Hidden Nutritional Gem at Taco Bell (quick read)

You may have some guesses about what I am going to write about.  You might be thinking, Dr Jimmy’s going to say that we should eat Taco Bell’s salads, or the “Power Bowls”, or the bottled water.  Not so fast my friends.  The Power Bowls are OK nutritionally, but they are a bit boring, and as everyone knows, Taco Bell doesn’t even have salads.  I kind of respect Taco Bell for not having salads, because going to a fast food restaurant for a salad is like going to a prostitute for a hug.  Secondly, if they did have salads, I wouldn’t call them a “hidden gem”, as salads are obviously the healthiest thing on any fast food menu.  The hidden gem is the crunchy taco supreme (CTS).  Why the CTS and not the crunch wrap supreme, chicken soft taco, or one of the many other tasty choices on the Taco Bell menu?  I’ll tell you.   The CTS combines a surprisingly good nutritional profile with undeniable deliciousness (especially when paired with spicy “fire” taco sauce and maybe an ice cold Coors light).  I’ll explain.

First off, the delightfully crunchy corn shell is surprisingly low in carbs, and even lower if you factor in that 1/3 the shell usually falls into your lap and therefore may or may not be consumed at all.  Crunchy corn shells are superior to the soft taco (wheat) shells in terms of carbs, fiber, flavor, and not surprisingly crunch.  Furthermore, the CTS is gluten free, which is a rarity in the fast food world.  The CTS also has some fresh plants (tomatoes and lettuce) and these two ingredients definitely bring some extra flavors and texture to the party.   Moreover, the CTS has protein (ground beef) and admittedly Taco Bell had some bad press a few years ago when we found that their “beef” was only 88% actual beef, but the other 12% isn’t that bad, so don’t worry about it.

In addition to cheddar cheese, the CTS has sour cream which not only gives a hit of indulgent acidity, but also serves as a tasty source of fat that will leave us feeling full and help keep our blood glucose low.  Finally, it has some fiber, which we can subtract from the total carbs to find the all important “net carbs”.

Pro tip:  You can add black beans and guacamole for even more fiber, protein, and fat for only 29 and 60 cents respectively.  I should really be charging for this blog.  You’re welcome.

Admittedly, I need more than one to satisfy my cravings.  So in the spirit of fairness, I created the snazzy bar chart below comparing my normal serving size of three CTS’s to the second most delicious item on the Taco Bell Menu, the Crunchwrap Supreme, as well as the most overrated fast food meal of all time, The Big Mac w/fries.

 

But Dr. Jimmy, what about the chicken McNuggets?  They’re low in carbs and high in protein.  OK, I will admit that McNuggets also meet some of my criteria, but they’re fried in heavily processed pro-inflammatory vegetable oil.  They have zero grams of fiber.  Zero.  Finally, they’re  gross.  They are reconstituted chicken parts with filler, binders, and everyone gets them with fries, so there goes the carb count.  Also, McNuggets are for picky children and adults who consider Dr. Pepper to be a spicy beverage I.E. not you.  You’re a sophisticated diner looking to broaden your meal options whilst stretching your shopping dollar but also you’re trying not to gain weight and maybe you’re a little buzzed, also it’s 1AM.  You may or may not be wearing pants (hint: you’re not).

So, when we order the CTS’s are we are seriously eating in a super clean, whole-30, vegan, keto, paleo, healthy way? No, but if you’re navigating the fast food landscape and looking for something  that’s delicious, not a salad, and not a nutritional trainwreck, I can only find one option, hence this article.  Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk.