Healthy Mexican Food, a contradiction?!

ok! sorry I know I just posted but I really love this site and forums!! : )

This weekend I am going out with my boyfriend and his family for his birthday. Yay, birthday celebrations are the best!!

Anyway he said that we are going to a Mexican food place. I am not sure of the name but I do know it isn't a chain. It is more along an authentic Mexican eatery, well as authentic as you can get in Delaware.

Since most U.S. NorthEast Mexican food places usually serve variations of the same dishes I thought it would be appropriate to ask for any tips on what would be healthy to eat at such a restaurant?!

My first guess would be vegetarian crunchy taco's without sour cream...

What is your opinion/suggestions?!

I just went to a Christmas party at a mexican rest last night.  It was a buffett so I was limited with the choice. 

I would recommend a taco salad.  I know the mex. rest here in AZ always have taco salads - and they are usually very big so you can fill up on the inside and not eat the taco shell bowl.  Tortillas are very high in fat on average especially if they are home made - real "mexican" tortillas are made with lard.

If taco salad unavailable try a tamale or carne asada and don't eat the tortillas they bring. 

I usually get chicken fajitas with steamed corn Tortillas..

I don't see why everyone always thinks mexican and chinese food are bad for you...I eat those all the time and find them rich in vegetables and flavour, and low on calories and fat. You just have to get the more traditional stuff; stay away from the americanized fried crap.

Ceviche is always a good choice. If you're not into squid and octopus and all that stuff, just get ceviche de cameron, and it will just be shrimp. It's sooo good with corn tortillas, and you can even get a crispy fried flat torta tortilla to go with it and it won't really matter because the ceviche itself is so low in calories and filling on it's own.

If it's a sit down restaurant, they typically will have a few fish dishes that are excellent. Skip the rice and beans and order grilled vegetables for your sides, and you'll have a kickin healthy dish.

At little taquerias, I typically get three fajita chicken tacos on soft corn tortillas with lettuce and tomato, and I ask for pico de gallo on the side. Then I mix it all together and eat it off of the tortillas like it's a salad. Pico de gallo is a great flavor-adder without adding calories.

Most mexican places will have some EXCELLENT soups. That's one thing of many the mexicans do extremely well. Chicken soup will usually come with a side of rice, and will have whole legs and wings of chicken in the soup along with peices of ears of corn and chunks of vegetables. Low cal, flavourful and great for you. Ask for lemons and cilantro on the side, and squeeze the lemons in the soup and mix in the cilantro. You'll be in heaven.

I'm an ethnic-foodaholic, so if you have any further questions about that stuff, feel free to ask.

My last two ex boyfriends were mexicanos from Jalisco, and both cooked a lot; we used to visit taquerias all the time and I kind of learned what to order from then.

oh, SO many mexican foods are good for you!!  just avoid the fried, americanized stuff.  and ask for them to go light on the cheese.

mexican food can be really great- corn, beans, chicken...salsa, tomatillos.  flautas.  guacamole- avocado is SO healthful!!

if you're going somewhere authentic, don't worry.  they will have the real deal, which is SO much better for you than what a taco bell would have.

Thank you for all the suggestions! I definitely feel better that I can go there and enjoy a delicious yet healthy meal without ruining my weight loss efforts.

I LOVE Ethnic and Mexican foods. But I feel like food in America can be pretty good at hiding excess and unneccessary calories. So I always try to research the food I am eating before I actualy eat it, just in case!

I always get confused about what carb to pick. Rather should I get the crunchy or the soft tortilla? Which is better? I am thinking the crunchy...

Some day I will have to learn how to make flavored brown rice with beans, Mexican style.

Can't wait for the avocado!

You know, they're relatively the same calorie-wise, but crunchy has a little more calories because it's fried.

Soft corn tortillas are your best bet, they taste wonderful, are the most authentic, and are more satisfying than the shrunken crunchy ones.

Buena suerte!

I LOVE Mexican food!  Just cut your portions down and there ya go:)

I go to an authentic Mexican restaurant and I don't see how anything on the menu is healthy at all. Everything is soooo greasy.

We recently got a kickin' mexican restaurant in the area, and I'm in heaven too.  I usually get either carne asada, pollo asada, or some enchilada with chicken and corn tortillas.  I ask them to replace the cheese and sour cream with guacomole, and to add pico de gallo if it doesnt come standard.  A lot of times I'll just order ala carte, instead of doing a combo dinner.

Ceviche is great too.

I do miss my chile rellenos, though. hee!  (peppers stuffed with cheese = delicious but not very compatible with moderate eating.)

I grew up on authentic Mexican food (being mexican.... duh moment) and yes, the americanized mexican is decent in flavor and terrible for weight management. Someone mentioned soup up there, good choice, and my mom used to make chiles rellenos with ground beef instead of or mixed in with cheese. Use 95% lean beef and little or no cheese and you've got yourself a mouthwatering delight.

And Alibuch, you get veggies in every serving, your portions of meat and carbs and fat. It is definitely healthy, americans just need learn the importance of exercie and moderation (and maybe the siesta).

Most ethnic cuisines are healthy until the fast food folks get their hands on it.  I love Mexican food but prepare it at home so I don't have to worry about it being soaked in grease, or fried when it doesn't have to be.  Same for Chinese and Indian food - home cooked is so much better than restaurant food. 

I'm Italian, and I cringe at what they serve at places like Olive Garden and East Side Marios. 

Yeah when I went to Italy, I couldn't find the crap 'italian food' that we have here ANYwhere. The cuisine was ENTIRELY different.

Alibuch, maybe your restaurant isn't that authentic.

Or maybe it is owned by indigenous people who are trying to appeal to american tastes to 'make it'.

Original Post by normajeanbaker:


I always get confused about what carb to pick. Rather should I get the crunchy or the soft tortilla? Which is better? I am thinking the crunchy...

 

Your best bet are the soft corn tortillas. The crunchy are usually fried, not baked, and the flour tortillas are usually full of lard.