by Jeni Tackett – Registered Dietitian, Trinity Medical Center
I eat lunch out one day a week with a girlfriend, and we pick Mexican food 90% of the time. Our two favorite QC Mexican food spots are Habaneros and Los Agaves. I know there are many other wonderful Mexican food establishments in the Quad Cities, but these are our top picks. The service is incredibly fast (helpful when you’re on a lunch break) and the chips and salsa? Forget about it!
The question remains: Can you eat healthy when you eat at a Mexican restaurant? (Why do I get all of the tough questions?)
The two issues with restaurant eating remain the same whether you’re eating out Mexican, American, Indian, Italian, or Chinese: the portions are too big and many of the ingredients are high fat.
Bottomless Chip Basket: 1gram of fat per chip
At a Mexican restaurant, the first challenge you face is the bottomless basket of chips paired with yummy salsa. I’m not concerned about the salsa which is made of vegetables. But, the fat and calories from the chips add up fast. When you eat from a basket of chips (which magically gets refilled), you have no idea how much you’re eating. Here’s the scenario: you’re starving and chatting with a friend while you put chip after chip in your mouth. Then your food comes, and you’re not even hungry.
Avoid this scenario and ask for a small plate when ordering your drink. (I assume you’re drinking water or iced tea, right?) Then count out 5-10 chips and place them on your plate. Eat the chips slowly and stick to the portion you set out for yourself. When you eat from a basket, it’s hard to know how many chips you are consuming. Each tortilla chip has approximately 1 gram of fat, so if you eat 20 chips you’ve already consumed 20 grams of fat and about 300 calories. No wonder you’re full before you get your meal! Practice a little portion control from the get go, and you’ll be so proud of yourself when you’re meal arrives and you’re not stuffed.
Break the Rule of 3
Somewhere along the line “3” became the magic number at Mexican restaurants. Entrees include 3 tacos, 3 enchiladas, 3 burritos, 3 chimichangas, and beans and rice. This is too much food. Plain and simple: you need to break the 3 rule. Order a-la-cart and pick just 1 or 2 tacos paired with rice OR beans. Pile on lots of salsa, lettuce, and tomato, but go easy on sour cream and guacamole. Guacamole is made from avocados, which are rich in monounsaturated fat, a heart healthy fat. Guacamole is a better choice than sour cream which is high in saturated fat. You can still consume way too much fat and calories by going crazy with the guacamole. Go light on high fat toppings.
Bust the Taco “Salad”
The taco salad is really a misnomer. It’s not very much “salad” but really meat, beans, cheese, and sour cream in a fried shell. If you order the taco salad, have the sour cream on the side and just add a little bit. Don’t eat much of the shell if you want your “salad” to be a low-fat choice. Ask for your salad on a plate vs. in the fried shell to avoid temptation.
Order Healthier Menu Items
Some better choices at Mexican restaurants include: fajitas, bean burritos, a sautéed chicken dish with peppers and onions (hold the cheese!), or a soft taco. Dishes to avoid: nachos, chimichangas, chalupas, taquitos, chile relleno, (which are all deep-fried) and “double decker” burritos. Some Mexican restaurants will replace the sides that come with meals with a salad if you ask. Top your side salad with salsa, and you’ll have a healthy, low-fat side.
So my answer to the question “Can you eat out healthy when you eat at a Mexican restaurant?” is yes. Be very careful about what you order and how much you consume. Hit the beans, salsa, and veggies hard and avoid fried entrees. If you go in with a plan you can leave your favorite Mexican food establishment feeling satisfied not stuffed. ¡Lo Hicimos!
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Jeni Tackett is a registered dietitian at Trinity Medical Center and the Two Rivers YMCA. Jeni majored in Nutrition and Dietetics at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Caroline. She lives East Moline with her husband, Nathan and their two children, Noah and Lily and two dogs. Jack and Lola.For a listing of all of Jeni’s blog posts on MVHNews, click here. |
