Five Worst Cinco de Mayo Foods: Baja Fresh Tops List
 As revelers celebrate Cinco de Mayo today, they should think twice when ordering at Mexican fast-food restaurants. With more than 2,100 calories and more fat and sodium than most people should eat in a day, the Charbroiled Steak Nachos at Baja Fresh tops a list of five foods to avoid. Other offenders in the report from dietitians at the Cancer Project, a PCRM affiliate, include items at Chevys and Chili’s.
“These foods are loaded with artery-clogging levels of cholesterol and fat,” said Joseph Gonzales, a Cancer Project dietitian. “Cinco de Mayo is a good time to honor Mexico’s vibrant and healthful cuisine, but there is nothing to celebrate about fast food that can increase the risk of obesity, diabetes, and some types of cancer.”
The worst foods to eat at Mexican restaurants are:
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Rank
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Worst Mexican Items
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Restaurant
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Worst
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Charbroiled Steak Nachos
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Baja Fresh Mexican Grill
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2nd worst
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Grilled Fajita Salad
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Chevys Fresh Mex
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3rd worst
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Crispy Honey-Chipotle Chicken Crispers
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Chili’s
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4th worst
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Pulled Pork Burrito
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Qdoba Mexican Grill
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5th worst
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Ground Beef Burrito
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Moe’s Southwest Grill
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Consumers looking for more healthful Mexican foods have alternatives. For instance, replacing the Charbroiled Steak Nachos at Chevys with a Fat Sam Fajita at Moe’s can save 1,500 calories and bring the cholesterol count down to zero. Chevys’ customers who trade a Grilled Fajita Salad for the Bean and Rice Burrito would save 1,000 calories and reduce the amount of saturated fat consumed from 118 grams to just 11 grams.
About one in three Americans is obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Obesity is tied to increased risk of several types of cancer, including breast cancer and colon cancer.
Read the full report at CancerProject.org.
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