Is Chipotle Healthy? What is Chipotle?

Before you come to know that is chipotle healthy, you must first know what actually is a chipotle and how is it produced.

About Chipotle

Chipotle also is known as chilpotle is a Nahuatl word chilpoctli which mean smoked chili is a smoke-dried jalapeno. Chipotle is a type of chili mostly used in Mexican and Mexican-inspired dishes such as Mexican-American, Tex-Mex, and Southwestern dishes.

The heat of chipotle is similar to that of jalapeno, Anaheim pepper, Tabasco sauce, Hungarian wax pepper, Espelette pepper and Guajillo pepper.

How is it produced?

The varieties of Jalapenos differ in size and heat. Mexican call jalapeno as gordo or cuaresmeno. Chipotles are mostly found in markets of central and southern Mexico.

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The jalapeno grower passes from the jalapeno field many times and picks the unripe, green jalapenos for the market. The jalapenos become naturally ripen and turn red at the end of their growing season. There is a separate market for ripe red jalapenos in Mexico and U.S.

These jalapenos are kept on a bush for as long as possible. When these jalapenos become dark red and lose most of their moisture, they are picked to make chipotles.

These jalapenos are moved to a closed smoking chamber and spread on a metal grill, but in recent years mostly producers started using large gas dryers. Wood is placed in a firebox, and smoke enters the sealed chamber.

After every few hours, the jalapenos are mixed in the smoke. The jalapenos are smoked for several days to remove the moisture completely.

In the end, chipotles are dry like prunes and raisins.  The heat of jalapenos combines with the taste of smoke. Approximately ten pounds of jalapenos make one pound of chipotles after being thoroughly dried.  

Is Chipotle Healthy?

If you frequently visit the fast food chain restaurant Chipotle, then you must have wondered that is chipotle healthy? By examining its ingredient, you can have a better understanding that is chipotle healthy? Therefore chose the options to make your next Chipotle outing a healthier one. Following are the ingredients used in Chipotle:

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Sodium Content

The sodium content of Chipotle can be considered as one of its biggest drawbacks when it comes to health. The question arises that is chipotle healthy?. The amazing taste you experience when you eat a Chipotle burrito will cost you around 2000 milligrams of sodium depending on the options you are choosing.

It is recommended to take less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day.

Intake of sodium more than this amount may cause high blood pressure and heart disease. By eating one chipotle burrito, you come close to the recommended sodium limit for the day.

Protein

Is chipotle healthy? they have large amount of protein. One plus point of Chipotle menu items is that they contain an abundant and healthy amount of protein. You can add your choice of chicken, steak, carnitas, tofu or barbacoa either you chose a burrito, tacos, a bowl or salad.

Along with these beans and rice are also served with all orders. Chipotle item served with rice and beans come in at a solid 40 to 50 grams of protein. 

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Calories

Also Chipotle is a calorie rich option for dining out. A Chipotle burrito is containing chicken, white rice, pinto beans, tomato salsa, lettuce, sour cream, cheese, guacamole and green salsa tips the scale at hefty 1,180 calories.

If you are dropping calories, then it is recommended that you must drop tortilla and go with a bowl or a salad to save your 290 calories.

An average adult who consumes approximately 2000 calories per day, Chipotle may put them over their limit. The calorie intake can be reduced at by leaving the cheese and sour cream.

GMOs

The hot-button issue right now is  GMOs or Genetically modified organisms. Most of the people who are conscious about their health want to know that are they being served GMOs. Among some of the restaurants, Chipotle is the one of them which have met the demands of the public on the issue of GMOs.

The website of Chipotle lists those ingredients which are genetically modified so that the people who want to avoid these can avoid them. The GMO ingredients include soya bean used on chicken fajita vegetables, brown and white rice, steak, flour tortillas, and the honey vinaigrette and corn products utilized in both corn and flour tortillas and tortilla chips.

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Therefore, is Chipotle healthy? The answer is that it depends. If you consume 1500 calories from the secret menu of Chipotle, then you are doing wrong. Portion size is the most important thing to keep in mind before eating at Chipotle.

Chipotle also has many healthy options, so it is all about navigating through the menu and making a meal that is good for you.