I'm just a California girl living in NYC.
And with that, comes my forever love and adoration of good Mexican food. Spicy guacamole, a clean spicy salsa verde, red rice, black beans, sizzling veggie fajitas, essences of cilantro, fresh homemade corn tortillas -- all make my mouth sing.
NYC is not a Mexican food haven. However it does have its bright spots like Dos Caminos on Park Avenue, with those yummy big bowls of guacamole. But I learned quickly in this town that the restaurant with the flashing sombrero on Broadway? Probably not your best best for a plantain and fresh cilantro garnished meal. So where does a vegan turn when a burrito craving strikes fast and furiously?
Chipotle. Really.
Chipotle is indeed fast food, but in my opinion it is one of the best chains for vegans craving a fast food fix. But there are rules one must follow.....Keep reading for a few interesting Chipotle Food Facts and my five healthy tips for eating healthy at Chipotle.
Five Healthy Food Tips for Eating at Chipotle
1. Ban the three C'S SOUR CREAM and CHEESE and CHIPS
One ounce of cheese contains 100 calories and 8.5 grams of fat. 5 grams of saturated fat.
One ounce of sour cream contains 120 calories and 10 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat.
Four ounces of chips contain 570 calories and 27 grams of fat! Yikes.
Not good. Depending on how much cheese/sour cream you request on your creation, you could be adding 100-500 calories to your meal. And possibly even 40 grams of fat. (I've seen those "lots of cheese please" and "more sour cream" folks, you know who you are!)
Knocking off these toppings is the best move you can make at Chipotle.
2. Bowl, Salad, burrito or tacos?
Everyone wants the burrito right? But there are options. Let's compare the facts:
Flour Tortilla: 290 calories, 7 grams of protein, 9 grams of fat, 3 grams sat. fat, 670 mg sodium, 20% RDA calcium, 15% RDA iron.
Soft Tacos: (3 soft taco shells) They usually give you three, so I multiplied the per taco facts by three. 270 calories, 7.5 grams of fat, 3 grams sat. fat, 6 grams protein, 600 mg sodium, 18% RDA calcium, 12% RDA iron
Hard Tacos: (3 shells) 180 calories, 6 grams of fat, 1.5 grams sat. fat, 30 mg. sodium, 6% RDA iron and calcium.
Bowl: All ingredients. 0 wrap.
Salad: The dressing contains 270 calories, 24 grams of fat and 700 mg. sodium. If you choose the salad, good for you, but replace the dressing with a few sides of salsa. Those high calorie dressing will always do your calorie expenditure in!
If you aren't going for the burrito cowl, clearly the hard tacos are the winner for health. But even more interesting is the fact that the tacos are pretty similar to the burrito tortilla serving. Many people think that the soft tacos are much better than the burrito. No so much.
My suggestion: If you can't order the hard tacos or bowl, get a burrito and simply don't eat ALL the tortilla. It's not hard to not eat that last bite which is usually a big hunk of folded tortilla. Discard those tortilla ends, and save about 100 calories I'd guess.
3. Add the Fajita Veggies!
Wow, at only 20 calories per 3.5 ounce serving, you'd be a fool not to add these tasty veggies to your meal. 30% RDA of Vitamin C and zero grams saturated fat only sweeten the fajita veggie argument. Did I mention that they taste delish?
4. Salsa Salsa and more Salsa!
Salsa adds a ton of flavor, without the fat and calories. Load up on the salsa. Especially the Green Tomatillo salsa which is low in sodium and calories, only 15 calories per 3 ounces. Compare that to 240 calories per 2 ounces of sour cream! Plus all salsa is close-to or completely fat free. The corn salsa is the highest in calories, at 80 calories per 3.5 ounces.
Plus, you should know the benefits of eating spicy foods...!
5. Where's the Protein?
The meat options at Chipotle are about the same. Just under 200 calories, hefty amounts of protein (barbacoa with 24 grams to the chicken with 32 grams). Around 7 grams of fat. But if you are like me, you are excited for the vegan protein at Chipotle. Complete proteins are achieved by combining beans and rice. 8 ounces of rice/beans contains 9 grams of protein. And only 2 grams of fat. 250 calories. If you are a meat eater, go with the chicken for the most protein. Vegans will enjoy the yummy rice and black beans.
Bonus Tip: What about the guacamole????
OK, I can't leave off my favorite part: the guac. Chipotle prides itself on delicious fresh guac, and I have to agree that for a "fast food" chain, this guac rocks. 150 calories per 3.5 ounces and 13 grams of fat, 2 grams saturated fat. Plus I hope I don't have to remind you that those other 11 grams of fat are heart-healthy monounsaturated avocado oils which have been shown to provide a plethora of health benefits. More on avocados here.
CHIPOTLE "FUN FOODIE" FACTS
My burrito combo is 585 calories. Not bad. Check your own nutrition facts here at burrito fan.
Need some Vitamin A? Add some romaine. One serving provides 80% RDA of Vitamin A.
Steve Ells modeled Chipotle after the taquerias in the Mission District of San Francisco. (Maybe that's why this Santa Cruz Cali girl loves the Chipotle flavors.)
Chipotle has only added one thing to their menu in 13 years, the vinaigrette dressing. Wow, that's hardcore tradition.
There are a number of vegan and vegetarian friendly menu options. (Which is hardly the case at traditional fast food outlets.)
Chipotle is the largest restaurant buyer of avocados in the country.
Chipotle food is NUT and EGG free. The only dairy is in the cheese and sour cream.
Foods at Chipotle have no artificial colors or artificial flavorings.
30% of Chipotle beans are organic. They strive to make this number rise.
The cheese and the sour cream at Chipotle is free of the synthetic growth hormone rBGH.
All nutritional facts and food fun facts have been obtained from the Chipotle website.
Julie Saldana says
Your post is awesome. Hurried life with fast food is definitely harmful to your health a lot. It's time to choose healthy food to protect your health. Follow the tips in this blog post. great
Alex Rapplye says
How about eating only half the burrito to start? Those things are huge. I can barely get half down before I'm stuffed. Doing the math on my usual order drops me into 475 calories, 19g total fat, 47g carbs, 25g protein. Pretty damn good I'd say. The sodium will be high regardless, we know this.
shit says
Worry about yourself bitch
smh says
lol
emnyc says
Just came across this article and must say that there is nothing healthy about Chipotle due to their enormous, and I do mean enormous sodium content.
If you are on a diet to lose weight, or on a low sodium diet, or simply want to live a healthy lifestyle, then you need to stay away from this place until they make an effort to reduce their sodium content.
Any nutritionist that tells you Chipotle is healthy is lying about their credentials or is incompetent at best. Are those my words? Nope, my physician told me that.
shit says
idgaf
Lady J. says
Definitely lots of sodium, but when trying to eat clean on the run, it's one of the best, convenient options available. I always get a salad with brown rice, black beans, chicken, tomato salsa and corn salsa and if I'm feeling daring, I go for a side of guac. YUM! The salad dressing is delicious, but loaded with salt, sugar and calories, so I usually squeeze a little fresh lemon juice over my salad (using the lemons they always have near the fountain drinks). It adds tons of flavor with 0 fat and hardly any calories.
JimmyBX says
Chipotle is HIGH sodium. Check their nutritional calculator. It's very scary. A burrito bowl can reach 1500 MGs
chonkypot says
I am a chipotle kitchen manager in central pa, and i definitely know we have no sugar in our store. i am a sweet tea fan and would LOVE to have it.
pelvic pain says
Flax seeds are crunchy and flavorful, and they offer easy absorption that will bring you a lower risk of heart disease. Sesame seeds contain antioxidants that have been shown to reduce cholesterol while adding calcium to the diet, so eat them at snack time or sprinkle them on a salad or in soups.
Lindsey says
yes, i love how they will even prompt you by saying "vegetarian black beans?"! much love for chipotle!!!
Lol says
salt isnt bad if you just drink more water!
Tracy Warner says
I don't think anyone should really eat there. Even their bowls have an astronomical amount of sodium.
Buy some minute rice, store made fresh guacamole, black beans, and sautee some veggies -- you got your low sodium burrito fast.
Great post, though, for when you NEED to eat out.
Tracy Warner says
I don't think anyone should really eat there. Even their bowls have an astronomical amount of sodium.Buy some minute rice, store made fresh guacamole, black beans, and sautee some veggies -- you got your low sodium burrito fast. Great post, though, for when you NEED to eat out.
Tracy Warner says
I don't think anyone should really eat there. Even their bowls have an astronomical amount of sodium.
Buy some minute rice, store made fresh guacamole, black beans, and sautee some veggies -- you got your low sodium burrito fast.
Great post, though, for when you NEED to eat out.
Kathy says
Bazu~
Yes, thank goodness Chipotle actually clarifies the bean issue. Too many times I have asked a restaurant: "Are your beans vegetarian??"
And the waiter looks dumb-founded like I just asked him to recite the complete number for pi.
Sometimes restaurants claim that their pinto beans or refried beans are veg-friendly. But sometimes I don't believe them!
...Good thing Chipotle keeps it clear.
Thanks for the comment,
Kathy
Kathy says
Bazu~Yes, thank goodness Chipotle actually clarifies the bean issue. Too many times I have asked a restaurant: "Are your beans vegetarian??" And the waiter looks dumb-founded like I just asked him to recite the complete number for pi.Sometimes restaurants claim that their pinto beans or refried beans are veg-friendly. But sometimes I don't believe them!...Good thing Chipotle keeps it clear.Thanks for the comment,Kathy
Kathy says
Bazu~
Yes, thank goodness Chipotle actually clarifies the bean issue. Too many times I have asked a restaurant: "Are your beans vegetarian??"
And the waiter looks dumb-founded like I just asked him to recite the complete number for pi.
Sometimes restaurants claim that their pinto beans or refried beans are veg-friendly. But sometimes I don't believe them!
...Good thing Chipotle keeps it clear.
Thanks for the comment,
Kathy
bazu says
I love chipotle! Just remember to get black beans, as the pinto beans are sadly not vegetarian.
bazu says
I love chipotle! Just remember to get black beans, as the pinto beans are sadly not vegetarian.
bazu says
I love chipotle! Just remember to get black beans, as the pinto beans are sadly not vegetarian.
DJ Karma says
Good to know facts - thank you!
DJ Karma says
Good to know facts - thank you!
DJ Karma says
Good to know facts - thank you!