With contemporary, responsibly-sourced substances, Chipotle makes it straightforward to eat wholesome on the go. However the yummy chips, toppings, and tortillas additionally make it straightforward to show your order into an unintended cheat meal. So what must you order at Chipotle? We requested two vitamin specialists to interrupt down suggestions for locating the healthiest choices.
(Dietary knowledge is offered by the Chipotle Vitamin Calculator.)
1. Begin with the Fundamentals
If you’re deciding what to order at Chipotle, skip the burrito — the big flour tortilla comprises 320 energy, and that’s earlier than you add any toppings. “Go for the tacos, salad, or bowls as a substitute,” says Kristian Morey, RD, LDN and Scientific dietitian at The Heart for Endocrinology at Mercy Medical Heart in Baltimore.
Right here’s how these choices stack up:
- Salad is your greatest wager, with simply 15 energy within the mattress of supergreens.
- In case you order a burrito bowl, select brown rice over white. A standard serving of rice (in a burrito bowl, burrito, or a three-taco meal) comprises 210 energy, so request a “gentle” portion in particular person or within the app when ordering — or skip it altogether.
- In case you order tacos, go for the crispy corn shells — an order of three comprises 200 energy and nil sodium, in comparison with 250 energy and 480 mg of sodium for 3 delicate flour tortillas.
2. Add Lean Protein
Subsequent, add some wholesome protein to your order. Black beans and pinto beans each include 130 energy and eight grams of protein in a median scoop, so select whichever bean you want greatest.
For the principle protein occasion, go for rooster or sofritas (shredded tofu braised in spices). “Each are decrease in saturated fats than crimson meat,” says Sofia Norton, RD at Kiss My Keto. Sofritas clock in at 150 energy, 8 grams of protein, and 1.5 grams of saturated fats per serving. The rooster choice has 180 energy and three grams of saturated fats, however a whopping 32 grams of protein per serving.
3. Go Heavy on the Veggies
Norton suggests together with loads of veggies, so add some fajita greens, tomatillo salsa, pico de gallo, roasted chili corn, or additional supergreens to your dish. (Go best on the corn, which comprises 80 energy per serving.)
4. Watch Out for Saturated Fats
Don’t overdo it in the case of shredded cheese, queso blanco sauce, and bitter cream — these can add loads of saturated fats and energy to your meal. (Chipotle’s shredded cheese has 5 grams of saturated fats per serving, queso blanco has 6 grams, and bitter cream has 7 grams.)
Chipotle’s salsa choices — each the contemporary tomato salsa and the tomatillo green-chili salsa — are nice, low-cal, flavorful choices. However for those who’re craving a creamy topping or dip, choose only one, and request a lightweight portion. Even higher, order it on the aspect so you’ll be able to management how a lot you add to your meals, Morey says.
5. Spring for the Guac
Avocados include “beneficial vitamins like fiber, B nutritional vitamins, and potassium,” Norton says, together with wholesome fat which can be believed to profit coronary heart well being. And Chipotle’s guacamole consists of solely actual stuff — avocados, cilantro, jalapeño, lemon juice, lime juice, crimson onion, and salt — no humorous enterprise like preservatives or synthetic flavors. Simply needless to say a serving to of guac provides 230 energy to your meal, so you could wish to order it on the aspect so you’ll be able to eat half now and save the remainder for later.
6. Skip the Chips
Chips are tempting, however go away them off your order. “The smallest choice clocks in at over 500 energy,” Morey says. “That’s virtually a meal’s price for some folks.” And a big order of chips with a aspect of queso blanco will run you 1,290 energy and comprises 28 grams of saturated fats.
7. Take Benefit of the Vitamin Calculator
Earlier than you order, Morey recommends operating your order by means of the useful Vitamin Calculator on the Chipotle web site — it calculates the complete dietary info of your meal. You may as well see the distinction in dietary stats for those who select to go “additional,” “regular,” or “gentle” on any of your alternatives. As an example, you’ll be able to rapidly see that selecting a lightweight serving of cilantro-lime brown rice as a substitute of a traditional serving will shave off 105 energy.
Straightforward Choices to Order at Chipotle
Nonetheless unsure what to order at Chipotle? Listed below are a number of choices that provide loads of vitamins. (Consider the sodium content material could be important, even within the healthiest choices at Chipotle — so attempt to restrict your sodium consumption the remainder of the day.)
Salad with rooster
Add black beans, fajita greens, and contemporary tomato salsa.
- Energy: 360
- Fats: 9 grams
- Protein: 41 grams
- Carbohydrates: 32 grams
Burrito bowl with sofritas
Add cilantro-lime brown rice (gentle), pinto beans, fajita greens, tomatillo green-chili salsa, and romaine lettuce
- Energy: 425
- Fats: 15 grams
- Protein: 19 grams
- Carbohydrates: 58 grams
Veggie tacos
Select two crispy corn tortillas as a substitute of three, and add black beans, fajita greens, contemporary tomato salsa, guacamole, and romaine lettuce
- Energy: 406
- Fats: 22 grams
- Protein: 10 grams
- Carbohydrates: 46 grams
Life-style Bowls
In case you’re following a selected eating regimen plan, you can too select certainly one of Chipotle’s pre-designed Life-style Bowls — they’re out there in Whole30, paleo, and vegan-friendly variations.
