Do you love the spicy tang of salsa? Are you a Taco Tuesday fanatic? Do you find yourself cravings burritos and quesdillas?
If you love Mexican food, you’re definitely not alone. Nearly 40,000 Mexican restaurants are scattered across the United States and at least one out of every 10 restaurants in the U.S. sells Mexican food. In a country that embraces many types of food from all types of cultures, Mexican food remains the clear favorite.
The invention of Tex-Mex in the 1940s led to a fusion of American and Mexican cuisines that has well received by people of all backgrounds. Tacos and taco sides are all the rage these days among foodies and Americans consume four billion tacos each year.
For many Floridians, sometimes there’s nothing like eating at an authentic Mexican restaurant near Miami Beach, but you can also enjoy Mexican food at home too. More than 70% of American households use Mexican food and ingredients and the wide variety of Mexican cuisines offers people everywhere so many options for cooking their favorite meals in the comfort of their own home whether they want tacos, burritos or other Mexican dishes.
For all the popularity of the local Mexican restaurant near Miami Beach and chains around the United States such as Chi-Chi’s and Qdoba, Mexican food doesn’t just taste good. It actually has plenty of health benefits, so you can enjoy your favorite Mexican foods knowing they’ll help your health in the following ways:
- Nutrients: Another benefit of visiting the local Mexican restaurant near Miami Beach is that Mexican cuisine is packed with nutrients. When you think of getting your daily doze of vitamins and minerals, you may think of a multi-vitamin or a so-so green smoothie. Instead, you can get all the nutrients you need from the meat, lettuce, onions and tomatoes that are packed into your favorite Mexican foods. Ingredients like those are full of Vitamins A and C and avocados are loaded with magnesium, Vitamin C and Vitamin B-6. So the next time you go out for Taco Tuesday, you can feel good knowing that you’re giving your body essential nutrients.
- Protein: Protein gives you energy and promotes the health of your body’s muscle and tissue. Fortunately, most if not all of the meat in Mexican food dishes is packed full of protein. Whether you load up on beef, pork, carne asada or chicken, you’ll be giving yourself plenty of protein. If you’re trying to be bit a little more health conscious, leaner meats like chicken will give you the protein you need without the guilt.
- Lowered Blood Pressure and Cholesterol: If you’re daredevil when it comes to spice in Mexican food, you should know there’s even some health benefits that come from setting your mouth on fire. Capsaicin, the thing that gives peppers like jalapenos and habaneros their signature burn, can actually help lower blood pressure and cholesterol. Growing up you may have heard some of your family members talk about sweating out sickness with spicy food. Believe it or not, that actually works. Eating foods with capsaicin helps improve your circulation and also relieves congestion. So next time you go to a Mexican restaurant near Miami Beach, consider adding some spice to your meal. It will do your body good.
- Fiber: You’ve more than likely heard from your doctor about the importance of getting enough fiber. It’s generally accepted that 30-38 grams a day for men and 25 grams a day for women are numbers to shoot for. Fortunately for fans of Mexican cuisine, beans are a staple and beans are chock-full of fiber. Black beans and pinto beans clock in with 20 grams and 30 grams per cup respectively. These two are a preferable option over staples like refried beans, which have 12 grams of fiber per cup.
With plenty of health benefits, you can feel comfortable and satisfied enjoying your favorite Mexican foods, whether you venture out to a local restaurant or decide to host a party and put together a taco bar at home.
