Are tacos and mexican food really fattening?

Question

I am on a diet, but my roommate keeps leaving left over tacos in the refridgerator and everytime , i open the fridge I see a taco just sitting there , maybe two. and i eat them almost every time!!
it make me soo angry!!

Answer 1

In general, I suppose that they are. In reality, I'm assuming that it all depends on what kind of ingredients were put into it, and how it was cooked.

If you're really pressured with your diet though, I'd recommend either brushing your teeth or chewing gum whenever you feel urged to eat something. Having a clean mouth kind of discourages you from wanting to put something in it again, and chewing gum can keep your mind off of it too.

And even if an entree is fattening, it doesn't neccessarily mean that you'll gain any weight. That all depends on how many calories there are in a particular item. As long as you don't go over how many calories you're body can burn in a day, you won't gain anything.

Even so, keep in mind that it doesn't by any means make the specified food healthy. :P

Also, this site can help you figure out how many calories there are in a particular food - http://www.thecaloriecounter.com/

And this can help you find out what you're basic caloric needs are for the day - http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm

Anyways, good luck. Dieting sucks. xD

Answer 2

Tacos are NOT fattening.

For example: if, for a whole week, you eat nothing but ONE TACO, you will not get fat.

In fact - you will probably die of being thin. Eventually. And all you ate was TACOs!

What makes you FAT, is the AMOUNT you eat.

If you LOVE tacos - and now you're trying to lose weight, and you're denying yourself tacos - YOU WILL GET FAT AGAIN IMMEDIATELY, because as soon as you've lost weight, you will PIG OUT on tacos again!

Sooooo - why not sort yourself out some TACOS that you can make yourself and put only HEALTHY, low calorie ingredients in it.

AND PUT YOUR TACOS NEXT to your friends in the fridge! And then, you can have one, every now and again, without BUSTING your diet!!

Answer 3

It honestly depends on what kind of Mexican food it is. Tacos ARE fattening, because it is based on a deep-fried corn tortilla. Soft tacos, which use a small flour tortilla, can be very healthy. The filling is just as important. Lean grilled meats and veggies will be the healthiest. You can buy low fat refried beans in most supermarkets, and those are high in fiber and protein - very good for you. Watch out for cheese or sour cream (although you can use lowfat/nonfat natural or greek yogurt instead) Switch your friend's supplies. She/he won't even notice a difference in taste but your waistline will.

Answer 4

A taco every once in awhile won't kill you unless you have a condition, so don't beat yourself up about it every time. However, that doesn't mean it's good to eat them frequently. Exercise some self-control; your diet isn't your roommates responsibility. I know that when I have leftover food in the fridge I didn't leave it there for the purpose of having someone else eat it.

Answer 5

Yes, there is a lot of fat in Mexican food.

Just avoid the tacos and stuff!! Let the tacos just sit in the fridge and go for something healthier, then feel happy with yourself!!!

Answer 6

Tacos and Mexican food is really fattening... depending on how it's prepared. If the tacos are from fast food joints, then YES they are probably VERY fattening and loaded with cholesterol.

If you're concerned about weight gain, don't eat these! But it doesn't mean that you have to deprive yourself of tacos and other Mexican food.

You have 2 options: either make your own tacos or buy healthier versions from a restaurant.

If you choose to make your own:
Use lean ground beef or turkey. Use black beans instead of refried. Use fat free sour cream and pico de gallo or salsa. Add vegetables to your taco (like onions, bell pepper, etc.) Don't use guacamole. Use corn tortillas instead of flour tortillas or fried taco shells.

If you want to buy a taco:
'Taco Bell' now has an "al fresco" style of taco. Instead of cheese, sour cream, etc., they will put fresh salsa in your tacos and burritos. No extra charge.
'El Pollo Loco' restaurant has chicken and steak tacos that are very low in fat and calories. The chicken taco al carbon is served on a corn tortilla with chunks of grilled chicken, cilantro, salsa, and onions. VERY tasty.
'Del Taco' also has a lowfat chicken tacos.

The rule is, avoid fried foods and try to go with grilled meats when having a taco or burrito. Don't totally deprive yourself either but rather consume everything in moderation.

Answer 7

Mexico's obesity problem is nearly as severe as that in the United States. Much Mexican food is cooked in oil, which of course is fattening. Furthermore, since tacos and other Mexican food taste good, we tend to eat more of them than we should.

Answer 8

Mexican food may contain high salt, fat, sugar or vegetable oil content. Check the labels; for tacos, it's like crisps - very salty and fattening but does not fill you up in any way.

Try to chow on nuts and low fat yogurt - helps with the diet, feel a difference in a week

Answer 9

The kind from a fast food place are, but if you really crave it they don't have to be fattening. Make your own. You can use shredded chicken with the taco seasoning instead of beef, fat free refried or pinto beans, low fat soft tortilla, and use cheese sparingly. I can't even tell the difference between fat free sour cream and the regular stuff. And salsa has almost no calories. Yum :)

Answer 10

Mexican food is like any other - ok in proportion - snacking on tacos probably isn't too good but as long as you are eating a balanced diet having them once in a while is cool.