Here's How to Eat Healthy at Taco Bell
So you’re going to Taco Bell. That supergreen salad is just not in your cards today (or maybe ever). We hear you. And while “balanced meal” and that “Live Mas” ethos may not appear to go hand in hand, it’s actually doable to have a tasty, healthy meal at Taco Bell without abandoning any diet-based resolutions you may have set. Nutritionists weigh in on the best menu items to order (there are tons!) if you're looking to cut calories and carbs at the Mexican chain.
What to Order for Breakfast
We’ll get this out of the way first: Yes, you should skip the Cinnabon Delights (if you want to splurge on these sweet treats, consider eating one doughnut and then sharing the rest with your co-workers or saving them for later). Instead, opt for a refreshing glass of orange juice-or stick with water-and the Breakfast Soft Taco Egg and Cheese, hold the bacon.
"It has 170 calories, 9 grams of fat, 330 milligrams of sodium and seven grams of protein. I like it because you get your protein from the cage-free whole eggs and skip all the processed meats," says Karen Z. Berg, MS, RD, CDN. "You can also customize it and ask for less cheese to lower the sodium and fat content."
To add an additional five grams of filling fiber, add black beans. For an additional 25 cents or so, go for the Pico de Gallo.
"I often add salsa or chipotle seasoning to scrambled eggs at home because it has a ton of flavor without many extra calories," notes Lindsey Toth, MS, RD, of Swanson Health. "To mimic that in a breakfast taco, order your Breakfast Soft Taco without bacon, and ask for Pico de Gallo instead. You’ll cut calories and fat without sacrificing flavor."
Make it Fresco!
You’re going to want to have these three words at the ready if you’re looking to eat healthier at Taco Bell: Make it Fresco.
"Asking to make it Fresco is a quick and easy way to slash calories and fat," explains Toth. When you request your order gets the Fresco treatment, mayo-based sauces, cheeses, reduced-fat sour cream, and guacamole get replaced with freshly-made pico de gallo. (Of course, while caloric, guacamole with nutrient-dense avocados is always a healthy choice, so feel free to consider ordering as an add-on.) "Take their Shredded Chicken Burrito for example-simply asking to ‘make it Fresco’ when you order will take it from 420 calories to 320 calories. It’s an easy way to make your favorite order just a little bit healthier."
Not surprisingly, all the nutritionists we tapped agreed that the Fresco options reign supreme on the Taco Bell menu."Taco Bell has a Fresco menu with lighter items that are all under 350 calories and 10 grams of fat," offers Summer Yule, MS, RDN, whose personal favorite is the Fresco Soft Taco with Shredded Steak. "It contains 150 calories, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 10 grams of protein, and 460 milligrams of sodium. This item is lowest in saturated fat of the Fresco menu items and contains far less sodium than the Fresco burritos."
Some other top picks in Fresco-ville? Karen Z. Berg, MS, RD, CDN, recommends the Fresco Soft Taco with Shredded Chicken which has 150 calories, six grams of fat, 430 milligrams of sodium and nine grams of protein. "The sodium is a bit high, but it’s still one of the better choices on the menu. You can volumize it by asking for extra iceberg lettuce without adding any more sodium, fat or calories,” Berg adds.
Rachel Fine, MS, RD, and owner of New York City’s To The Pointe Nutrition, echos Berg’s sentiment, stressing that this taco "still contains a fourth of your daily sodium allowance, so one should limit portions to one or two (max)."
Another solid choice is the Fresco Crunchy Taco with Beef, clocking in at 140 calories with 2.5 grams of saturated fat, and 300 milligrams of sodium. "I like this item because it provides a low calorie taco option, while keeping sodium fairly low as well," shares Staci Gulbin, MS, MEd, RD. "Also, this taco provides a decent amount of fiber and protein, so it would be a healthy part of a light meal."
As always, you can add on black beans for an extra hit of fiber and protein for only around 80 calories.
What Else to Order for Lunch and Dinner
Gublin is also a fan of the tasty and satisfying Spicy Tostada, which has 210 calories, three grams of saturated fat, and 440 milligrams of sodium, along with five grams of fiber and six grams of protein.
"I like this item because it keeps sodium below 500 milligrams, while providing a healthy balance of protein and fiber. Also, the sugar content is low, and it provides a gluten-free option for those that have to avoid it," Gublin notes.
For a light lunch, order the black beans and rice which come in at 190 calories and 390 milligrams of sodium with no saturated fat. "This is a good option for vegetarians, providing five grams of protein and six grams of fiber to help carry you over until your next meal or snack. Salsa or hot sauce can be added to this dish for additional flavor with negligible calories and under 100 milligrams of sodium," says Yule.
And What About That "Power Menu?"
It’s just marketing. "Taco Bell added a 'Power Menu' offering high protein options, but don’t be fooled-that doesn’t mean they’re healthy. In addition to 26 grams of protein, the Power Menu Steak Bowl contains 1,240 milligrams of sodium and 21 grams of fat (seven grams of saturated fat)-and with 55 grams of total carbs, it isn’t ideal for those on a keto diet or low-carb diet either," advises Toth. "There are much healthier ways to get your daily protein on-the-go without all that sodium, like with a protein shake made with simple, real food ingredients."
What to Skip
Mindful eaters, perk up your ears. "You should avoid the XXL Grilled Stuft Burrito, specifically the beef one, but all of them are pretty bad for you," says Berg. "The beef one has 870 calories, 40 grams of fat, 14 grams of saturated fat and a ridiculous 2,140 milligrams of sodium. There are much healthier alternatives at this fast food chain." Yule adds, "The sodium in this XXL Grilled Stuft Beef Burrito is coming close to the Dietary Guidelines recommendation to limit sodium to less than 2,300 milligrams per day."
You may think salads are a smarter choice, but Fine urges customers to steer clear of the chain’s Fiesta Taco Salad with Chicken, thanks to its 35 grams of fat and whopping 1,500 milligrams of sodium.
How to Enjoy Your Favorites
Suzanne Fisher, MS, RD says Taco Bell patrons watching their intake should beware of common upgrades like nacho cheese sauce, creamy jalapeño sauce, and fritos. "It is an easy way to add additional toppings without factoring in the additional calories, fat, and sodium they add to the meal." In general, ask that your order go light on the cheese, or, "try substituting the cheese with guacamole as a way to increase the healthy, unsaturated fat content of the meal," says Fine.
Gulbin also suggests that diners should avoid the white flour soft taco tortilla whenever possible to slash your total sodium, calorie, and carb intakes-that is, if you care about that sort of thing.
A Final Note on Sauces
"If the meal includes sauces, I’d ask for them on the side and avoid ordering any in addition, especially creamy ones because they are typically high in sodium, sugar, or saturated fat," suggests Ysabel Montemayor, MS, RD, lead nutritionist at Fresh n' Lean. "If you order sauces on the side, you have more control over how much goes into the meal and will probably end up using less."
Of course, guac and pico de gallo gets that stamp of approval from RDs, so feel free to think outside the shell and double up on those next time a taco craving hits.
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