Is Taco Bell Bad For You?
Short answer
When it comes to fast food, healthy options are hard to come by. Taco Bell is one of the worst fast food offenders, with few healthy choices to be found on the menu.
Category 'F' is for things that fail to bring anything beneficial to the table, and are very harmful to your health. We recommend completely avoiding anything in this category. Long-term side effects of 'F' items are usually very serious.
View Full Grading System
Category 'A'
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. Side effects are rare. Things rated an 'A+' are typically necessary for survival (for example, water).
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. A few harmful qualities may be associated, but only under certain circumstances such as an allergic reaction.
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. Harmful qualities may be associated, but aren't usually serious.
It is important to note that even the best things in life can become bad in immoderate amounts. So, although something may be rated an 'A+', overconsumption/overdoing can bring unwanted effects.
Category 'B'
Very beneficial to your health. Things rated a 'B+' may have a few harmful qualities to pay attention to.
Overall beneficial to your health. Things rated a 'B' may have some harmful qualities to pay attention to.
More beneficial to your health than not. However, harmful qualities are most likely associated and shouldn't be overlooked.
The main difference between category 'A' and category 'B' is the harmful qualities typically present in 'B' items. Serious side effects are usually uncommon, but are still possible and should be taken note of.
Category 'C'
Both beneficial and harmful qualities associated. Things rated a 'C+' are typically a bit more on the beneficial side. Still, moderation is important.
A fairly even ratio of beneficial and harmful qualities. Moderation is important. Very general topics that can lean towards both sides of the spectrum will be placed here as well. Rice, for example, can be good or bad depending on the type.
More harmful than beneficial. Side effects are common, especially when consumed/done excessively. Moderation is very important.
Category 'C' usually denotes to both good and bad qualities. When it comes to this category, it is important to keep this word in mind: moderation.
Category 'D'
Harmful to your health. Although benefits may be associated, the bad most likely outweighs the good. Moderation is very important.
Harmful to your health. A few benefits may be associated, but the bad outweighs the good. Moderation is extremely important.
Harmful to your health. Very few, if any, benefits are present. Things in this category should be avoided as much as possible.
Category 'D' is typically for things that are more harmful than beneficial. While consuming/doing something unhealthy once in a blue moon shouldn't hurt, we definitely recommend eliminating 'D' items as a regular part of your routine/diet.
Category 'F'
Category 'F' is for things that fail to bring anything beneficial to the table, and are very harmful to your health. We recommend completely avoiding anything in this category. Long-term side effects of 'F' items are usually very serious.
Category 'N'
'N' stands for neutral. Things placed into this category are generally (a) neither good nor bad for you, or (b) lack the necessary evidence to reach any conclusions.
Long answer
Taco Bell is a popular alternative to fast food restaurants that serve the standard burgers and fries. As one of the most popular Mexican fast food chains, Taco Bell serves over 2 billion tacos every year. The food may be convenient, but it’s also full of ingredients that will pack on the pounds and take a real toll on your health.
A major issue with food from Taco Bell is the processing that goes into creating the ingredients. A regular bean burrito alone contains genetically modified organisms (GMOs), artificial preservatives, TBHQ, and a long list of additives. Although we won't be covering each ingredient in detail, it's imperative to know that each one does come with its own laundry list of side effects. Just as an example, TBHQ - a preservative used to increase shelf life - has been linked to asthma, dermatitis, and hyperactivity. GMOs, although still being studied, are said to have the potential to create new diseases never seen before.
The chain regularly shares that their beef recipe consists of 88% Premium Beef and 12% Signature Recipe. A few years back, their recipe was just 35% beef, but after being sued, they quickly made a change. It should also be noted that Taco Bell previously included the full list of ingredients in the signature recipe on their website, but strangely enough, replaced the information with a short statement about their seasoning and a commitment to using more simple ingredients.
In an effort to lose their reputation as being one of the most unhealthy fast food options, Taco Bell also committed to removing artificial trans fat, high fructose corn syrup, and palm oil from their menu items. However, that initiative didn’t apply to co-branded menu items like the Doritos Locos Tacos or any of the beverages offered.
The move to remove some of these ingredients was a step forward, but hasn’t solved the larger problem of a menu filled with saturated fat, calories, sodium, GMOs and various additives. At the very least, those ingredients will cause weight gain. More importantly, they can lead to a wide range of health issues including (but definitely not limited to) high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and heart disease. While the $1 tacos might be tempting, this cheap and easy food probably isn’t worth your health.
Possible short-term side effects
- nausea
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dehydration
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hyperactivity
Possible long-term side effects
- high cholesterol
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high blood pressure
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weight gain
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heart disease
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diabetes
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cancer
Ingredients to be aware of
Benefits
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Written by Healthy Living 35
Published on: 01-15-2016
Last updated: 12-10-2016
Thank you for your feedback!
Written by Healthy Living 35
Published on: 01-15-2016
Last updated: 12-10-2016
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