Can't tell the nutritional difference between a cheesy enchilada and a hot tamale? We know those high-calorie culprits can be sneaky, so that's why we've collected some best and worst foods for your next Mexican food outing.
Check out the red and green flag words from nutrition expert Hope Warshaw's book Eat Out, Eat Right: The Guide to Healthier Restaurant Eating. Get eating, amiga! Just don't hog the salsa!
Green Flag Words
Ingredients
- Shredded spicy chicken, beef, or ground beef
- Lettuce, tomatoes, onions
- Chilies
- Black beans, pinto beans
- Salsa, green or red
- Enchilada sauce
- Mole sauce
- Soft tortilla (corn or flour)
- Avocado
Cooking Methods/Menu Descriptions/Names
- Pico de gallo
- Wrapped in a soft tortilla
- Fajitas (best to share)
- Grilled
- Marinated
- Simmered
- Served with spicy tomato sauce
- Soft tacos
- Burritos
- Ostadas
- Arroz con pollo
- Tamales
- Guacamole
Red Flag Words
Ingredients
- Black olives
- Sour cream
- Cheese (any style: topped, stuffed, covered, shredded)
- Chorizo (Mexican sausage)
- Bacon
Cooking Methods/Menu Descriptions/Names
- Cheese sauce
- Cream sauce
- Served in a tortilla shell
- Served over tortilla or nacho chips
- Crispy
- Fried or deep-fried
- Layered with refried beans
- Chili con queso
- Nachos with cheese
- Cheese quesadillas
- Chimichangas
- Tacos
At the Table
- Tortilla chips
- Sour cream
Excerpted from Eat Out, Eat Right by Hope S. Warshaw, MMSc, RD, CDE. Copyright © 2008 by Hope S. Warshaw, MMSc, RD, CDE. Excerpted by permission of Surrey Books, a division of Agate Publishing. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
