If you’re trying to stick to your New Year’s diet but are craving some fast food, a new report has found that Taco Bell is the healthiest option.
Jen Hernandez, a registered dietitian and nutritionist, the founder and CEO of Plant-Powered Kidneys Inc, shared her findings on the healthiest fast food restaurants with Fox News.
Hernandez shared that Taco Bell has become “a front-runner” amongst the healthy options that Americans have when it comes to fast food.
“They focus on including more fresh plants, plant proteins, and low-sodium options,” Hernandez said. “In many ways, they help consumers eat healthier without even realizing it.”
Among the options at the restaurant that Hernandez says get a thumbs up include the Black Bean Soft Taco, which may pack a punch of sodium with 390 milligrams, but it also has 20% of your daily fiber needs with five grams at 170 calories.
Another option is Veggie Power Bowl, which has 460 calories as it’s normally prepared, but Hernadez shared that customizations can make it even better.
“Go easy on the rice and cheese, but add extra beans, guacamole, and lettuce,” she said. “Add the Creamy Jalapeño Sauce for the flavor and lower sodium option if you like. All of this will get you 12 grams of protein and 16 grams of fiber, which will help fill you up.”
While not everything at Taco Bell is the healthiest, as pointed out by longevity dietitian Ella Davar, “healthy options” can be found.
Davar shared with Fox News that among her favorite items is the Breakfast California Crunchwrap, which contains eggs, bacon, tomatoes, guacamole, cheese, and a hash brown wrapped in the iconic Crunchwrap fashion.
Davar says the item, which packs 630 calories inside, is “high in complete protein” and makes a dent in anyone’s hunger, helping satiate them throughout the day.
“As a dietitian, I love the generous addition of tomatoes and avocados for an extra nutrition boost,” said Davar.
Davar and Hernandez are not the first to give Taco Bell props for its healthier menu items, as a recent ranking of the top 27 healthiest fast food items from TODAY also had several of its options on the list.
One item dieticians who helped TODAY had that Davar and Hernandez didn’t was the Grilled Chicken Taco Fresco Style.
According to TODAY, “fresco style” is a way to order your items without any sauces, cheese, or sour cream, instead substituting them for fresh tomatoes. If ordered this way, the chicken taco has 130 calories, 6 grams of fat, 16 grams of carbs, and 9 grams of protein.
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No matter what item you choose, it’s important to note that there are options out there for those who need a quick bite but want to keep things lighter than a Chalupa or Quesarito.
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