Exploring the Components of a Taco Bell Order

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Exploring the Components of a Taco Bell Order

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The Surprising Truth About Taco Bell’s Famous “Seasoned Beef”

The Surprising Truth About Taco Bell's Famous
The Surprising Truth About Taco Bell’s Famous “Seasoned Beef” (image credits: unsplash)

After Taco Bell started telling the public its beef is 88 percent beef, customers were left to wonder what’s the other 12 percent? We can definitely say Taco Bell’s seasoned beef is actual beef, except for about 12 percent. That missing twelve percent isn’t mystery meat like urban legends suggest, but it’s still pretty eye-opening. The list of ingredients for the seasoned beef includes: cellulose, chili pepper, maltodextrin, salt, oats, soy lecithin, spices, tomato powder, sugar, onion powder, citric acid, natural flavors, torula yeast, cocoa powder, disodium inosinate and guanylate, dextrose, lactic acid, and modified corn starch.

What makes this fascinating is that Taco Bell’s seasoned beef contains oats, which are used as an extender to add texture and reduce fat content. Your taco meat literally has breakfast cereal ingredients in it. The company insists it uses only USDA-inspected, “100 percent premium real beef” and no monosodium glutamate, or MSG, which sounds reassuring until you realize some of those other additives perform similar functions.

Those Mysterious Refried Beans Aren’t What You Think

Those Mysterious Refried Beans Aren't What You Think (image credits: unsplash)
Those Mysterious Refried Beans Aren’t What You Think (image credits: unsplash)

Here’s something that might shock regular Taco Bell customers: They come in sacks, dried, and in a form that makes them look a little bit like the pellets you might more commonly associate with rabbit food. Employees add water and mix to rehydrate them into beans, and that’s why they’re never the same consistency. This explains why sometimes your burrito beans are perfectly creamy and other times they’re weirdly chunky or dry.

The drier the beans, the longer they’ve been sitting out on the line. It’s basically a freshness indicator that most customers don’t realize they’re experiencing. Those rabbit pellet-looking things get transformed into what you think are traditional refried beans, but the texture lottery you experience every visit now makes perfect sense. There are even YouTube videos out there that show how weird it is.

The Chemistry Lab List in Every Burrito

The Chemistry Lab List in Every Burrito (image credits: wikimedia)
The Chemistry Lab List in Every Burrito (image credits: wikimedia)

Items like cellulose, maltodextrin, soy lecithin, and disodium inosinate and guanylate are all used in many processed foods for preservation or to improve texture and taste. While these sound intimidating, according to the FDA, ingredients such as maltodextrin – a carbohydrate used to extend the shelf life of foods – are safe for human consumption. But it’s still a far cry from the simple taco meat you might make at home.

Their bean burritos contain possible GMOs, preservatives made from butane (a very carcinogenic gas) called TBHQ, hidden MSG additives that trick your brain to remember and crave a flavor and other nasty processed food chemicals no one would cook with in their home! That addictive quality people joke about with Taco Bell? There might actually be some science behind those cravings.

Your Cinnamon Twists Started Life as Pasta

Your Cinnamon Twists Started Life as Pasta (image credits: pixabay)
Your Cinnamon Twists Started Life as Pasta (image credits: pixabay)

This one is truly bizarre: The Cinnamon Twists, a seemingly simple dessert, start off as pasta before they’re fried and coated in cinnamon sugar. That’s right, what you think are specially made twisted treats are actually just repurposed pasta shapes. It’s like discovering your favorite dessert has been living a double life.

The transformation process is almost magical when you think about it. Regular pasta gets deep-fried until it puffs up into those light, airy twists you know and love. Then comes the cinnamon sugar coating. But while some say this dessert is bursting with cinnamon sugar flavor, others claim that it simply tastes like cardboard. Now you know why the texture is so unique among fast food desserts.

The Sodium Content That Would Make Your Doctor Cringe

The Sodium Content That Would Make Your Doctor Cringe (image credits: pixabay)
The Sodium Content That Would Make Your Doctor Cringe (image credits: pixabay)

A common concern with fast food is high sodium content, and Taco Bell is no exception. Many items contain a significant amount of sodium. We’re talking about levels that can easily push you over your entire daily recommended intake in a single meal. Since 2009, Taco Bell has reduced sodium across the menu by 15 percent. In 33 menu items, salt was cut by as much as one-third.

But here’s the kicker: We don’t want it to be perceptible, and that the goal would be to maintain taste while reducing salt levels behind the scenes. They’re essentially playing a balancing act between flavor and health, trying to make their food less bad for you without you noticing. Even with these reductions, the sodium levels can still be staggering compared to home-cooked meals.

The Artificial Ingredients Removal That Wasn’t Quite Complete

The Artificial Ingredients Removal That Wasn't Quite Complete (image credits: unsplash)
The Artificial Ingredients Removal That Wasn’t Quite Complete (image credits: unsplash)

As part of our journey to evolve and meet the changing tastes and preferences of you – our customers – we have removed all artificial flavors and colors from our food, replacing them with natural alternatives. These simplifications impact more than 95 percent of our menu, not including beverages and co-branded items. This sounds impressive until you realize what’s not included.

Taco Bell will only be removing artificial ingredients from foods that aren’t co-branded. So that Dorito Locos taco and Cap’n Crunch Delights doughnut holes? They will still be loaded up with high-fructose corn syrup. The most popular items often get a free pass from these health improvements because of licensing agreements with other companies.

What’s Really in Those Doritos Locos Tacos

What's Really in Those Doritos Locos Tacos (image credits: flickr)
What’s Really in Those Doritos Locos Tacos (image credits: flickr)

Not included in the initiative is the Freeze beverage platform, with its vibrant hues not commonly found in nature, as well as the popular Doritos Locos Tacos line, with its Doritos-flavored taco shells that include monosodium glutamate, artificial flavors and colorings like Red 40, Blue 1, Yellow 5 and Yellow 6. This is essentially a rainbow of artificial additives wrapped around your taco filling.

They, of course, contain Doritos shells, which are extremely high in MSG. Despite Taco Bell’s claims about removing MSG from their regular menu items, these popular specialty tacos are loaded with it. If you try the Doritos Loco Taco, you’ll get a nice dose of excitotoxins that can kill brain cells and artificial food dye made from petroleum. The contrast between Taco Bell’s health initiatives and their most popular items is pretty stark.

The Calorie Bomb Hidden in Your Combo Meal

The Calorie Bomb Hidden in Your Combo Meal (image credits: rawpixel)
The Calorie Bomb Hidden in Your Combo Meal (image credits: rawpixel)

You’re likely looking at anywhere from 500 to 1,000 calories, depending on your choices. A single taco can range from 170 to 250 calories, but add on sides and a drink, and those numbers climb. What seems like a light meal can quickly escalate into a full day’s worth of calories. Taco Bell items can range from around 170 calories for a simple Crunchy Taco to over 800 calories for some higher-calorie options like the Nachos BellGrande.

The drink alone can be devastating. If you order a 20 oz. Mountain Dew Baja Blast along with your now-natural taco, you’ll still be guzzling 73 grams of sugar in a drink that lists high fructose corn syrup as its second ingredient. That’s nearly eighteen teaspoons of sugar in one beverage, which is more than most people should consume in an entire day.

The Steak That Sits Around Longer Than You’d Want

The Steak That Sits Around Longer Than You'd Want (image credits: unsplash)
The Steak That Sits Around Longer Than You’d Want (image credits: unsplash)

Another said that while most of the food was properly tended to if it was left over, there were some ingredients – like the steak and the chicken – that were such slow sells that in some locations, they might be carried over for days. This revelation from former employees suggests that the more expensive proteins might not always be as fresh as you’d hope.

The Preservatives and Additives You’re Consuming Without Knowing

The Preservatives and Additives You're Consuming Without Knowing (image credits: unsplash)
The Preservatives and Additives You’re Consuming Without Knowing (image credits: unsplash)

Loaded with warm nacho cheese, sour cream, seasoned beef, and other toppings, these nachos carry a lot of fat, preservatives, additives, and unnatural ingredients. Additionally, they’re high in sodium and lack the nutrients you might find and some other Taco Bell menu items. Even seemingly simple menu items are packed with chemical preservatives designed to extend shelf life and enhance flavor.

Also, if you are daring enough to get the XXL Taco, you’ll be eating parabens, which are endocrine disruptors linked to cancer. These chemicals help prevent bacterial growth but come with their own set of health concerns. Potassium sorbate (E202) is a synthetic food preservative commonly used to extend the shelf life of various food products. It works by inhibiting the growth of molds, yeast, and some bacteria, preventing spoilage.

The Customization Options That Can Actually Make It Healthier

The Customization Options That Can Actually Make It Healthier (image credits: unsplash)
The Customization Options That Can Actually Make It Healthier (image credits: unsplash)

Some menu items come in “Fresco Style” which replaces ingredients like cheese and sour cream with pico de gallo for a lighter option. Power Menu Bowls: These bowls typically feature protein like chicken or steak with rice, beans, and fajita veggies, offering a more balanced meal option. The good news is that you have some control over what goes into your food.

If you’re looking for low-calorie options, you’ll want to limit the nacho cheese, sour cream, guacamole, or heavy sauces. “Fresco style” without the cheese or sauce will save a ton of calories in some cases, and will still be very delicious with the addition of the salsa. The key is knowing what to ask for and what to avoid. Simple modifications can dramatically change the nutritional profile of your meal.

The Bottom Line About Your Taco Bell Obsession

The Bottom Line About Your Taco Bell Obsession (image credits: rawpixel)
The Bottom Line About Your Taco Bell Obsession (image credits: rawpixel)

For consumers, the important thing to remember is that Taco Bell is still exactly what you think it is: cheap fast food that is not actually good for you. Despite all the marketing about improved ingredients and healthier options, the fundamental nature of the food hasn’t changed dramatically. Nutritionally, it’s only as “unhealthy” as you make it. If you know what substitutions to make, the Taco Bell menu can be quite healthy.

The reality is that knowledge is power when it comes to fast food. Understanding exactly what’s in your order helps you make informed decisions about when and how often to indulge. Ultimately, if you’re going to eat a meal at Taco Bell, you certainly do not need to worry about nutrition. You’re likely looking for a treat, in which case you can enjoy any item you’d like without worrying about the calories. At least now you know exactly what treat you’re getting.

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