Enjoying Mexican Food While Limiting Sodium
Mexican cuisine is beloved for its vibrant flavors and textures. From tacos to enchiladas to tamales and more, Mexican restaurants offer so many tempting choices. However, the traditional preparations of many dishes can be high in sodium from ingredients like cheese, salty meats, and pre-made sauces. The good news is that with careful menu selections and simple modifications, you can enjoy delicious Mexican food while limiting your sodium intake.
Understanding Sodium Recommendations
Before diving into Mexican food options, it helps to understand sodium recommendations. As per the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, it is recommended to limit sodium intake to less than 2,300 milligrams per day. Further restricting intake to 1,500 mg daily can benefit people 51 years and older, as well as people of any age who are African American or have high blood pressure, diabetes or chronic kidney disease. Consuming high sodium foods may increase blood pressure and risk of heart disease and stroke.
Choosing Low Sodium Ingredients
Many Mexican dishes build layers of flavor from ingredients like tomatoes, onions, cilantro, lime, avocado and hot peppers. Choosing recipes focused on produce while limiting salty ingredients can help create flavorful Mexican-inspired meals lower in sodium.
When dining out, ask how dishes are prepared and choose lower sodium ingredients. For example, skip the cheese and salty meats like chorizo. Instead, opt for grilled vegetables, beans slow-cooked from scratch, charro beans, chicken or shrimp. Rather than using a high sodium sauce or dressing, flavor dishes with salsa, lemon or lime wedges, guacamole, pico de gallo or fresh tomatillo salsa.
10 Lower Sodium Orders at Mexican Restaurants
Wondering what to order on your next visit to a Mexican restaurant while limiting salt? Here are 10 delicious and dietitian-approved options to consider:
1. Soft Tacos or Burrito Bowls
Build a taco or burrito bowl around lower sodium fillings like grilled vegetables, beans, brown rice, fajita chicken or steak. Top it off with salsa, pico de gallo, cilantro and a squeeze of lime rather than cheese, sour cream or salty sauces.
2. Soft Corn Tortilla Tacos
Corn tortillas contain half the sodium of flour tortillas, making them a smart swap. Fill them with shrimp or white fish like tilapia or halibut simply seasoned and grilled. Add shredded cabbage, avocado slices and salsa on top.
3. Chicken Fajitas
Opt for grilled chicken in place of higher sodium beef or pork options. Load up on grilled peppers and onions while limiting added cheese, guacamole and sour cream.
4. Veracruz-Style Snapper
This dish features mild snapper fillets cooked in a tangy sauce of tomatoes, green olives and capers. The sauce helps keep the white fish nice and moist. Serve with cilantro lime brown rice and a side salad.
5. Vegetable Tamales
For a plant-based, high fiber option, order tamales stuffed with veggies like zucchini, spinach and cheese or black beans and cheese. Customize them by skipping the salty cheese filling if desired. Pair tamales with fresh pico de gallo rather than enchilada sauce.
6. Shrimp Ceviche
This bright, zesty appetizer features shrimp marinated in citrus juice and tossed with tomatoes, onions, cilantro and avocado. The seafood takes on lots of Mexican flavor free of added sodium.
7. Chicken Tortilla Soup
Warm up with this classic soup loaded with veggies and pulled chicken. Be sure to ask if it's made from scratch rather than prepared with a high sodium base. Add slices of avocado and fresh lime juice.
8. Chicken Enchiladas
Enchiladas can satisfy without overdoing sodium. Choose corn tortillas stuffed with chicken and beans or veggies. Ask for red enchilada sauce on the side and add just enough to moisten and flavor each bite.
9. Fish Taco Platter
Build your own tacos with soft corn tortillas and filling options like grilled tilapia, shrimp or cod. Then pile on shredded cabbage, diced tomatoes and avocado slices. Swap out cheese, sour cream and sauces for salsa and a squeeze of lime instead.
10. Grilled Steak Salad
Fill up on superfoods with this entree salad starring grilled steak on a base of mixed greens, onions, bell peppers, corn, black beans, diced tomatoes and avocado. Whip up a quick lemon olive oil dressing to drizzle on top.
Tweaking Traditional Favorites
Craving dishes like nachos, tacos al carbon, chilaquiles or flautas? You can still enjoy those tasty picks in moderation by requesting some simple adjustments.
Lighter Preparations
Ask for crispy corn taco shells rather than deep fried tortillas for flautas and taquitos. With nachos, request just a light sprinkle of shredded cheese. For chilaquiles, order the crispy tortilla chips on the side to manage portions. Then dip just a forkful at a time in the sauce.
Reduce Extras
Cheesy, creamy toppings quickly increase sodium, fat and calories. Just say no or ask for less of sour cream, guacamole, beans, rice, tortillas chips and cheese-based sauces.
Swap Sides
Rather than automatic rice, beans and chips, request a side salad with oil and vinegar or sliced avocado sprinkled with lime juice.
Share or Take Home
Mexican plates are notoriously huge. Split an entree with a dining companion or take a portion home for lunch tomorrow to help control portions and sodium intake.
Strategies for Dining Out
Making special requests and substitutions helps lighten up Mexican restaurant choices. Here are some other helpful strategies to try:
1. Research the Menu in Advance
Scope out nutrition information and sodium counts online whenever possible. Look for words like baked, broiled, steamed, grilled and roasted as clues for lower sodium dishes.
2. Ask How Foods Are Prepared
Inquire if soups, beans, salsas, rice and entrees are prepared from scratch in house or if high sodium, canned or packaged items are used.
3. Request No Added Salt
Politely ask your server to have the kitchen prepare your meal without added salt or salty condiments.
4. Choose Salsa Over Sauces
Salsas like pico de gallo generally contain less sodium than cream- or cheese-based sauces and dressings.
5. Opt for Fresh Lime
Skip the salt shaker and use fresh lime juice to help enhance flavors instead.
The Delicious Possibilities are Endless
Mexican restaurants offer so many tempting options from classic tacos and enchiladas to ceviche, fajitas and beyond. With some simple substitutions and special requests, you can still savor satisfying Mexican cuisine while limiting sodium and choosing more fresh, whole food ingredients. Use these dietitian-approved orders and tips to help guide your choices.
¡Buen provecho!
FAQs
What are some lower sodium ingredients I can choose in Mexican dishes?
Focus on fresh produce like tomatoes, onions, cilantro, lime, avocado and peppers. Choose lean proteins like grilled chicken, shrimp or white fish. Pick plain brown rice and whole beans cooked without added salt or seasonings. Skip salty ingredients like cheese, sour cream, processed meats and canned sauces.
Which Mexican dishes are naturally lower in sodium?
Some dishes that can be lower in sodium include soft corn tortilla tacos, fajitas with chicken or steak, ceviche, vegetable tamales, and dishes made with fresh vegetables, beans, brown rice, grilled fish or shrimp.
What are good substitutions when dining out at Mexican restaurants?
Ask for corn instead of flour tortillas, skip the cheese and sour cream, double up on veggies, pick avocado or pico de gallo over guacamole, choose salsa over creamy sauces, say no to automatically provided chips/rice/beans, and squeeze fresh lime instead of shaking on salt.
What can I order at a Mexican restaurant on a low-sodium diet?
Great options include soft tacos or burrito bowls with lower sodium fillings, fajita chicken with extra grilled veggies, Veracruz-style snapper, vegetable tamales, shrimp ceviche, chicken tortilla soup, chicken enchiladas with red sauce on the side, build-your-own fish taco platters, and grilled steak salads.
How can I tweak traditional favorites to reduce sodium?
Request crispy corn shells instead of deep fried tortillas, ask for less cheese/toppings on nachos, order chilaquiles with chips on side for dipping, skip automatically provided sides like rice/beans for salad, share high-sodium entrees, and use fresh lime instead of shaking on salt.