A cantina Crispy Melt taco from Taco Bell contains 730 calories (kcal). This taco features a double portion of seasoned beef, three-cheese blend, crispy red strips, chipotle sauce, reduced fat sour cream and cilantro in a soft flatbread coated with melted cheese on the exterior.
Nutrition Facts
The nutrition information for a cantina Crispy Melt taco is as follows:
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 730 |
| Total Fat | 41g |
| Saturated Fat | 16g |
| Trans Fat | 1.5g |
| Cholesterol | 105mg |
| Sodium | 1330mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 56g |
| Dietary Fiber | 3g |
| Sugars | 3g |
| Protein | 34g |
As you can see, the taco is very high in calories, fat, and sodium. The majority of calories come from fat (41g total fat). It also contains a considerable amount of protein (34g).
Ingredients
Here are the main ingredients in a cantina Crispy Melt taco:
- Seasoned beef – Contains both lean beef and fat for flavor. Beef is a good source of protein but can also be high in saturated fat.
- Three-cheese blend – A mix of cheeses like cheddar, Monterey jack, and mozzarella. Cheese adds a lot of fat and calories.
- Crispy red strips – These are tortilla strips that have been fried. Frying adds a lot of oil and boosts the calorie content.
- Chipotle sauce – Made from smoked chilis, this sauce adds flavor. Sauces often contain hidden sugars and sodium.
- Reduced fat sour cream – Sour cream adds a creamy, tangy flavor while keeping some of the fat content lower than regular sour cream.
- Cilantro – A fresh, flavorful herb that has minimal calories.
- Flatbread – The soft flatbread wrap helps hold all the ingredients. Breads and wraps add carbohydrates.
- Melted cheese exterior – Topping the flatbread with cheese and melting it makes the exterior crispy and cheesy. More cheese means more saturated fat and calories.
As you can see from the ingredients list, a major source of calories in this taco comes from high fat ingredients like beef, cheese, sour cream, and the crispy tortilla strips. Sauces and wraps also contribute carbohydrates and sodium.
Reasons for High Calorie Count
There are several reasons why the cantina Crispy Melt taco contains a very high amount of calories:
- Double portion of seasoned beef – Beef is a high calorie and high fat protein source. A double portion piles on the calories.
- Generous amount of cheese – Three-cheese blend plus melted cheese on the exterior really boosts saturated fat and calories.
- Fried tortilla strips – Frying tortillas adds a lot of oil, which means more calories.
- Fatty sour cream – While lower in fat than regular sour cream, it still contains a lot of fat compared to other taco toppings.
- Flatbread wrap – The soft flatbread is refined flour which quickly digests into sugar and spikes blood sugar.
- Large taco size – This is a sizable taco which allows all the high-calorie ingredients to add up.
- No fresh produce – No lettuce, tomato, or other fresh veggies to add bulk and nutrients without many calories.
A combination of large portion sizes of fatty ingredients like beef and cheese paired with fried tortilla strips and lack of fresh produce makes this a very high calorie fast food menu item.
Comparison to Other Tacos
Compared to other tacos from Taco Bell, the cantina Crispy Melt taco contains significantly more calories:
| Taco | Calories |
|---|---|
| Crunchy Taco (seasoned beef) | 170 |
| Soft Taco (seasoned beef) | 180 |
| Crispy Potato Soft Taco | 170 |
| Cantina Crispy Melt Taco | 730 |
As shown, the cantina Crispy Melt taco has over 4 times as many calories as a regular crunchy or soft taco from Taco Bell. Even the Crispy Potato Soft Taco, which contains crispy potato bites similar to the cantina taco’s crispy strips, contains less than 250 calories.
Clearly, the double portion of beef, triple cheese blend, fried strips, and overall larger portion size sets the cantina Crispy Melt taco far apart from other Taco Bell tacos in terms of its calorie content.
Daily Calorie Recommendations
Based on a 2,000 calorie diet, the 730 calories in one cantina Crispy Melt taco accounts for a significant portion of a day’s calories:
- 730 calories is 36% of the recommended 2,000 calories per day for the average adult.
- The taco alone nearly meets the 650 calorie lunch recommendations for a 2,000 calorie diet.
- Only one taco would exceed the 500-600 calories recommended for an entire meal on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Consuming 730 calories from a single menu item would make it challenging to meet daily calorie goals. It would be very difficult to fit this taco into a healthful daily meal plan.
Nutritional Pros and Cons
Here is a summary of the main nutritional pros and cons of the cantina Crispy Melt taco:
Pros
- High in protein – With 34g of protein, this taco almost meets an entire day’s protein needs for most people.
- Contains fiber – Has 3g of fiber, which improves digestion and helps with fullness.
- Flavorful – Lots of tasty ingredients like seasoned beef, cheese, crispy strips and chipotle sauce.
Cons
- Extremely high in calories – 730 calories is over a third of a day’s calories for most people.
- High in saturated fat – Contains 16g saturated fat, which is 80% of the daily value.
- High in sodium – Has 56% of the daily recommended sodium, which may impact blood pressure.
- Lacks nutrients – Does not contain veggies or other nutrient-dense ingredients.
- High carb – A large portion of the 56g carbs come from refined flour in the flatbread.
While the taco is tasty and filling due to all the protein, the very high calorie, fat, carb and sodium content make this hard to fit into a healthy diet. More fresh ingredients and less fatty sources of protein and carbs could help improve the nutrition.
Healthier Taco Options
If your goal is choosing a healthier taco option, here are some ways to modify the cantina Crispy Melt taco:
- Request single portion of beef instead of double meat.
- Ask for reduced amount of cheese or just one type of cheese.
- Substitute grilled chicken or steak for the beef.
- Replace the fried tortilla strips with lettuce or grilled veggies.
- Ask for a lettuce wrap instead of the flatbread.
- Order fresh tomato salsa and guacamole as toppings instead of sour cream.
- Request one of the lower calorie classic Taco Bell tacos instead.
Building your own taco with lean protein, lots of veggies, a small amount of cheese, fresh salsa, and other toppings like corn, black beans or guacamole can also be a healthier option. Homemade tacos allow you to control the ingredients and portions.
Conclusion
The cantina Crispy Melt taco from Taco Bell contains a very high amount of calories at 730 calories in one taco. It gets a large portion of its calories from saturated fat in the fatty beef, cheese, crispy strips, and sour cream. All of the high calorie ingredients in a large taco size lead to an extremely high calorie count that would be difficult to fit into a healthy daily meal plan. To make this taco healthier, choosing single protein portions, adding produce, and reducing high calorie extras like tortilla strips and cheese can help lower the calories while still providing taste and satisfaction.
