No matter how colorful your entree may be, large amounts of calories and fat could be hidden in your food. Mexican food is made with very nutritious ingredients although some foods are prepared with less than healthful ingredients, such as animal fat. Regardless of preparation, Mexican food can be part of a healthy diet as long as you stick with foods that are whole, unprocessed and produced without a lot of cheese.
Mexican Food Ingredients
Mexican food often gets a bad rap for being high in fat because some dishes are loaded with cheeses, sour cream and fatty meat. Even refried beans may be cooked with unhealthy fats such as lard. Enchiladas are made with a lot of cheese and can be greasy to touch. However, traditional Mexican food is not made with a lot of saturated fat and some Mexican restaurants are offering healthy menu choices to help you make good food choices.
Nutritious Menu Items
Choose menu items that have fish, grilled lean meats, vegetables, whole-wheat tortillas, corn tortillas, soft tacos, vegetarian beans, lower-fat cheese, sour cream made with nonfat yogurt and baked tortilla chips. For example, fish tacos, spiced chicken, chicken fajitas and rice and black beans are healthy menu items for you to pick. Limit foods that are higher in saturated fat such as chili rellenos, nachos, chorizo, chimichangas, flautas and taco bowl salads.
Tips for Ordering
Order food your way whether it's take-out, fast food or at a sit-down restaurant. Request smaller portions or order food a la carte, or separately, to control portion sizes. For example, instead of ordering a standard meal with chicken enchiladas that includes rice, beans and high-fat side items such as sour cream and guacamole, request an enchilada with marinated vegetables and fat-free beans and, of course, salsa. Salsa is very low in fat and is usually made with fresh vegetables.
Warning
In a 2010 study, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that salsa and guacamole accounted for 3.9 percent of outbreaks at restaurants. Since the ingredients in salsa and guacamole -- raw hot peppers, tomatoes and cilantro -- are not heated during preparation, bacteria is not destroyed and is easily transmittable. Contamination occurs from improper refrigeration, handling and storage.
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