Is Chipotle Healthy?
Do you think Chipotle Mexican Grill is a healthier fast food option? It has definitely gained popularity for being a healthier choice for something quick and fresh. Chipotle prides itself on using real food and ingredients you can pronounce. It is known for fresh food and customizable meals, making it a popular choice for people with different dietary preferences. If you are trying to eat better, Chipotle feels like a healthier alternative to fast-food chains that primarily serve highly processed fried foods. The question remains whether Chipotle is healthy or if its reputation overlooks certain nutritional concerns.
The answer isn’t that simple. Chipotle offers numerous ways to build a meal, including burrito bowls, salads, burritos, and tacos. These menu items can be healthy, but can quickly become calorie-dense if you’re not careful. Knowing the menu, nutrition facts about the ingredients, and portion sizes is key to making informed choices. This article explores Chipotle’s menu so you can create a nutritious meal that fits your goals.
Understanding Chipotle’s Menu
Calorie and Nutrient Breakdown
Understanding Chipotle’s menu is essential for making healthier choices. Chipotle meals can easily exceed 1,000 calories and daily sodium limits, depending on the meal you select and the toppings you add. It is important to know what the higher-calorie toppings are so that you can tailor your meal to your goals. The easiest way to build a meal that fits your needs is to use the Chipotle nutrition calculator.
Best Toppings
Let’s compare a Chipotle burrito bowl with and without certain toppings. A typical Chipotle burrito bowl with brown rice, grilled chicken, black beans, and roasted chili corn salsa is about 600 calories. Popular toppings at Chipotle include shredded cheese, sour cream, and guacamole, which are delicious but high in calories. Adding those three toppings to this burrito bowl increases calories to 1,050. Not to say you can’t enjoy those toppings, but if you are looking for portion control or calorie control, you may want to rethink how to build your bowl.
The best part about Chipotle is that you can ask for a light serving of any ingredient that you add to your meal. If you order a burrito bowl with chicken, light brown rice, light black beans, normal guacamole, swap the roasted chili corn salsa for tomatillo-green chili salsa, light sour cream, and light cheese, it will reduce the calories to 705. This option is great, especially if you enjoy some of the high-calorie toppings.
Lean Protein Options
No matter what diet you follow, Chipotle offers protein options for everyone. If you eat meat, some great protein options include grilled chicken, steak, carnitas, and barbacoa. If you follow a plant-based diet, sofritas is a plant-based protein made with crumbled tofu. Black and pinto beans give an extra protein boost and would be a great addition to a vegetarian or vegan-friendly bowl.
If you are trying to watch how many calories and grams of fat are in your meal, stick to lean protein options. Grilled chicken and steak are lean protein choices, while carnitas and barbacoa are higher in saturated fat. It is also important to be mindful of the sodium content in these protein options, especially if you struggle with high blood pressure. Some proteins contain more sodium than others. Check out some of the nutrition facts below.
Calories, Protein, Saturated Fat, and Sodium in Chipotle Protein Options:
Grilled Chicken has 189 calories with 32 grams of protein, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, and 309 mg of sodium.
Steak has 142 calories with 21 grams of protein, 1.8 grams of saturated fat, and 330 mg of sodium.
Carnitas has 207 calories with 23 grams of protein, 3 grams of saturated fat, and 449 mg of sodium.
Barbacoa has 164 calories with 24 grams of protein, 2.5 grams of saturated fat, and 529 mg of sodium.
Sofritas has 150 calories with 9.5 grams of protein, 1.8 grams of saturated fat, and 559 mg of sodium.
Creating a Healthier Chipotle Bowl
The fresh ingredients that Chipotle offers can help you build a nutritious meal.
Start With a Smart Base
If you are making a burrito bowl, try swapping white rice for brown rice – the higher fiber content helps with digestion, blood sugar control, and increased satiety. To further increase your fiber but keep carbohydrate intake the same, opt for a half portion of brown rice and a half portion of pinto or black beans.
Don’t Skimp on the Veggies
To increase fiber and nutritional value, add more vegetables. Some of the tastiest veggies Chipotle offers are fajita vegetables, which include bell peppers, onions, and tomatoes. Romaine lettuce is a great crunchy topping or can be used as a base instead of brown rice, which would halve the calories of the Chipotle bowl and create a healthy salad. Let’s not forget about the different salsas, like tomatillo red chili salsa, roasted chili corn salsa, fresh tomato salsa, and tomatillo green chili salsa. These salsas are made with whole or blended vegetables that increase the flavor of your meal without significantly increasing calories.
Opt For Lean Proteins
If you are trying to lose weight, not all protein options are created equal. As you read above, sticking to leaner sources of protein can help lower the calorie content of your order at Chipotle. Opt for proteins like grilled chicken or steak, and add a protein booster, such as black or pinto beans. Not only do beans boost protein content, but they also add more fiber to your meal, helping you stay full longer.
Burrito Bowl or Salad
Choosing a bowl or a salad from Chipotle can make a big difference in the overall nutrition of your meal. Both of these options exclude a flour tortilla, which contains 324 calories and 50 grams of carbohydrates. A burrito bowl with brown rice, black beans, grilled chicken, and roasted chili corn salsa makes for a nutrient-dense meal that will keep you feeling full for hours. This bowl is less than 600 calories and contains 46 grams of protein and 12.5 grams of fiber. However, this meal is higher in carbohydrates. If you have insulin resistance, pre-diabetes, or type 2 diabetes, you might want to opt for a salad.
A salad from Chipotle with a base of romaine lettuce, black beans, and chicken, topped with fajita vegetables, and a half portion of chipotle-honey vinaigrette is 460 calories, 42 grams of protein, 38 grams of carbs, 11 grams of fiber, and 16 grams of fat. This option is not only lower calorie, but also lower in fat and carbohydrates, which can help support weight-loss goals and blood sugar control.
Either a bowl or a salad can be considered healthy, and you can customize these meals to fit your goals. A great feature Chipotle offers is half portion sizes. If you want rice but want to reduce carbohydrates, you can always opt for a half portion.
Lifestyle bowls are a menu item offered at Chipotle that are marketed to fit your health goals. There is a wide calorie range for these bowls, from 490 to 850 calories, depending on the combination of toppings. To ensure your Chipotle meal fits your needs, use the nutrition calculator first before placing your order.
Special Dietary Considerations
Whether you are vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, or low-carb, there is a Chipotle bowl or salad combination that will work for you.
For vegans, a bowl with brown rice, sofritas, beans, fajita veggies, salsa, and guacamole would be a high-protein, high-fiber meal that contains healthy fats. For vegetarians, you can use the same idea for the vegan bowl and add light cheese or sour cream if desired.
If you are gluten-free, choose a bowl or salad, or opt for corn tortillas. Be sure to add protein, high-fiber carbs, and vegetables to stay full longer. If you have insulin resistance, pre-diabetes, or type 2 diabetes, you might want to opt for a salad.
Salad is a great low-carb option for people who need to control their blood sugar, are trying to lose weight, or are just mindful of their carbohydrate intake. Swapping the rice for romaine lettuce and fajita veggies is a great way to increase the volume of food without adding extra calories and carbs. For extra flavor, try a half portion of chipotle honey vinaigrette (keep in mind salad dressing adds more calories, fat, and sugar, so be mindful of how much you use). For protein, you can opt for chicken, steak, or sofritas to minimize saturated fat intake. To add more fiber to the meal, you can add a portion of black beans.
So, Is Chipotle Healthy?
With foundational knowledge of Chipotle’s menu and ingredient choices, it can be a healthier fast-food option. Chipotle offers several healthy options for fresh ingredients. The best part about Chipotle is that you can build a meal that fits your dietary preferences or health goals you are working towards.
At the same time, not staying aware of portion sizes, high-calorie toppings, and high-sodium meat options and sauces can lead to a less healthy, higher-calorie meal. The key to building a healthy meal at Chipotle Mexican Grill is understanding the menu and knowing which ingredients can increase your calorie, carb, fat, and sodium intake.