15 Healthy Mexican Food Items With Immense Health Benefits

02 December 2024

Mexican food is famous for its spices and flavors.

However, many people are confused about whether they can include Mexican food in a healthy lifestyle or not. Actually, there are plenty of misconceptions about Mexican cuisine.

In fact, healthy Mexican food options are many, and you can easily include certain dishes into your balanced diet.

In this article, you will learn about various healthy Mexican food options to include in your balanced diet. Apart from that, you will also get to know the health benefits of each item.

Moreover, this article will also explain why people commonly misunderstand Mexican food as unhealthy. Hence, to learn more, read on to the end of the article.

A General Overview of Healthy Mexican Cuisine

The Mexican cuisine is famous for its rich flavors, diverse ingredients, and cultural significance. Hence, there are multiple healthy food options available as well.

Actually, a lot of Mexican food has a lot to teach us about nutrition. In fact, apart from the staple food items, there are quite a lot of additional factors to consider.

For example, there are some special healthy Mexican ingredients, including pumpkin, chia seeds, cactus, etc., which are quite popular among health-conscious people.

Apart from that, you will find a lot of vegetables in Mexican food. These include tomatoes, avocados, bell peppers, chili peppers, etc.

Hence, there is never a shortage of vitamins, minerals, and fibers. Additionally, many traditional Mexican food items include lean protein sources, like chicken, beans, and fish. Basically, you can use them as excellent options to maintain a healthy diet.

Why Is Mexican Food Often Misunderstood As Unhealthy?

Generally, the misconceptions about Mexican foods are due to the way many restaurants and food stalls prepare them in the US. For instance, you will frequently find high amounts of cream, cheese, and fried items on top of ingredients.

The following are some of the major reasons why many people misunderstand Mexican food as unhealthy:

Many Mexican restaurants in the US offer dishes that have large portions of sour cream, cheese, and deep-fried items. Hence, this increases your calorie count after consumption.
In many cases, Mexican dishes do not use lard. In fact, there are many healthier cooking options.
Restaurants generally serve large portion sizes of Mexican dishes. So, obviously, they contribute to overeating. Therefore, if you want to eat healthy at a Mexican restaurant, you might face difficulties.

When it comes to healthier food options, there are many dishes you can consider – legumes, grilled meats, vegetables, whole grains, etc. Basically, when you want to have Mexican food, you must make healthy choices.

For example, you must choose lean protein, grilled items, and control cheese and cream portions. This way, you can enjoy Mexican food even when you are maintaining a balanced diet.

15 Healthy Mexican Food Items And Their Health Benefits

The following are some of the best and healthy Mexican food items for you if you are on a balanced diet:

1. Beans

This is a staple source of fiber, protein, and iron for Mexicans. Apart from that, it also helps you to stay full.

Additionally, if you consume it on a regular basis, it will help you lower your cholesterol levels. Moreover, beans also help you to boost your heart health and help to maintain blood sugar levels.

2. Guacamole

The major health benefit of guacamole comes from avocados. Basically, avocadoes are monounsaturated fat and hence help to lower bad cholesterol. Also, since avocados have high fiber, it helps you to maintain your digestive tract.

Additionally, there is also no risk of colon cancer. Moreover, avocados also ensure eye health and skin health and prevent inflammation.

3. Salsa

Salsa is a good addition to your diet. With it, you can add more flavor to your food without adding excess sugar, salt, or additional fat.

Apart from that, it also contains various vitamins and minerals. In addition to that, salsa is also high in fiber and antioxidants. As a result, it will help you to remove harmful toxins from your body.

4. Grilled Chicken

Grilled chicken is a lean and high-quality protein option. Hence, it can help you to build and repair your muscle tissues.

Apart from that, it will help you to maintain a healthy immune system and facilitate muscle growth. In addition to that, lean chicken also improves your bone health and helps you fight infection in your body.

5. Sweet Potato and Black Bean Quesadillas

Basically, sweet potatoes are full of nutritional qualities. For instance, it is rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Apart from that, they also add a little sweetness to the quesadillas.

As a result, it complements the earthy flavor of black beans. On the other hand, black beans come with a good amount of protein.

6. Vegetarian Enchiladas

When you make enchiladas with whole grain tortillas, vegetables, beans, and lean protein, you can control the calories. Basically, enchiladas offer you a balance of fiber, protein, and other essential nutrients.

Moreover, you can also boost your protein and vitamin intake if you want. However, one tortilla of vegetarian enchiladas contains 580 calories (approx.).

7. Brown Rice

Brown rice is primarily a whole grain which will help you reduce the risk of stroke or any other heart diseases. This is because of the presence of magnesium.

Moreover, it also helps in controlling blood sugar since brown rice has a lower glycemic index than white rice. Furthermore, vitamins and minerals also ensure a healthy immune system.

8. Grilled Vegetables

Grilled vegetables are filled with vitamins and minerals. Also, when you grill vegetables, it reduces the amount of fat in vegetables. As a result, it becomes easier to digest. Moreover, with grilling, you can bring out the natural sweetness of vegetables.

9. Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice

If you want a low-calorie, grain-free carb, the cilantro lime cauliflower rice is a better option. Moreover, the recipe is vegan and gluten-free.

This can be a great alternative to traditional white rice. Apart from that, due to the presence of vitamins and minerals, it is a healthy Mexican food option.

10. Corn on the Cob

Due to its high fiber content, corn helps in maintaining bowel health and helps in preventing constipation.

Apart from that, corn also contains antioxidants, folate, potassium, and plant sterols. This will help you to lower cholesterol levels. Apart from that, it will also help you to support heart health.

11. Zucchini

Zucchini has high fiber and water content. This helps in the digestion process and reduces the risk of constipation. Additionally, since zucchini is low in carbs, it also helps you to regulate blood sugar levels.

12. Fresh Tomatoes

Generally, tomatoes contain potassium, which helps to regular blood pressure in the body. Moreover, since they release antioxidants, they can also help prevent cancer.

Additionally, if you consume a tomato-rich diet, you can ensure better digestion. Furthermore, you will have an improved immune system.

13. Shrimp Ceviche

Shrimp ceviche is healthy because it is high in protein content. Apart from that, it also comes with a good number of vitamins and minerals.

As a result, it not only helps to build muscles but also ensures bone health, immunity, and nerve function. Moreover, if you are following a low-calorie diet to lose weight, shrimp ceviche is a healthy Mexican food option.

14. Pozole

It is a stew that is rich in protein. Here, for each cup you consume, you get 18 grams of protein. Additionally, it also contains fiber.

However, you can add more fiber to it by adding vegetables like avocado or cabbage. This will help you to digest your food better.

15. Chicken And Vegetable Tacos

Since chicken is a lean source of protein, it provides amino acids for muscle building. Moreover, it is also a good source of vitamin B. On the other hand, vegetables are rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Hence, with a combination of chicken and vegetables, you can have a healthy diet.

Try Your Favorite Healthy Mexican Food Now

Hence, you can see that there are plenty of healthy Mexican food options. However, this is not common in the US because most Mexican restaurants in this country serve Mexican food items with a lot of oil, spices, and cream.

Hence, it looks unhealthy to common people. Therefore, if you want to have a healthy Mexican diet, you have a lot of choices.

Do you have more suggestions on healthy Mexican food items? Please share your ideas and opinions in the comments section below.

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Soumava Goswami

A passionate writer and an avid reader, Soumava is academically inclined and loves writing on topics requiring deep research. Having 3+ years of experience, Soumava also loves writing blogs in other domains, including digital marketing, business, technology, travel, and sports.

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Which Edible is Right for You?

Besides searching for the best way to consume CBD, if you ever have searched for marijuana edibles, you’ve probably received more results than you can possibly ever go through. There are cookies, brownies, candy, beers, coffees, and sodas, among many other foods. There is even cannabis-infused flour, butter, sugar, and honey for you to cook with if you want to add a little THC to your own meals or baked goods. However, if you’ve never tried edibles, you might not know which is right for you. Here’s a rundown of the most popular types of edibles and how they differ from each other. Candy Edibles Candy, and gummy candy, in particular, is the most popular way to consume marijuana in food. Chocolate bars, truffles, and bonbons are also favorites, but the point is that no matter what flavor you’re looking for, you’re bound to find a candy you’ll like. Many people choose candy edibles because they can mask the sometimes bitter flavor of cannabis. Another reason candy is popular is that it is usually small in size and can be consumed discreetly. Take a gummy, for instance. You can easily put several gummies in a bag and carry them in your purse or backpack, and when you eat one, no one would ever know it contains marijuana. Mints, which fall under the candy category, are even more discreet to carry and easier to consume without calling attention to what you’re eating. Baked Goods Pot brownies are the stereotypical edible that always seems to be associated with marijuana. However, there are numerous types of baked goods that contain THC these days. From cookies to bread to cakes to macarons, you can find a baked item that fits your needs. These tend to be more conspicuous than marijuana candy, but that all depends on how it’s packaged. If your cookie or brownie is in a plain container, it’s likely no one will be the wiser when you eat it. You can buy legal delta 9 edibles in a variety of forms online such as brownies and peanut butter cups. Keep in mind that it can be harder to control your dose with a baked good than with candy. With a pot cookie or brownie, though, the amount of THC you consume may differ with each bite. For this reason, eat only a small portion of your baked goods, to begin with until you know how it’s affecting you. Soda Cannabis-infused sodas are harder to find than candy and baked goods, but they are gaining in popularity and becoming more prevalent in states where recreational marijuana is legal(considering its pros and cons). The main factor in its growth is that soda is digested more quickly than solid food, so the buzz happens more quickly when you drink a THC-infused product rather than eat candy or cookies. Sometimes, it can take an hour or better before you feel anything from candy or brownie edible, but you’ll feel the effects much faster with a soda. Tea Many edible consumers prefer to get their THC from a cup of hot tea. This is a favorite method because most tea bags only contain minimal amounts of THC so you can get some of the effects of marijuana without being entirely incapacitated, especially if you’re sensitive to the drug. Of course, you can find tea bags with significantly more THC than others, so make sure you pay attention to the brand you get and how much THC you’ll be consuming with a single tea bag. You can also use canna honey or cannabis-infused sugar in your tea as an alternative to getting the THC from the tea bag itself. Since you’ll most likely make the canna honey or cannabis-infused sugar yourself, you’ll be more aware of how much marijuana you’re using each time you put some in your tea. There are many recipes for honey and sugar infused with cannabis on the Internet to help you make your own edibles. Conclusion No matter how you decide to consume marijuana, it’s important to understand the dose you’re putting into your body. For instance, a soda usually is meant for two separate servings, so don’t down the entire bottle if you haven’t ever tried one before. Take it slow and pay attention to your response to the edible to make sure you’re using it safely. Before long, you’ll find the edible that’s perfect for you! Read Also: 7 Guidelines for an Effective Marijuana Detox Choosing a Medical Marijuana Dispensary

Why You Should Use Gluten-Free Flour

Everyone has been listening to the benefits of using a gluten-free diet. But no one knows the exact impact of gluten-free food on the body. As you know, flour is the basic component of our diets, and no one can avoid this fact. But you can also find gluten-free flour in the market. People use gluten-free flour for many reasons. This helps improve health, but you need to know facts about it. The following blog will discuss why you should use gluten-free flour. Let’s start with a better understanding. Improved Digestive System Many people use wheat, barley, and rye which contain a sufficient amount of gluten. Everyone uses wheat globally, but they don’t know they’re consuming gluten unintentionally. But you have other options in flour. You can also use millets like bajra and ragi as a gluten-free flour. Such flour adds an awesome taste to your diet. On the other hand, gluten-free flour improves the digestive system. Because it is easy to digest and doesn’t overburden the stomach, if you have a stomach problem, you should focus on your diet and try to use McKenzie's tapioca flour. Prevent Allergies Gluten is a protein found in daily diet. However, many people have allergic reactions to this gluten which is why they seek a proper food allergy treatment. But people can’t understand things easily. You may have a gluten problem, but you never bother. Whether you have any allergies or not, you should use a gluten-free diet. Flour is basic food everyone uses, and if you add gluten-free flour to your diet, you can avoid allergies. As you know, if you have an allergy, you have to bear a difficult situation. So, you need to use a gluten-free diet as a safe side. But it isn’t necessary to use gluten-free flour; you can use other things. But you can make little changes to some extent. Avoid Chronic Gastrointestinal Disorder Everyone is facing inflammation problems which are not good in the long run. This inflammation can destroy your health. Gluten is one of the factors of that inflammation. You must revise your diet if you frequently get irritable bowel syndrome. If you’re consuming food containing an excess amount of gluten, you should reduce it. Otherwise, you won’t cure the disease. Gastric problems are due to a gluten diet. To protect your intestines, you better opt for gluten-free flour. Improve Immune System The immune system plays a vital role in overall health. Many people use different supplements to boost their immune system but don’t think about their diets. They consume things irrationally and use different medicines to overcome those consequences. A general saying is that the cure is better than treatment, and everyone should follow this general rule. If you change your diet, you can improve your immune system. Gluten-containing diets harm the immune system in many ways. But you can boost and improve it by eliminating gluten from your diet. To summarize, if you want a healthy lifestyle, you better choose gluten-free flour. You also need to improvise and revise your diet overall. Additionals: 10 Health Problems Eased by Yoga 7 Benefits of a Daily At-Home Yoga Practice 5 Natural Immune System Supplement Tips for Cold and Flu Season

More Than Just a Fad: The Benefits of Going Gluten-Free

Going gluten-free has become a popular trend. More and more gluten-free products are taking up space on the shelves in grocery stores, yet at the same one, many people remain in the dark when it comes to the benefits of a gluten-free diet. Let's begin to address that by describing what gluten is and what it actually does. Gluten is a protein found in such foods as wheat, cereal, and certain grains. One of its main purposes is to retain the elasticity in foods during fermentation. It makes bread chewable and prevents certain foods from having a doughy-like, sticky texture. Worldwide attention: With an increase in people being diagnosed with gluten sensitivity and celiac disease, gluten-free diets have received a lot of attention from physicians from all over the nutritional spectrum, including dieticians, bariatric physicians, and weight loss physicians. There's a good reason for that. There are a number of health benefits which can be had from a gluten-free diet for anyone who has a gluten intolerance, such as improving energy levels, better digestive health, and decreasing cholesterol levels. Moreover, going gluten-free, even if it's for a little while, can help detox your body from wheat and processed carbs in general, too. Restaurants, too: It isn't just grocery stores that are helping their customers go gluten-free. There's little point in eliminating gluten from your shopping list if you're feasting on it when eating out or ordering in. Although those two options are becoming increasingly seamless with services such as Deliveroo continually adding more gluten-free restaurants to its platform. Celiac-friendly eateries available to order from include Uncle Pete's, with a customizable pizza on the menu, so going gluten-free doesn't mean that you can no longer enjoy the foods you love. Whether buying from a shopping list or ordering from a restaurant, if you decide to embark upon a gluten-free diet, you’d only be eliminating foods from your diet that are unhealthy, anyway. For example, most fried food would be immediately off-limits, due to the breading. The same would be true of many desserts. Reducing health risks: By eliminating gluten from your diet, you’re reducing the risk of health-related conditions, such as certain cancers, and heart disease. It can also help you to fend off germs and viruses, as many of the foods you will eat contain essential mineral and vitamins, as well as antioxidants. This will also mean minimising your intake of processed foods. Many processed foods that can be bought off the shelves contain high amounts of gluten, which is unhealthy, due to the fact that they contain artificial flavors and chemicals. Weight loss, too: Most foods on a gluten-free diet can help with weight loss, especially if you have a healthy balance of protein, fat, and carbohydrates. If you combine a gluten-free approach with the right proportions and combinations, however, and choosing gluten-free starches like quinoa, sweet potatoes, and brown rice, you’ll be eating healthier and more likely to lose weight. Bear in mind that you’ll need to exercise caution when it comes to reading food labels. Many packages state that their food is gluten-free when it may not be the case. There will always be replacements in unhealthy goods that contain gluten with other unhealthy gluten-free varieties. That’s especially true of high-carb foods, such as bread. So just be sure to go in with your eyes open. Read Also: Tips To Lose Weight Naturally Stay Away From These Foods To Remain Healthy Source: Max Pixel

15 Healthy Mexican Food Items With Immense Health Benefits

A General Overview of Healthy Mexican Cuisine

Why Is Mexican Food Often Misunderstood As Unhealthy?