We’ve been talking about a lot of the ways to navigate eating healthy at fast food chains, so it’s only proper we get into one of my achille’s heals and discuss the Taco Bell diet. Unlike many other fast food chains, there hasn’t been a study or viral Taco Bell specific diet (yet) but even so, it’s important to know what you should eat, and what you shouldn’t eat, if you are going to be dieting and eating at Taco Bell.
How to Eat Healthy at Taco Bell
While it’s not exactly an authentic Mexican restaurant, we have detailed low calorie options at Mexican restaurants, and thanks to a wide variety of food options, it’s not incredibly difficult.
While Taco Bell may have a stigma for being an unhealthy fast food chain that serves a lot of foods high in fat, the company posted an article about making healthy food choices on their official website. To me, that’s something that someone in the Public Relations department made a point to get out in the open to combat the people who relate the popular taco and burrito restaurant to eating unhealthy.
Taco Bell Food Options Under 350 Calories
While the Taco Bell Menu often changes and has some jaw-dropping, fat-loaded options that seem to be advertised during football games on television, you have many choices when it comes to dining at Taco Bell. There are even vegetarian options, gluten free options, and while it’s incredibly hard to believe, nearly 75% of the menu features items that are 500 calories or less.
That’s all fine and dandy, but who goes to Taco Bell to order JUST one item?
The best tip I can offer if you are trying to eat healthy at Taco Bell is to order your item “Fresco Style.” As you’ll see in the list of healthy foods at Taco Bell below a number of them appear to be of that variety. Just about any item served there can be offered fresco style. This means that the ingredients that contain more fat, such as cheese, mayo-based sauce, and sour cream are replaced with options such as fresh tomatoes and other healthy options.
And again, while there isn’t a social media craze like we saw with the Subway diet and more recently, how you can lose weight eating McDonald’s, there is a list of foods they offer that are under 350 calories.
#1: Burrito Supreme Fresco Style
Sub chicken for beef on this one and you’ll come in at only 340 calories.
#2: Crunchy Taco Fresco Style
Only 140 calories!
#3: Fresco Bean Burrito
350 calories and one of my go-to orders.
#4: Fresco Soft Taco With Beef
Only 160 calories. May as well order 2!
Again, when you are ordering, order “Fresco Style” to just about any item you order and you’ll get substantially less calories. As I’ve alluded to in other posts, sauces are high in added sugars, and added sugars are the absolute devil!
Don’t believe me? Check out my personal weight loss story when I cut out sugar.