Madeleine Hull
Chipotle is a popular choice for people on the keto diet because of its customisable menu. While the restaurant is known for its tortilla chips and burritos, it is still possible to eat there while adhering to a keto diet. The key is to choose the right base, protein, toppings, and drinks. For example, a burrito bowl with lettuce, sour cream, and cheese has only 5 grams of carbs. However, a serving of tortilla chips has 66 grams of net carbs, so it is best to avoid them.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Eating keto at Chipotle | Possible |
| Customization | High |
| Keto-friendly options | Keto bowl, burrito bowl, salad bowl, cauliflower rice, meat, cheese, low-carb veggies, guacamole, salsa, unsweetened iced tea, Coke Zero |
| Non-keto-friendly options | Tortillas, chips, burritos, rice, beans, roasted-chili corn salsa, vinaigrette dressing, regular soda |
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What You'll Learn
Chipotle's keto-friendly options
Chipotle offers a wide range of keto-friendly options that can be customised to fit a ketogenic diet. Here are some tips and suggestions for ordering keto-friendly meals at Chipotle:
Customisation:
Chipotle allows customers to customise their orders, giving them control over every ingredient that goes into their meal. This makes it easy to create keto-friendly combinations that suit your preferences and dietary needs.
Keto-Friendly Ingredients:
When ordering keto at Chipotle, focus on low-carb proteins, toppings, and sides. Here are some keto-friendly options to consider:
- Proteins: Steak, chicken, barbacoa beef, and carnitas pork are excellent choices. Mixing and matching proteins adds flavour and variety to your meal.
- Toppings: Romaine lettuce, cheese, sour cream, guacamole, and salsas like fresh tomato salsa or tomatillo green chilli salsa are great low-carb toppings.
- Sides: Cauliflower rice is the ideal keto-friendly side, but it may not always be available. If it's not an option, stick to water or choose from the available low-carb drink options.
Ingredients to Avoid:
To keep your Chipotle meal keto-friendly, it's best to avoid certain high-carb ingredients. Here's what to skip:
- Tortillas: Both flour tortillas and corn tortillas have a high carb count. This includes tortilla chips, burritos, and tacos.
- Rice: White and brown rice, including cilantro-lime varieties, are high in carbs and should be avoided.
- Beans: Pinto and black beans are too high in carbs for a keto diet.
- High-Carb Salsas: Stay away from salsas with high sugar or carb content, such as roasted chilli corn salsa.
- Sweetened Drinks: Regular sodas and sweetened beverages can add unwanted carbs to your meal, so stick to water or unsweetened options.
Keto-Friendly Orders:
- Keto Salad Bowl: This is the go-to keto option. Fill your bowl with meat, cheese, low-carb vegetables like lettuce, and keto-friendly toppings. Skip the rice, beans, and tortillas.
- Burrito Bowl: Instead of a tortilla, opt for a bowl. Choose meat and low-carb toppings, avoiding rice and beans.
- Lifestyle Bowls: Chipotle offers special bowls like the Whole30, Paleo, or Keto Bowl, which has only 6 grams of net carbs.
- Drinks: Stick to water or choose sugar-free options like unsweetened iced tea or Coke Zero.
Remember, when in doubt, check the nutrition facts and use Chipotle's online nutrition calculator to make informed choices. Enjoy exploring the keto-friendly options at Chipotle!
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High-carb foods to avoid
The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, moderate-protein, and very low-carbohydrate diet. Carbohydrates are the body's preferred source of energy, but on a strict ketogenic diet, only 5% to 10% of energy intake comes from carbohydrates. The reduction in carbohydrates puts the body into a metabolic state called ketosis, where it starts breaking down stored fat into molecules called ketone bodies to use for energy.
While on a keto diet, it is best to avoid high-carb foods such as:
- Starchy vegetables like corn, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and beets. Peas also have a higher amount of carbs than other green veggies.
- High-sugar fruits like bananas, especially at the beginning of the diet or when trying to lose weight. Berries are a good lower-carb choice.
- Glazed ham and other processed meats, which may be cooked with a sugar coating.
- Beans and legumes, which are high in fiber and protein but also carbohydrates. They may be included in small amounts, but they can take up a large percentage of the daily carb intake.
- Milk, which has 12 grams of sugar (lactose) per cup. Almond or coconut milk are low-carb alternatives.
- Chips, crackers, and other processed, grain-based snack foods, which are high in carbohydrates and low in fiber.
- White and brown rice, which are low-quality carbs.
- Flour tortillas, which have 47 net carbs per serving.
- Corn tortillas and corn salsa, which have 13 grams of net carbs in a 4-ounce serving.
- Regular soda and sweetened drinks, which can quickly add unwanted carbs to a meal.
Chipotle is a popular choice for people on the keto diet because it offers many low-carb options and allows customers to customize their orders. Some high-carb foods to avoid at Chipotle include burritos, tortillas, chips, rice, and beans.
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Keto-friendly salad bowls
While it is possible to eat keto at Chipotle, it is important to be mindful of the carbs in the ingredients. Some items to avoid include burritos, tortillas, tortilla chips, rice, and beans. However, there are still plenty of keto-friendly options available, such as meat, cheese, guacamole, and low-carb vegetables. You can also customize your order to ensure it fits your dietary needs.
Now, here are some ideas for keto-friendly salad bowls:
Keto Salad Bowl
This salad bowl from Maebells is a healthy lunch option with only 2.9 net carbs. It consists of a chaffle bowl filled with tender chicken, greens, vegetables, and ranch dressing. Chaffles are essentially "cheese waffles" made mostly from eggs and shredded cheese, with almond flour and baking powder added for lift and improved texture. You can use a waffle bowl maker to prepare the chaffle bowl, and then fill it with your desired ingredients.
Mediterranean Salad
This flavorful and crunchy salad is packed with cucumbers, tomatoes, riced cauliflower, and feta cheese. It is a low-carb, keto-friendly option that is perfect for a summer picnic or a quick and easy lunch. The lemon dressing and kalamata olives add a nice tang to the salad. This salad can also be paired with Greek Gyro Meatballs and Tzatziki Sauce for a Greek-inspired feast.
Keto Antipasto Salad
This salad from Maebells is perfect for when you don't want to cook but still want a healthy, protein-packed meal. It includes a variety of keto-friendly meats and cheeses, such as salami, pepperoni, mozzarella, and Parmesan. You can also add in some vegetables like peppers, olives, and artichoke hearts.
Buffalo Chicken Cobb Salad
Another great option from Maebells, this salad features crunchy, keto-friendly chicken strips coated in a delicious buffalo sauce. It is filled with flavor and is sure to satisfy your cravings. You can serve it as a main course or a side dish.
Seafood Salad
This salad from Diet Doctor combines protein-rich shrimp and salmon with avocado, mayonnaise, and sour cream to create a delicious and nutritious keto meal. It is a great way to get your healthy fats and proteins while sticking to your keto diet.
Remember, when creating your own keto-friendly salad bowls, focus on ingredients that are low in carbs and high in healthy fats and proteins. Get creative and experiment with different combinations of meats, cheeses, vegetables, and dressings to find your favorite keto-friendly salad bowls!
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Customising your keto meal
Chipotle is a great place to eat keto, with its varied options and flexibility in customising your meal. Here are some tips for creating a keto-friendly meal at Chipotle:
Bases
The burrito bowl is a good option as it avoids the tortilla wrap, which is high in carbs. You can also opt for a salad bowl, but be mindful of the vinaigrette dressing, which is also high in carbs. Instead, choose a keto-friendly base like romaine lettuce, which comes with the added bonus of guacamole.
Proteins
All of the protein options at Chipotle are keto-friendly and low-carb. These include steak, chicken, barbacoa, carnitas, chorizo, and sofritas.
Sides and Toppings
When it comes to sides and toppings, there are plenty of low-carb options to choose from. You can add extra veggies to your bowl, such as cauliflower rice, which is the only keto-friendly rice option. You can also include cheese, sour cream, and various salsas, such as fresh tomato salsa or tomatillo green chilli salsa. Just be mindful to avoid high-carb toppings like beans, rice, and corn salsa.
Drinks
While water is always the best option when following a low-carb diet, Chipotle also offers sugar-free drinks like unsweetened iced tea and Coke Zero.
Customisation Tips
Customising your meal at Chipotle is easy and gives you full control over your order. You can choose exactly what goes on your plate, making it a convenient option for those seeking low-carb dining. You can even recreate Chipotle's keto-friendly options at home if you prefer to cook your own meals.
In summary, eating keto at Chipotle is simple and convenient. By choosing the right bases, proteins, sides, and drinks, you can create a delicious and satisfying keto meal that fits your dietary needs.
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Keto-friendly drinks
Chipotle is a great place to eat keto, as it offers a variety of keto-friendly options and allows you to customize your order. You can build your own keto meal by choosing from a range of proteins, toppings, and sauces. However, there are some ingredients that you should avoid, such as burritos, tortillas, rice, and beans, as they are high in carbohydrates.
Now, when it comes to keto-friendly drinks, here are some options besides water:
- Tea: Plain tea, especially herbal infusions like chamomile, are excellent choices as they are carb- and calorie-free. Tea is also rich in antioxidants, which can promote heart health.
- Coffee: Like tea, plain black coffee is a no-carb, no-calorie option. However, adding sugar or milk can increase the carb count.
- Sparkling Water: Whether it's plain or flavored, sparkling water is a refreshing option that won't knock you out of ketosis.
- Unsweetened Plant-Based Milk: Unsweetened almond or coconut milk, for example, can be a great keto-friendly option. Just be mindful of flavored and sweetened varieties, as they often contain too much sugar.
- Diet Soda: While technically keto-compliant, diet sodas like Diet Coke may not be the best choice due to their artificial sweeteners. These sweeteners may negatively impact your gut health and strengthen sugar cravings.
- Fruit and Vegetable Juices: While fruit juices are generally high in sugar, lemon and lime juices are low-carb exceptions. Some vegetable juices can also be keto-friendly, but juicing removes most of the fiber.
- Alcohol: Unlike many diets, keto allows moderate consumption of specific alcoholic beverages. Dry red and white wine is fine in moderation, and spirits like vodka, gin, and whiskey have no carbs. However, beer is generally not keto-friendly.
Remember, water is always the healthiest choice as it's free of calories, carbs, and additives. But these keto-friendly drink options can provide some variety and help you stay hydrated while on a keto diet.
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Frequently asked questions
No, chipotle chips are not keto-friendly as they are considered high-carb snacks. A serving of chips has 66g of net carbs.
Chipotle offers a variety of keto-friendly options, including meat, cheese, and low-carb vegetables. You can build your own keto bowl or salad with various toppings such as romaine lettuce, green salsa, guacamole, and sour cream. You can also choose from several protein options such as steak, chicken, and barbacoa.
You should avoid high-carb options such as burritos, tortillas, tortilla chips, rice (both white and brown), beans (both black and pinto), and regular sodas or sweetened drinks.
