Best taco bell such an expansive menu, we break down the best and worst things you can order at the fast food chain. Taco Bell may not be one of the most popular fast food chains in the United States, but that doesn’t mean it’s lacking a following. Well, the beloved fast food place got attention this year for the launch of a test run on an all-new vegetarian menu in select locations across the U.
Here is our breakdown of the best and worst Taco Bell menu items, based on nutrition. If you abide by a 2,000-calorie-per-day diet, then you’ll notice this single taco eats up a little over 25 percent of your daily calories and half of a day’s worth of saturated fat. According to the Cleveland Clinic, no more than 10 percent of your daily calories, or 22 grams, should be allotted to saturated fat. Similar to the cheesy gordita crunch, this taco has two layers. It’s a soft taco filled with refried beans that encompasses a hardshell taco filled with beef, sour cream, and cheese.
Rizzo says that you’ll want to avoid ordering this taco if you want to have more than one. It’s 340 calories, which isn’t terrible compared to other fast food, but the 730 milligrams of sodium about 30 percent of what you should have in a day. Considering most people probably have more than one taco, I wouldn’t suggest choosing one that is this rich in sodium,” she says. This is the other taco you should only have in moderation, simply because it’s one of the more caloric and high in sodium options on the menu. On a positive note though, this taco offers 13 grams of protein, so maybe you’ll only need one to satisfy those lunchtime cravings.
The chicken soft taco is a dietitian-approved menu item. Rizzo prefers this taco over the rest because of its simplistic ingredients: soft tortilla, shredded chicken, lettuce, and shredded cheese. This taco will fill you up with lean protein without too many calories,” she says. For under 200 calories, you get 10 grams of satiating protein and it only 450 milligrams of sodium—considerably less than the cheesy gordita crunch and the double decker. This taco is essentially the same as the soft taco, with the exception of a harder tortilla and ground beef instead of chicken.
Comprising of just 310 milligrams of sodium, don’t be afraid to order two! If you like Doritos in chip form, then you’ll likely love it this crunchy taco shell form, too. In fact, did you know that one of the main reasons people love chips is because of the sound it makes as you munch? Maybe that’s why people can’t resist just ordering one of these tacos.
Anything with XXL in the name is probably a giveaway that it’s more than you need to eat in one meal,” says Rizzo. Stuffed with ground beef, rice, avocado ranch sauce, guacamole, cheese, sour cream, and beans, it’s no wonder this burrito clocks in at nearly 900 calories and just under 100 grams of carbs. It also has 14 grams of saturated fat and 2,140 milligrams of sodium, which is just a little less than you need to eat in an entire day,” she adds. We suggest you skip all of the variations of this menu item at Taco Bell, from the beef version to the chicken and steak varieties too.
RELATED: The easy way to make healthier comfort foods. If we’re being entirely honest, this burrito looks incredibly delicious, especially with that layer of cheese that coats the inner layer of beef, rice, and chipotle sauce. Rizzo says that this quesadilla-turned-burrito should not be high on your list of top orders though. The calories are a little higher than I would suggest in one meal, but the saturated fat and sodium are definitely too high for one burrito,” she explains. What exactly is in this five-layer burrito? Nacho cheese, seasoned beef, beans, shredded cheese, and sour cream.
With that lineup of ingredients, it’s no wonder this menu item made the naughty list. Opt for one of the healthier burritos below instead to avoid feeling sluggish midday. The beef burrito supreme is likely one of the most quintessential menu items at Taco Bell. Inside this flour tortilla, you’ll find crumbles of seasoned ground beef, a dollop of refried beans, bits of chopped onion, shredded cheese, and diced tomato.
While this menu item is not nearly as unhealthy as some of the others, there are healthier options available. The sodium content is still very high for a menu item that only clocks in at 400 calories. For all of the vegetarians out there, this happens to be one of the better choices on the menu. While it has more calories than the burrito supreme, this bean and cheese burrito actually contains less saturated fat and less sodium, which means it’s less taxing on your heart. But there’s a way to cut the sodium and fat content down even further.
A simple burrito of chicken, sour cream, and chipotle sauce offers lean protein and one of the least amounts of sodium of any burrito,” says Rizzo. The dietitian notes that while 770 milligrams is still relatively high, it’s still lower than most of the other burrito options offered at this popular fast food spot. Full disclosure: This bean burrito is very high in sodium for the amount that you get. However, if you’re vegetarian, this is a great way to get the protein you need.
Together, the black beans and cheese allow this burrito to pack 13 grams of protein. Pack this into a tortilla, and you’ve got a side dish that you can nosh on while on the go! While this burrito contains less sodium than the black bean one, it only offers 8 grams of protein for about the same amount of calories. The more protein, the more filling a dish will be and the less you’ll want to eat in one sitting. AÂ salad that costs you nearly 800 calories? While this may seem counterproductive, note that this isn’t a bed of spinach with lean protein and vinaigrette drizzled on top. This “salad” is in a league of its own.