Tacos are a popular Mexican food that have become a staple in the American diet. 7-Eleven is a convenience store chain that sells a variety of foods, including mini tacos. For people watching their calorie intake or managing their weight, knowing the calorie content of foods is important. This article will examine the calorie count of 10 mini tacos from 7-Eleven.
Calories in Mini Tacos from 7-Eleven
7-Eleven sells mini tacos in orders of 10. According to the 7-Eleven website, 10 mini tacos contain 810 calories. Here is a breakdown of the nutrition information for 10 mini tacos from 7-Eleven:
| Nutrition Facts | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 810 |
| Total Fat | 45g |
| Saturated Fat | 16g |
| Trans Fat | 0.5g |
| Cholesterol | 105mg |
| Sodium | 1280mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 71g |
| Dietary Fiber | 4g |
| Total Sugars | 3g |
| Protein | 24g |
As you can see, 10 mini tacos from 7-Eleven contain a significant amount of calories, fat, and sodium.
Calorie Needs
To determine if 810 calories is a lot for one snack, it helps to understand general calorie needs. The number of calories a person needs per day varies based on factors like age, gender, height, weight, and activity level.
According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015-2020, here are some estimated calorie needs per day based on age and gender for moderately active individuals:
| Age/Gender | Calorie Needs |
|---|---|
| Child (4-8 years) | 1,400-1,600 calories |
| Pre-teen female (9-13 years) | 1,600-2,000 calories |
| Pre-teen male (9-13 years) | 1,800-2,200 calories |
| Teen female (14-18 years) | 1,800-2,400 calories |
| Teen male (14-18 years) | 2,000-3,200 calories |
| Adult female (19-30 years) | 2,000-2,400 calories |
| Adult male (19-30 years) | 2,400-3,000 calories |
As you can see from these estimates, 810 calories represents a significant percentage of most people’s total daily calorie needs. For example, for an adult woman who needs around 2,000 calories per day, 10 mini tacos would provide over 40% of her daily calorie needs in just one snack.
Macronutrient Breakdown
In addition to the high calorie count, the macronutrient breakdown of 10 mini tacos is worth analyzing.
Macronutrients refer to the main sources of calories and energy in food: protein, carbohydrates and fat. 10 mini tacos contain:
– Protein: 24g
– Fat: 45g
– Carbohydrates: 71g
The recommended intake of these macronutrients as a percentage of total daily calories is:
– Protein: 10-35%
– Fat: 20-35%
– Carbohydrates: 45-65%
For a 2,000 calorie diet:
| Macronutrient | Recommended Intake in Grams |
|---|---|
| Protein | 50-175g |
| Fat | 44-78g |
| Carbohydrates | 225-325g |
The 10 mini tacos provide:
– 24g protein: 12% of calories
– 45g fat: 50% of calories
– 71g carbs: 38% of calories
As you can see, the mini tacos are quite high in fat compared to the recommended percentage of daily calories from fat. They are also a bit low in protein and carbohydrates.
The quality of the fat and carbohydrates also matters. The mini tacos contain mostly saturated fat, which should be limited, and refined carbohydrates rather than fiber-rich complex carbs.
Sodium Content
In addition to the high calorie and fat content, the sodium level in 10 mini tacos is very high at 1,280mg.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends limiting sodium intake to less than 2,300mg per day. For individuals with hypertension or prehypertension, the recommendation is to consume less than 1,500mg per day.
Since the 10 mini tacos provide over half of the daily sodium limit alone, they are considered a high sodium food. Consuming high sodium foods regularly can increase the risk of high blood pressure and associated health issues.
Processing Level of Mini Tacos
When evaluating the healthfulness of a food, it is also important to consider the degree of processing. Heavily processed foods tend to be higher in calories, fat, salt and other additives.
7-Eleven mini tacos are made from a wheat flour tortilla, ground beef, cheddar cheese, and seasonings. They are assembled and then deep fried. This makes them a heavily processed food.
Some healthier taco alternatives would be soft corn tortilla tacos with lean grilled meat or fish, salsa, onions, cilantro and pineapple. Homemade tacos generally contain fewer calories and additives than fast food tacos from convenience stores.
Mini Taco Ingredients
To gain more insight into the nutritional value of 7-Eleven mini tacos, examining the ingredients list is useful:
– Enriched bleached wheat flour – Refined grains are digested quickly and spike blood sugar. Whole grains are healthier.
– Vegetable oil – Oils like canola, corn and soybean oil are high in inflammatory omega-6 fats. Olive oil would be healthier.
– Beef – Fresh lean beef in moderation can be healthy. Processed mystery meat is not ideal. Grass-fed is healthiest.
– Water, seasoning (spices, garlic powder, onion powder, hydrolyzed corn protein, yeast extract, dried chicken broth, natural flavorings), modified food starch, salt, sugar, paprika extract. – Lots of additives, flavorings and sodium. Fresh, natural spices would be better.
– Cheddar cheese – Real cheese in moderation is fine. Low-fat would be healthier.
– Anti-caking agent (tricalcium phosphate) – Unnecessary additive.
Clearly, the mini tacos are made with refined ingredients and contain additives common in processed foods. Making tacos at home with whole food ingredients results in a healthier, less processed option.
Mini Taco Nutritional Value
Given the high calorie, fat, and sodium content, along with the heavily processed ingredients, the mini tacos have low nutritional value.
Some signs the mini tacos have poor nutritional value:
– High in calories, fat, saturated fat, sodium
– Low in fiber, vitamins, minerals
– Mostly refined grains and added sugars
– Heavy processing
– Numerous additives and preservatives
The mini tacos provide a lot of empty calories and fat without much nutritional benefit. Some healthier taco options contain more fiber, vitamins, minerals, lean protein, healthy fats and less sodium.
Healthier Taco Alternatives
For those looking for a healthier taco option, here are some ideas:
– Lettuce wraps – Replace tortilla with lettuce leaves
– Fish or shrimp – Use leaner proteins than beef
– Extra veggies – Add tomatoes, onions, peppers, spinach
– Avocado – Use instead of cheese for healthy fat
– Greek yogurt or salsa – Substitute for sour cream
– Whole grain tortilla – Look for 100% whole wheat
– Beans or lentils – Good vegetarian taco filling
– Spice it up – Use cayenne, cumin, coriander, cinnamon
– Go easy on salt – Flavor with herbs and spices instead
Making tacos at home allows control over the ingredients. Portion sizes can be managed as well. Some additional taco tips:
– Watch the toppings – Cheese, sour cream and guacamole can add a lot of calories. Use sparingly.
– Grill don’t fry – Try grilled shrimp or fish, or pan cooked lean ground turkey instead of fried beef.
– Make it a meal – Add refried beans, brown rice, salad for more nutrition.
Overall, there are many ways to create healthier, homemade versions of tacos that will be lower in fat, calories and sodium compared to the mini tacos from 7-Eleven.
Should You Eat 10 Mini Tacos in One Sitting?
Based on the nutritional information covered, it is clear that 10 mini tacos from 7-Eleven make for a high calorie, high fat, high sodium snack with low nutritional value. Therefore, it is not recommended from a health standpoint to consume that many mini tacos in one sitting.
A few mini tacos along with other more balanced foods and sides may be okay for some people occasionally. However, making a habit of consuming 10 mini tacos as a single snack would likely contribute to weight gain and negatively impact health over time due to excess calories, saturated fat, sodium and additives.
Here is a summary of the key reasons why eating 10 mini tacos in one sitting is not ideal:
– Provides over 800 calories, which is 40% or more of most people’s daily needs
– High in saturated fat and sodium
– Low in protein, fiber and nutrients
– Heavily processed with many additives
– Can lead to weight gain and associated health risks
– Better options are available for snacks and meals
For a healthier approach, consumers should consider:
– Eating a single serving of 2-3 mini tacos at most
– Accompanying mini tacos with fruits, vegetables, yogurt, whole grains
– Opting for homemade tacos made with lean proteins, whole grains, lots of veggies and minimal salt
– Choosing better snacks like hummus and veggies, cottage cheese and fruit, hard boiled eggs, etc.
While an occasional indulgence of a few mini tacos may be fine, it is best for overall health to avoid consuming excessive quantities in one sitting.
Conclusion
In summary, 10 mini tacos from 7-Eleven contain a total of 810 calories, 45g of fat, 71g of carbohydrates and 1,280mg of sodium. This represents over 40% of most people’s recommended daily calorie intake from just one snack. The mini tacos are also low in protein, fiber and nutrients. Made with heavily processed ingredients and deep fried, 10 mini tacos do not represent a healthy snack choice.
Consuming this quantity of mini tacos in one sitting is not recommended, as it can lead to weight gain and negative health effects over time. Those concerned with their health and nutrition should aim to limit mini taco intake to 2-3 at most, accompany them with healthier sides, and focus on making tacos at home with whole food ingredients. Tacos can be part of an overall balanced diet, but excessive intake of highly processed options like 7-Eleven mini tacos should be avoided for optimal health.
