Ultimate Guide to Eating Healthy at a Mexican Restaurant

Mexican and Tex-Mex food is a growing favorite ethnic cuisine in the United States. With the multitude of flavors and fun ambiance, Mexican restaurants are great place to meet your friends after work for a quick bite or enjoy a festive meal with your family. Depending on the choices however, Mexican food can be high in calories and fat. Here's the ultimate guide to healthy eating at a Mexican restaurant when you're watching your fat and calorie intake.

For starters, go easy on the chips that your server brings to the table before the meal, instead load up on the salsa which is low in calorie and high in flavor. In fact, the hot stuff in salsa may help curb your appetite. Instead of ordering nachos with cheese or chili con queso as an appetizer, try a nice soup such as gazpacho (cold vegetable soup) or black bean soup or a vegetable quesadilla that you can share with the table.

As a main meal, your best bets are soft tacos (hard shells are fried), enchiladas, tamales, fajitas, red beans and rice, Spanish rice, and arroz con pollo (chicken with rice). Some low fat menu clues include asada (grilled), mole sauce (chile-chocolate sauce), simmered, picante or Vera Cruz style (tomato sauce). Watch the gaucamole and sour cream accompanying these meals, instead use more of that salsa for flavor. Limit the fried entrees like chile rellenos, chimichangas, and flautus, and watch out for the high fat menu clues such as crispy, fried, layered with refried beans, mixed with chorizo (Mexican sausage), and smothered in a cheese sauce.

As with most restaurants these days, portion sizes at Mexican restaurants can be very large. Choose a la carte items over the large dinners, or place half of your dinner meal into a to go box before you start eating to help control your overall calorie intake.

For dessert, go easy on the fried ice cream, instead ask for exotic fruits such as papaya, guava, or mango. Or try the flan or pudding.