Burrito Vs. Taco
Eating out at a Mexican restaurant can easily lead to you consuming more calories, sodium and fat than you should. However, once you familiarize yourself with healthier menu options, you can limit this risk. Choosing a burrito instead of a taco will help you lower the amount of fat you consume while allowing you to eat a larger portion and providing you with more nutrients.
A 101.5-gram bean, beef and cheese burrito contains 165 calories, 7.3 grams of protein, 19.8 grams of carbohydrates and 6.7 grams of fat, including 3.6 grams of saturated fat. This is 10 percent of the daily value for fat and 18 percent of the DV for saturated fat. Each 69-gram beef hard shell taco provides 156 calories, 6.1 grams of protein, 13.7 grams of carbohydrates and 8.8 grams of fat, including 3 grams of saturated fat. Hard-shell tacos also contain 2.7 grams of fiber each, or 11 percent of the DV. Fiber helps lower high cholesterol and heart disease risk, while saturated fat increases your risk for these conditions. The burrito is a better choice in terms of macronutrients, because it is lower in total fat and higher in protein, although it has slightly more saturated fat.
Burritos have a higher micronutrient content than tacos. They have more iron, with 18.7 milligrams of iron, or 10 percent of the DV; riboflavin, with 0.4 milligram, or 21 percent of the DV; and more folate, with 43 micrograms, or 11 percent of the DV per burrito. Both burritos and tacos contain the same amount of zinc, with 1.2 milligrams, or 18 percent of the DV, and vitamin B-12, with 0.6 microgram, or 10 percent of the DV. But tacos contain more phosphorus, with 123 milligrams, or 12 percent of the DV, and vitamin K, with 10.6 micrograms or 15 percent of the DV. You need iron, riboflavin and vitamin B-12 for forming red blood cells; folate, zinc and phosphorus for forming DNA; and vitamin K for proper blood clotting.
Both burritos and tacos are relatively high in sodium, but tacos contain less with 295 milligrams per serving compared to the 495 milligrams in a burrito. Healthy people who consume more than the recommended 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day have an increased risk for high blood pressure and heart disease. People with an higher risk for these conditions should limit sodium to 1,500 milligrams per day.
Making Tacos and Burritos Healthier
Making your own burritos and tacos is the best way to control the calories, sodium and fat they contain. However, if eating out, opt for soft shell tacos instead of the fried hard shell tacos, choose a vegetable and bean burrito instead of a beef burrito or a fresco-style chicken or shrimp taco over one made with beef. Hold the cheese and sour cream or use them only in very small amounts, because these ingredients are all high in fat and calories. Guacamole is a little healthier because it contains healthy unsaturated fats, but it is still high in calories so eat in moderation.
- USDA Nutrient Data Laboratory: Fast Foods, Burrito, With Beans, Cheese, and Beef
- USDA Nutrient Data Laboratory: Fast Foods, Taco With Beef, Cheese and Lettuce, Hard Shell
- HelpGuide.org: Healthy Fast Food
- MayoClinic.com: Healthy Diet: Do You Follow Dietary Guidelines?
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Sodium: The Fact
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Calculate the Percent Daily Value for the Appropriate Nutrients
Based in Massachusetts, Jessica Bruso has been writing since 2008. She holds a master of science degree in food policy and applied nutrition and a bachelor of arts degree in international relations, both from Tufts University.