Enjoy Authentic Mexican Cuisine While Maintaining Healthy Calorie Goals

Enjoying Mexican Food While Maintaining Healthy Calorie Goals

Mexican cuisine is beloved for its vibrant flavors and variety of ingredients like corn, beans, salsa, avocado, and more. However, popular menu items like chips, queso, tacos, and burritos can also be high in calories, especially when paired with extras like guacamole, sour cream, and cheese.

The Calorie Content of Chips and Salsa

A typical restaurant serving of tortilla chips and salsa can have up to 1,000 calories or more depending on exact portion sizes and preparation methods. For example:

• Chips alone range 200-300 calories for a small side order to 500-1,000+ calories for bottomless free chip baskets
• Salsa varies from around 50-150 calories per 4 oz serving
• Pairing chips with 1 cup of salsa adds 200-450 calories
• Cheese or bean dips for dipping range 300-500 calories per cup

Healthier Ways to Enjoy Chips and Salsa

The key is having reasonable portions since most Mexican appetizers are intended for sharing. Here are some tips:

• Ask for a side of salsa instead of chips to dip fresh veggies like jicama, bell peppers, or cucumber
• Order a sampler platter with small portions of 2-3 dips instead of large servings of just one
• Share a single standard chips and salsa appetizer with the whole table
• Use chips and salsa as garnish instead of a starter by adding crushed chips and salsa to entrees

10 Healthy and Nutritious Mexican Restaurant Orders

Beyond moderating portions of chips, there are many naturally lower calorie Mexican dishes that are big on nutrition:

1. Chicken Fajita Salad

Get all the classic fajita flavors in a salad with grilled veggies and chicken over mixed greens instead of wraps. Ask for light salad dressing on the side.

2. Shrimp Ceviche

This bright, tangy appetizer is packed with lean protein, tomatoes, onion, cilantro and just a bit of avocado and doesn't require heavy sauces.

3. Vegetarian Tacos

Fill soft corn tortillas with sauted peppers, onions, mushrooms, beans, spinach and avocado for a flavorful meatless taco option lower in calories than ground beef.

4. Grilled Fish Tacos

Choose a grilled white fish like tilapia or mahi mahi in corn tortillas with salsa, cabbage slaw, cilantro and a squeeze of lime for an easy 300-400 calorie taco.

5. Chicken Tortilla Soup

This flavorful Mexican chicken and veggie soup packs an array of nutrients. Pair with a small side salad instead of chips for a balanced meal.

6. Chicken Mole

Rich, complex mole sauce smothered over chicken with onion, garlic and sesame seeds satisfies comfort food cravings minus the fat and calories of crispy beef tacos.

7. Shrimp Fajitas

Skip the fatty sour cream and cheese toppings and fill lettuce wrap "shells" with a pile of lean protein shrimp and vitamin-packed sauted bell peppers and onion.

8. Chicken Enchiladas

Opt for veggie stuffed corn tortilla chicken enchiladas covered in tangy red enchilada sauce instead of heavy cheese and cream sauces for a lighter take.

9. Steak Fajita Power Bowl

Create your own power bowl with cauliflower rice, beans, grilled veggies, avocado, salsa and fajita spiced steak for a grain-free, lower carb meal full of fiber and nutrition.

10. Carnitas Lettuce Wraps

Savory, tender carnitas meat wrapped in refreshing, crackly lettuce leaves makes for a delicious low carb taco alternative without the carbs and calories of tortillas.

Strategies Dining Out at Mexican Restaurants on a Diet

It's completely possible to eat reasonably healthy meals at a Mexican restaurant while keeping calories in check. Beyond the specific options above, some helpful strategies include:

• Have a light protein focused snack before dinner so you don't arrive starving and over-indulge on chips and dips
• Order corn tortillas instead of flour and skip extra sides like rice and beans to cut carbs and calories
• Ask for any creamy sauces, dressings and cheese on the side to control how much you add
• Request extra veggie toppings like onions, peppers, tomato, cilantro and jalapeno for flavor and nutrition
• Avoid anything labeled crispy, battered, fried, or topped with extra cheese and heavy sauce

Watch Portion Sizes For the Best Calorie Values

At the end of the day, enjoying favorite Mexican dishes in moderation with reasonable serving sizes is key to keeping calories from quickly getting out of hand. Many dishes can be quite nutrient dense and satisfying without overdoing portions of carb and fat heavy extras.

Strategically choosing healthier menu items focused on lean proteins, fresh vegetables, and lighter preparations makes balancing Mexican flavor and nutrition much more sustainable.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.