Tacos are one of our favorite Mexican dishes, as they bring a delicious mix of flavor and texture from traditional Mexican cuisine. However, with several fast-food restaurants offering tacos in their menus, it can be easy to assume they are junk food. However, we should remember that tacos can be healthy food as long as they are prepared properly. Being aware of the meat we use, how it is cooked, and the ingredients that we choose will help us enjoy healthy and tasty tacos. Otherwise, we might be eating junk food, which as we know, can have a very negative impact on our health. Here is all you need to know about how tacos can be healthy food.
Tacos Can Be Healthy Food and Junk Food
According to several dietitians and health experts, tacos can be considered both healthy food and junk food. This will greatly depend on the ingredients that are used in our taco dish, as well as how we prepare the tacos. One example of this is tacos that are sold in fast-food restaurants. If our tacos are fried with lots of oil and prepared with too much salt, seasonings, cheese, and sauce with no vegetables, they are undeniable junk food.
On the other hand, if we eat tacos that are closer to the original Mexican recipe, which is tacos with thin slices of meat, salsa, onions, guacamole, and lime, we are getting healthy tacos. This is because they are usually low in fat, plus they offer a balanced mix of meat and vegetables, all in a corn tortilla, which is also healthier than fried hard taco shells.
Healthy and Unhealthy Ingredients for Tacos
One of the most important ingredients of tacos is, of course, the protein that you choose to add on it. You can opt for lean protein such as that of beef, chicken, and fish. You can also choose a vegan protein, like tofu and beans. These protein ingredients are by far healthier than high-fat beef, for example.
When it comes to tortillas, we should look for whole-grain taco shells, as these are healthier than tortillas made with flour. As you can see, tacos can be healthy food when we are careful of the ingredients we decide to use.
Vegetables are another important ingredient of tacos, and adding lettuce and tomatoes is quite a healthy choice. Salsas and guacamole are healthy topping options we should also consider, and avoiding other toppings like cheese or sour cream will help us enjoy delicious and healthy tacos.
Ways to Make Tacos Healthier
Tacos can be healthy food or junk food, depending on how we prepare them. That’s why we need to make sure we are using ingredients that will not only bring flavor to the mix, but that is part of a healthy diet. In order to make our tacos healthier, we should use lean protein meat like beef, chicken, and fish, or vegan protein like tofu and beans.
Whole-grain tortillas are healthier and tastier than flour tortillas or fried taco shells, so we might want to stick to the first ones. Also, salsas and vegetables as toppings instead of sour cream or cheese are excellent choices. The closest we get to traditional taco recipes, the healthier and tastier our tacos will be.