Chipotle is a Mexican-inspired fast food restaurant that prides itself on using ingredients that are sustainable, organic, local when possible and obtained from humane sources. The Burrito Bowl on the menu is simply the fillings for a burrito without the tortilla. You choose the items you want included in your Burrito Bowl.
Calories
In terms of calories, Chipotle is on the lower end of the spectrum in relation to other fast food restaurants. The calorie count in a Chipotle Burrito Bowl will vary depending on what you choose to put in it. The rice contains 130 calories and both the pinto and black beans add 120 calories to your bowl. Steak, carnitas and chicken all weigh in with 190 calories per serving. To save calories, skip the sour cream, which contains 120 calories, and choose the Green Tomatillo Salsa with only 15 calories.
Fat
A diet too high in fat increases your risk of heart disease and high cholesterol. The FDA recommends 78 g of fat or less daily for a 2,000-calorie diet. Starting with rice in your Chipotle Burrito Bowl contributes 3 g of fat, and including pinto or black beans adds 1g. The carnitas weigh in with 8 g of fat, the barbacoa with 7 g, and the chicken and steak with 6.5 g each. Add some fajita vegetables for flavor for only .5 g of fat. Cheese contains 8.5 g of fat per ounce. Guacamole weighs in with 13 g of fat, most of which is the heart-healthy variety. The tomato salsa is fat-free, as is the romaine lettuce.
Sodium
Most fast food is high in sodium, but Chipotle fares better than most. Recommendations for sodium intake are 1,500 to 2,300 mg per day. The rice in the Burrito Bowl contains 150 mg of sodium, while the black beans contain 250 mg and the pinto beans have 330 mg. The steak is the lowest sodium meat ingredient with 320 mg of sodium and the highest is the carnitas with 540 mg. The salsa choices are higher in sodium than the vegetable ingredients. The fajita vegetables contain 170 mg of sodium, while the Red Tomatillo Salsa contains 510 mg.
Recommendations
While creating a healthy meal at Chipotle is much easier than your typical burger and fries fast food, carefully choosing the ingredients in your Burrito Bowl helps keep calories, fat and sodium within a reasonable amount for one meal. For a heart-healthy Burrito Bowl include black beans, vegetables and grilled meats, and limit sour cream, cheese and sauces. Water or unsweetened iced tea are fat-free and calorie-free beverage choices that can replace soda.
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