Chipotle has to be one of my all-time favorite 'fast food' places (fast-food in quotes because it's more of a Mexican food subway with fresh ingredients than the typical unhealthy burger place). Not only are their ingredients fresh, but they are created with respect for environment, animals, and local farmers. Read more about their 'food with integrity' here. Dieters can mix and match healthy, organic, and sustainable ingredients from Chipotle for a delicious meal. Here are the best options:Healthy Chipotle Options:
Lettuce: Obviously, leafy greens are a plus. Lettuce is low in calories and high in fiber, vitamins A, C, K, and more.
Brown Rice: According to Livestrong, brown rice has more than 5x the dietary fiber than white rice, making it a much better diet option as a carbohydrate. It is also a plus for magnesium and zinc. Be careful with this one, as the calories from one cup are over 200, easy.
Salsa: The great news about salsa: it tastes great, is low in calories (15 calories in a serving in most store-bought brands), and a good source of vitamins and fiber. The bad news: lots of sodium here, so watch the serving size. A single serving is 2 tablespoons - how much is Chipotle scooping on?
Black Beans: Black beans vs pinto beans nutrition - black beans 2:1! Both beans are good for you and can even reduce the risk of some cancers believe it or not. Plus, you guessed it, dietary fiber - a whole lot of it. But when it comes to one versus the other, black beans are the way to go. Read more about the studies behind this head to head here.
Fajita Veggies: A must! Not only are these the lowest-calorie option on the Chipotle menu next to the lettuce, but the veggies here are delicious and high in vitamin percentage!
Guacamole: My favorite Mexican food ingredient by far, guacamole is high in fat- but the GOOD fat that protects against heart disease. Another bonus: zero cholesterol in avocados! Add in the benefits of protein and vitamins, and you have a awesome, tasty, energy-boosting treat. There are a lot of calories, however, so eat responsibly. Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/346267-health-benefits-of-guacamole/#ixzz2GY93k0Bs
Chipotle Ingredients to Stay Away From:
Flour Tortillas: There are almost 300 calories in a burrito tortilla alone! Yikes. Stay away from the delicious wraps here or you'll have to run an extra 30 minutes just to loose the calories from the shell.
Pinto Beans: Apart from being the losing bean in the black vs pinto bean challenge, the pinto beans at Chipotle are also cooked in bacon fat. Delicious, yes. Super healthy? Not so much.
Meat (Steak/Pork/Chicken): Careful here. It's not terrible to eat meat all the time, all the portions of meat at Chipotle are under 200 calories. But, you could be looking at over 500mg of sodium with low vitamin benefit. It would be healthier for you to skip the meat and add on the yummier veggie ingredients (like fajita veggies or even more guac)!
Cheese/Sour Cream: Yes, delicious milk products like sour cream and cheese have vitamins and calcium, which you can argue are health benefits. BUT, if you're trying to lose weight, these are not the choices to add to your dish. Cheese and sour cream are very high in natural fat content, the not-so-healthy kind, which will add to your waist line. There are types of low-fat cheese and sour cream options that are better for your calorie-count, but none you will find at Chipotle.
My husband and I are trying to not buy fast food or takeout for a new budgeting plan we are on, so we recreated a Chipotle salad at home: brown rice, fajita onions and peppers, salsa, black beans, fresh salad, and guacamole. Each large delicious bowl was UNDER 500 calories!
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