Eat right! Eat healthy Mexican Food!

A lot of Americans consider Mexican food as being one of their favorite cuisines and many Americans consume Mexican food at least once a week. Mexican recipes are well loved throughout the United States but Americanized Mexican recipes and authentic Mexican recipes often differ greatly. Americans are fond of adding extra fat and super-sizing their portions. If you visit Mexico, you might not even find the same dishes because Americans have created their own versions of a lot of them. Traditional Mexican food contains a lot of fresh vegetables, vitamins, spices, and proteins, the portion sizes are smaller, and a lot less fat is added.


Healthy Mexican Food versus Unhealthy Mexican Fast Food

Traditional Mexican dishes are usually healthy Mexican food. Tomatoes, which are used in a lot of traditional Mexican recipes contain lycopene, which fights cancer, and are rich in vitamins. This does not mean you should not enjoy American style Mexican food but you can make it healthier if you make your own or visit Mexican fast food outlets less often.

The Makings of Healthy Mexican Food?

Beans are high in protein and fiber and can be added whole to recipes rather than refried because this cuts back on fat. Corn is a common Mexican food addition, which can maintain a healthy heart. It contains fiber and is high in vitamin content. Adding such ingredients as corn, whole beans and tomatoes to your Mexican recipes can promote health and cut back on fat while maintaining a great Mexican flavor in your dishes.

So, do Mexicans eat healthily? Well, there are plenty of health food stores in America where we can buy healthy food alternatives and there are also health food stores in Mexico. In fact, over $500 million is spent on health foods yearly in Mexico. Not everybody can afford to pay more for health foods however.

Five percent of the population of Mexico regularly consumes health foods. They range from twenty to fifty in age and normally live in metropolitan areas where health food shops are located. Even Mexicans with less money eat more healthily than most Americans. Traditional Mexican recipes are healthier than a lot of American recipes and Americanized Mexican dishes. In addition, Mexicans use different cooking methods and do not use fattening cooking methods such as deep-frying as often as Americans do.

Mexican Food Pyramid Food for a Healthy You

You are probably wondering again, is Mexican food healthy for me. Authentic Mexican dishes are, because they carry many vitamins and are generally low in fat. America has fattened up the Mexican dishes making them not a good choice. If you want to go out to eat, try avoiding the major Mexican food chain restaurants. Find a restaurant that serves authentic dishes. It is healthier and will taste even better knowing you are giving your body good foods.