Many traditional taco ingredients, like corn tortillas, are healthy choices. Tacos are so universally loved, they’re the only food to have a day of the week dedicated to their consumption. In a survey conducted in 2021 by the meal-kit company HelloFresh , tacos were ranked the No. 1 food […]
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Tacos are so universally loved, they’re the only food to have a day of the week dedicated to their consumption. In a survey conducted in 2021 by the meal-kit company HelloFresh, tacos were ranked the No. 1 food Americans turn to as a pick-me-up after a bad day. But you don’t have to wait till Tuesday to enjoy this versatile, tasty meal, and when you make them yourself, they can be as healthy as you want.
Traditional tacos, which were introduced to the United States by migrants from Mexico in the early 1900s according to Smithsonian magazine, are served in soft tortillas made from maize (corn); Taco Bell later popularized the less-healthy deep-fried crunchy shell.
Nutritionally, there is a big difference. One medium hard-shell fried corn tortilla contains 133 calories and 6 gram (g) of fat, while one medium soft corn tortilla contains 58 calories and less than 1 g of fat, per the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Therefore, soft corn tortillas make for a better choice nutritionally over hard-shelled tortillas. Corn tortillas are also considered a whole grain, per the Whole Grain Council — just check the ingredient list for the words “whole corn” or “whole grain corn flour.”
If you opt for flour over corn tortillas, whole-wheat tortillas are the best option because they offer more fiber than white flour tortillas: One medium whole-wheat tortilla contains 140 calories and packs 4.4 g fiber, while one medium white flour tortilla contains 146 calories and only 1.2 g fiber, per USDA data. Just know that flour tortillas tend to be larger than corn, so you may want to adjust your serving size accordingly.
While tacos use a diverse array of meats as fillings — pork carnitas, the Spanish sausage chorizo, even fish — they can be a great vehicle for vegetables, too. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans have been increasingly encouraging plant-based diets because of the health benefits. Plant-based meals may be lower in total calories, total fat, saturated fat, and sodium, and generally incorporate more dietary fiber, which most Americans struggle to consume enough of. A meta-analysis of 96 studies in the Journal of Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition in 2017 reported that people who followed a vegan or vegetarian diet had significantly lower BMI (body mass index), cholesterol, and glucose levels than meat-eaters. Plant-based eaters also had lower incidences of diabetes, ischemic heart disease, diverticular disease, and certain cancers, according to research published in October 2021 in the Journal of Proceedings of the Nutrition Society.
Plant-based whole-food sources of protein like beans, lentils, and soy are other good taco fillings. They contain virtually no fat, plus are packed with fiber that will keep you feeling full and satisfied for hours. One cup of cooked lentils provides 226 calories, 0 g fat, 18 g of protein, plus a whopping 15.6 g of fiber, per USDA estimates.
Many vegetables have protein, too. For example, ½ cup of cooked broccoli contains 2 g of protein and 1 cup grilled portobello mushrooms has 4 g of protein, according to USDA estimates. Vegetables are also loaded with essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, and make for delicious, crunchy low-calorie toppers in tacos.
Americanized tacos, the kind you’re likely to find at a fast food or quick-serve Mexican restaurant, tend to have a lot of dairy toppings like cheese and sour cream as well. These toppings may drastically increase your intake of total calories, total fat, saturated fat, and sodium. For example, just one beef taco topped with sour cream and cheese from Taco Bell contains 571 milligrams (mg) of sodium per USDA data, which almost hits a fourth of your daily quota for sodium, as well as more than 4 g of saturated fat. When you make your own tacos, opt for reduced- or nonfat cheese, sour cream, or Greek yogurt if the idea of forgoing dairy is a non-starter.
You don’t have to be vegan or vegetarian to enjoy a plant-based taco. The popular street food can be made to be just as delicious, mouthwatering, and juicy as a meat-based one. Consider combining Meatless Monday and Taco Tuesday with one of these six plant-based tacos recipes.
