Are tacos healthy or not?

Time of India

a day ago

Image credits: Getty Images
Tacos are one of the most loved and delicious foods globally! While the dish originated in Mexico it has crossed borders to become a dish that is consumed by Americans 4.5 billion times in a year.
Yes, America's love for tacos is definitely not under the wraps.
Recently, the word 'taco' has reached a new limelight with it being associated with the President of the United States of America,
Donald Trump
. Americans have been referring to the POTUS as 'TACO Trump' which extends to 'Trump Always Chickens Out'. Memes of the president with his head replaced with a chicken have been all over the internet.
The term was coined by Financial Times columnist Robert Armstrong mentioning how there have been numerous instances where the President has pushed back deadlines, lowered tariffs and backed off from his staunch stands on tariffs he imposed on certain countries.
"...The US administration does not have a very high tolerance for market and economic pressure, and will be quick to back off when tariffs cause pain. This is the Taco theory: Trump Always Chickens Out,' wrote Armstrong in his column.
Ever since, 'taco' has been trending on social media and news media across the globe with people trying to figure out why the term is viral in association with Trump. The trend also has people craving the quick and flavourful snack while reading about it all around. While tacos are definitely easy to make and are served by some big brands such as Taco Bell and Jack in the Box, are these wrapped snacks really healthy to eat or not? Let's take a closer look!
How are tacos made?
Image credits: Getty Images
The origin of tacos goes back to 18th-century Mexico, where they first gained popularity.
The term itself comes from the mining lingo, referring to paper wrapped around gunpowder inserted into rocks.
Over the years, the dish grew in popularity and when Mexican migrants moved to the United States more and more people got introduced to the delicious tacos.
Tacos are pretty simple to make. The recipe involves a tortilla made from corn or wheat. The fillings are the second most important part which can be experimented with from chicken, beef, slow-cooked pork, white fish, beans, sweet potatoes or even lamb.
The salsas and sauces make up the soul of the taco and are very vital to its taste. You can garnish it with the classic guacamole, sour cream, cheese or some kimchi too!
Are tacos healthy
or not?
Image credits: Getty Images
Well, the layman makes the ingredients the defining factor. If you include healthy ingredients such as fruits and vegetables that are rich in vitamins, minerals, fibre, polyphenols and antioxidants they can actually be healthy to eat.
You can include vegetables such as cilantro, lettuce, cabbage, onions, tomatoes, potatoes, radishes and other vegetables.
In terms of fruits, you can add avocado, black olives, lime juice, mango, pineapple, and peaches.
Tacos with beef, chicken, fish and shrimp are high in protein, and omega-3 fatty acids and low in fats. The tortillas that are made from nixtamalized corn have high niacin bioavailability as per a 2016 study.
However, eating tacos is not all on the sunny side. A study published in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology by researchers from George Washington University, the Southwest Research Institute, Boston University and Harvard University ordered from six popular fast food chains including McDonald's and Taco Bell to test if the food has plasticizing chemicals.
Around 80% of samples contained a chemical called Phthalates, which interfere with hormonal function and lead to problems in fertility and child development.
But, this still remains limited to store-bought tacos.
Scientists from the Technologico Nacional de Mexico, Univ Estadual Paulista and the University of Sao Paulo used SHIME to
study
the effects of tacos in a model intestinal system to show that the production of SCFA and acetate increased whereas the ammonia ions were reduced in three simulated colon vessels.
"Mexican "taco" showed a possible potential functional profile of an ancestral staple food due to the production of SCFA and the decrease in ammonium ion concentrations during its fermentation," wrote the researchers.
Thus, tacos can be extremely healthy to eat if prepared with natural flavours and ingredients at home, however, store-bought tacos like any other in-store creation have their own cons of consumption.
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