Soft Taco with 21 g.
Fat
Fat is also needed in the diet, but in limited amounts. MayoClinic.com recommends limiting daily fat intake to no more than 35 percent total fat, with less than 7 percent from saturated fats and less than 1 percent from trans fats. The lowest fat options at Taco Bell have roughly 4 g of fat, including its Fresco Ranchero Chicken Soft Taco and Fresco Grilled Steak Soft Taco, containing 1 to 1.5 g saturated fat and no trans fat. The menu item with the highest fat content is the Volcano Nachos with 61 g total and 5 g saturated fat.
Sodium
Sodium is an essential nutrient that needs to be ingested in the diet every day. MayoClinic.com states daily sodium intake should not exceed 2,300 mg. Many of the items at Taco Bell are extremely high in sodium, including the 7-Layer Burrito with 1300 mg and Mexican Pizza with 1030 mg. There are no low sodium options.
Protein
Protein is another staple of the daily diet. Taco Bell menu items are meant to be consumed as a meal, and therefore are a source of the 46 to 56 g of protein adults need to consume daily. The foods containing the most protein include the Grilled Stuft Chicken Enchilada with 39 g and Chicken Quesadilla with 28 g.
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