Chicken chalupas are an alternative to a traditional taco or fajita. Made with a thick, fried shell, chalupas can be filled with a variety of condiments atop chicken, beef or steak. Adjusting the ingredients in your chalupa can significantly impact the calories, fat and other nutritional facts. Being knowledgeable about the nutrition facts in your chalupas will help you make an informed decision when eating at Taco Bell.
Calories
One chicken baja chalupa contains 390 calories, as compared to a nacho cheese chalupa with 340 calories. The supreme chicken chalupa provides 350 calories. Substituting steak will lower the calories by 10 calories per chalupa. However, using beef in your chalupa increases the calorie count by 20 calories over the chicken chalupa. The highest calorie count can be found in the XXL chalupa, which offers 650 calories, or 33 percent of your daily caloric recommended value if you are using a 2000 calorie per day diet.
Fat Content
The fat content in the chicken chalupa is the same as the steak chalupa, except with the nacho cheese chalupa, which increases by one calorie. The beef chalupas increase total fat content by 3 to 4 g per chalupa as compared with the chicken chalupa. Total fat content in one baja chicken chalupa is 23 g, with 0 g of trans fat, but 4 g of saturated fat. A nacho cheese chicken chalupa offers 18 g of total fat, with 2 g saturated fat and no trans fat. A supreme chicken chalupa also provides 18 g total fat, but increases the saturated fat to 4 g, with no trans fat.
Protein and Carbohydrates
Your chicken baja chalupa contains 16 g of protein. However, a nacho cheese chicken chalupa offers 15 g of protein, as compared to 17 g of protein in one supreme chicken chalupa. Each chicken chalupa contains between 29 and 30 g of carbohydrates.
Sodium and Cholesterol
The baja chicken chalupa provides 760 mg of sodium and 35 mg of cholesterol. While the sodium in your nacho cheese chicken chalupa increases to 770 mg, the cholesterol drops to 25 mg. The supreme chicken chalupa contains the least sodium at 640 mg, with 35 mg of cholesterol. Substituting beef for chicken in you chalupa decreases the sodium by 30 to 40 mg, while ordering steak instead of chicken reduces the sodium by 60 to 70 mg per chalupa.
Condiments and Considerations
If you are attempting to reduce the fat and calorie content in you chalupa, consider asking for your chalupa prepared in the "fresco" style. This will reduce the fat content in you chicken baja chalupa or your chicken supreme chalupa by at least 25 percent. Adding hot sauce will not add calories to your chalupa; however, each packet increases the sodium content by 35 to 60 mg per packet.
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