| Taco Bell Nutrition: What to Order and Avoid | |
|---|---|
| Most Nutritious Options | Least Nutritious Options |
| Soft Breakfast Taco | Breakfast Crunchwrap |
| Crunchy Taco | Fiesta Taco Salad |
| Bean Burrito | Crunchwrap Supreme |
| Shredded Chicken Quesadilla | Quesarito |
| Triple Layer Nachos | Nachos BellGrande |
| Cinnamon Twists | Cinnabon Delights |
| Black Beans | Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes |
| Cheesy Roll Up | Beefy Fritos Burrito |
| Veggie Power Menu Bowl | Power Menu Bowl |
| Lipton Unsweetened Iced Tea | Mountain Dew Baja Blast |
One of Taco Bell's best attributes is customization. Even the highest-calorie menu items can be altered to reduce carbohydrates, fat, and sodium content and adapt to individual dietary needs and taste preferences.
Taco Bell's Most Nutritious Options
Taco Bell's most nutritious option is the Crunchy Taco, which contains 170 calories, 8g protein, and 310mg sodium.
Taco Bell Breakfast
The company's breakfast menu offers an egg-filled take on some of its most popular categories, such as tacos, burritos, and quesadillas.
✓ Soft Breakfast Taco (Egg and Cheese)
Taco Bell's Soft Breakfast Taco (Egg and Cheese) provides 170 calories, 9g total fat (of which 5g is saturated fat), 15g carbohydrates, 7g protein, and 330mg sodium. Skip the cheese to save 25 calories. Instead, add a side of pico de gallo (5 calories), bringing the total calories for your customized breakfast taco to 150.
✗ Breakfast Crunchwrap
The company's Breakfast Crunchwrap provides 650 calories, 41g total fat (63% DV), 12g saturated fat, 51g carbohydrates (17% DV), 21g protein, and 1,290mg sodium (54% DV).
Most Taco Bell menu items, including Crunchwraps, can be ordered “fresco.” This shaves off around 180 calories by substituting pico de gallo (5 calories) for extras like cheese, sauces, mayo, and guacamole. Save on fat and calories by customizing a Crunchwrap to have only some ingredients but not all, like trying it with meat or cheese instead of both, or asking for no sauce.
Taco Bell's Tacos
Taco Bell's taco menu offers a range of the Tex-Mex favorite with hard and soft shell options. Most tacos are made with ground beef as the primary filling, but the menu offers chicken, grilled steak, and even spicy potatoes for a vegetarian option.
✓ Crunchy Taco
The Crunchy Taco provides 170 calories, 9g total fat, 3.5g saturated fat, 13g carbohydrates, 8g protein, and 310mg sodium. Order your taco with grilled chicken instead of beef to pack more protein without adding calories. You can also save 25 calories by skipping cheese.
✗ Fiesta Taco Salad
Taco Bell's Fiesta Taco Salad is the least nutritious option on the taco menu (followed closely by the Double Cheesy Gordita Crunch). Though it has salad in the name, as is, the Fiesta Taco Salad is closer to a large beef taco, providing 740 calories, 38g total fat (58% DV), 9g saturated fat, 75g carbohydrates (25% DV), 25g protein, and 1,110mg sodium (46% DV).
Make a healthier taco salad by opting for only beans, rice, and veggies. Removing the meat, cheese, sour cream, and crunchy red strips saves 270 calories. To punch up the flavor, add jalapeño peppers or pico de gallo for 5 calories each.
Taco Bell Burritos
The burrito menu at Taco Bell offers a variety of options from the basic bean and cheese to their famous Crunchwrap Supreme.
✓ Bean Burrito
Taco Bell's Bean Burrito is one of their vegetarian burrito options and provides 350 calories, 9g fat, 3.5g saturated fat, 54g carbohydrates, 13g protein, and 1,000mg sodium. Order it "fresco" to save an additional 20 calories.
✗ Crunchwrap Supreme
Crunchwrap Supreme calories clock in at 530, making it the least nutrition option on Taco Bell's burrito menu. The famous burrito has 21g total fat (32% DV), 6g saturated fat, 71g carbohydrates (24% DV), 16g protein, and 1,200mg sodium (50% DV).
Taco Bell Quesadillas
Taco Bell's quesadilla menu offers options with grilled chicken, shredded chicken, and steak, along with a non-traditional item called the Quesarito, which is a cross between a quesadilla and a burrito.
✓ Shredded Chicken Quesadilla
The Shredded Chicken Quesadilla comes in at 310 calories, 13g total fat, 4.5g saturated fat, 35g carbohydrates, 13g protein, and 705mg sodium.
Order it with light chipotle sauce ("easy sauce") to save 15 calories or with no sauce to save 30 calories. Instead, try spicing up your quesadilla with hot sauce (which won't add calories or fat) or lower-calorie options like pico de gallo or salsa.
If you're picking and choosing add-ons for a more basic quesadilla, avoid items like potatoes, chips, and creamy sauces, which are high in calories, fat, and starch.
✗ Quesarito
The Quesarito is essentially a beef and rice burrito wrapped in a cheese quesadilla, and it comes in at 650 calories, 33g total fat (51% DV), 12g saturated fat, 68g carbohydrates (23% DV), 21g protein, and 1,390mg sodium (58% DV).
Taco Bell Nachos
Taco Bell's nacho menu contains some of the company's highest-calorie meal options. However, it's important to note that the highest-calorie nacho options (like boxes and combos) are portioned to share.
While the calorie, fat, and carbohydrate counts may be high for the entire order, if you share with family and friends and are mindful of serving size, you don't have to skip them altogether.
If you're buying nachos for one, consider choosing from Taco Bell's sides. An order of chips and salsa is only 180 calories.
You can further customize an order of nachos (and reduce calories, fat, and carbohydrates) by substituting salsa for cheese sauce, beans for beef, or even going meatless.
✓ Triple Layer Nachos
The Triple Layer Nachos, the only vegetarian option, come with refried beans, nacho cheese sauce, and red sauce. With no upgrades, these nachos provide 320 calories, 15g total fat (23% DV), 2g saturated fat, 40g carbohydrates (13% DV), 7g protein, and 480mg sodium (20% DV).
To add flavor with minimal added calories, add diced onions (0 calories) or order it supreme, which adds reduced-fat sour cream and diced tomatoes (25 calories). You can also order your nachos with "easy" nacho cheese sauce to save 15 calories.
✗Nachos BellGrande
Taco Bell's Nachos BellGrande, on the other hand, clocks in at 740 calories, 38g total fat (58% DV), 7g saturated fat, 82g carbohydrates (27% DV), 16g protein, and 1,050mg sodium (44% DV).
Taco Bell Sweets
Taco Bell offers just two dessert-like options: the Cinnamon Twists and Cinnabon Delights. The high-calorie, high-carb Cinnabon Delights don’t have to be off-limits—just enjoy them in moderation. For instance, if you get a large order to share with colleagues, keep in mind that one or two of the treats constitutes a serving.
It’s also possible to order just two Cinnabon Delights at the drive-thru for 160 calories. If you’re watching your fat intake, however, Cinnamon Twists are the lower-fat choice.
✓ Cinnamon Twists
The Cinnamon Twists come in at 170 calories, 6g total fat (9% DV), 0g saturated fat, 27g carbohydrates (9% DV), 1g protein, 15g sugar, and 210mg sodium (9% DV).
✗ Cinnabon Delights
A two-pack of Cinnabon Delights provides 160 calories, 9g total fat (14% DV), 2g saturated fat, 17g carbohydrates (6% DV), 2g protein, 10g sugar, and 80mg sodium (3% DV). The Cinnabon Delights also comes in a 12-pack, which clocks in at 930 calories and is intended to be shared.
Taco Bell Sides
Taco Bell's sides are limited, with just a few choices to include black beans, beans and rice, and Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes.
✓ Black Beans
The black beans offer a vegetarian option with 50 calories, 1g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 8g carbohydrates, 2g protein, and 135mg sodium.
✗ Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes
The Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes, on the other hand, come in at 230 calories, 12g total fat (18% DV), 2g saturated fat, 28g carbohydrates (9% DV), 3g protein, and 520mg sodium (22% DV). While cheesy potatoes have the same amount of calories and less fat than an order of chips and guacamole, they are higher in saturated fat, carbohydrates, and sodium.
Taco Bell Cravings Value Menu
The Cravings Value Menu offers a selection of low-price items that range in nutritional value.
✓ Spicy Potato Soft Taco
The Spicy Potato Soft Taco provides 240 calories, 12g total fat, 3g saturated fat, 28g carbohydrates, 5g protein, and 470mg sodium.
The spicy taco also offers nutrients with added tomatoes, lettuce, and more dietary fiber, making it a satiating option.
✗ Cheesy Double Beef Burrito
The Cheesy Double Beef Burrito provides 570 calories, 26g total fat, 10g saturated fat, 63g carbohydrates (19% DV), 9g protein, and 1,330 mg sodium (42% DV).
Ordering the burrito without seasoned rice saves 60 calories.
The original Power Menu Bowl comes with chicken, but it can be ordered with steak for an additional 10 calories. Off the menu, the Power Menu Bowl provides 480 calories, 20 g total fat (31% DV), 6 g saturated fat, 50 g carbohydrate (17% DV), 26 g protein, and 1,170 mg sodium (49% DV).
Taco Bell Drinks (Non-Alcoholic)
In addition to standard soft drinks available at most fast-food chains, Taco Bell offers an assortment of slushy drinks called Freezes.
Water is always the most nutritious beverage choice, whether you’re dining out or at home. When considering the other beverage options at Taco Bell, avoid fountain drinks and “freezes” made with syrups that are high in sugar.
✓ Lipton Unsweetened Iced Tea
The best beverage option is plain water, but if you're in the mood for something with more flavor, consider a small Lipton Unsweetened Iced Tea (16oz), which provides 0 calories, 0g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 0g carbohydrates, 0g protein, 0g sugar, and 160mg sodium.
✗ Mountain Dew Baja Blast
Among the least nutritious drink options is the Mountain Dew Baja Blast. A small (16oz) cup comes in at 220 calories, 0g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 59g carbohydrates (20% DV), 0g protein, 59g sugar, and 65mg sodium (3% DV). A large (30 oz) size ups the sugar content to 110g and calories to 420.
At participating locations, alcoholic beverages are found on Taco Bell’s Cantina menu.
Taco Bell Diet-Specific Options
Depending on your individual dietary needs and preferences, you can customize many dishes to avoid certain ingredients or alter the nutritional content of a meal. Taco Bell offers choices for vegetarian diets, but without customizing the menu items the restaurant doesn't have strict gluten-free, low-FODMAP, low-sodium, low-carb, or diabetes-friendly options.
Gluten-Free
The restaurant recommends caution when ordering if you have a gluten sensitivity. For example, even though tortillas and chips are often corn-based and don’t contain gluten, they may be prepared alongside products containing gluten.
Because even gluten-free options are prepared in proximity to gluten-containing foods, Taco Bell does not recommend any items on its menu for people who have celiac disease.
Vegetarian
With its highly customizable menu, most of Taco Bell’s standards can be made to order without animal products. For example, you could build a taco or burrito that doesn’t have meat or cheese but has extra vegetables or beans instead.
- Spicy Tostada
- Bean Burrito
- Black Beans and Rice
- Cheese Quesadilla
However, it should be noted any food prepared on the premises may have come into contact with meat or dairy products and may have been stored or prepared on surfaces or by employees who have handled these ingredients. Additionally, many non-animal ingredients may have been purchased from suppliers that produce animal products.
Some Taco Bell locations have specific menu items and preparations for vegetarian and vegan customers, but it varies by region. If you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, ask your local restaurant for options.
Food Allergies and Safety
In addition to Taco Bell nutrition info on its menu, the restaurant's website also offers a tool to help people avoid allergens, including fish, dairy, nuts, soy, eggs, and gluten. However, if you have food allergies, it’s important to keep in mind that even if a dish doesn’t contain the allergen, it may have been prepared near the allergen.
While Taco Bell’s menu does not feature peanuts, tree nuts, fish, or shellfish, other ingredients used may have been produced in facilities that also produce those allergens.
A Word From Verywell
The occasional meal at Taco Bell doesn't have to interfere with your overall dietary goals. Given the restaurant's highly customizable menu (with plenty of protein options), it's possible to assemble healthier choices for an occasional treat or convenient stop.
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