Do you consider Chipotle healthy?

[Christine]

This is true.

That said, if you are trying to lose weight, you must have fewer calories coming in than going out.

If you wish to maintain, calories in must equal calories out. From that standpoint, it doesn't matter if the calories come from spinach or chocolate. Now, much more does go into healthy such as vitamins and nutrients, that's true. It's the same thing as saying that just because a person is thin doesn't mean he or she is healthier than a person with extra pounds. Personally, I don't really trust any fast food place (or any restaurant, really) to be health food. I hear about restaurants that inject their grilled chicken with butter and other fats to improve the flavor or cook their "steamed" vegetables in butter. I'd rather just prepare it in my own kitchen and know what all is going into my food.

Totally agree, but this thread is about if we consider a certain establishment "healthy." I guess it depends on what your perception of healthy is. Obviously, to that one poster, anything that is high calorie is not healthy.

Personally, I don't think 99% of commercial food establishments are "healthy." But I do believe there is an area that lies between "unhealthy" and "healthy." To me, Chipotle falls in between. It's certainly not an unhealthy place to go, but certain food items can be unhealthy. It also doesn't fit my definition of "healthy" but many items can be healthy there.

Places like KFC and Popeye's, overall, are unhealthy. McDonald's is generally unhealthy, yet they have added many healthy options. But I don't feel that the quality of their food for the regular meals is that good. Chipotle does use quality meats and vegetables. I can assure you that whatever I order there, I go out of my way to make it unhealthy!!! I love their sour cream. It's more like a sauce and it just makes everything wonderful.

 

[North of Mouse]

I was wondering how many of you eat there and consider it healthy.

We do not have that chain, but others that are probably a lot like it from their menu. I can't see any average mexican food being that healthy the way most of it is prepared. Certainly not 'more' healthy than McDonalds.

Most (if not all) fast food restaurants are not healthy at all, unless you are careful and 'pick and choose'. Even the best salad bars are not healthy if you include prepared salads, also if you load it down with dressings.

I have friends that think they are eating healthy when they get the salad bar instead of an entree, then add 300-400 calories in dressing/toppings (not realizing how many calories are in them).

We don't 'eat out' for healthy food - we eat out to enjoy and relax. I mostly cook our meals at home from scratch - that's when I 'pick and choose' and cook healthy. Our meals out will not make us unhealthy.

 

[ashley0139]

I consider them health because they use real, quality ingredients. I'm not so much worried about calories as eating real food. Chipotle fulfills that wish as a casual dining experience.

 

[aprilgail2]

Doesn't really matter to me if it is healthy or not- I like it. I usually get a vegetarian burrito. Even if the burrito alone is 300 calories and 10 grams of fat I only eat half of it one day and half the next so it is only 150 calories and 5 grams of fat. I hate sour cream so I leave that off too!

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Lard actually gets a bad rap. I mean, sure, it's animal fat, but in some respects it's better for you than partially-hydrogenated oils.

Regardless, you can find something decent to eat anywhere. Although you do have to worry about sodium, especially if you have blood pressure issues.

 

[Laura66]

I don't think it's healthy the way I order! But I do think it's a lot healthier than a lot of other places!

That said - Oh I do LOVE Chipotle!!

 

[JillianMarie]

I'd much rather eat something that has lard in it than the mystery meat and fat at Mcdonalds. It's an actual ingredient and you know where it comes from. It's part of nose to tail cooking which, in addition to not actually being unhealthy, reduces waste.

I love Chipotle. They use real ingredients and I'm not really interested in the chemical processed 'low calorie' version of healthy.

 

[ellone]

Yes, they sure do (especially if you go to a Chipotle that uses grass-fed beef). I deliberately left them off the comparison because the quarter pounder also has "beef" and "cheese." I put a quote on those words because I'm not sure how authentic that beef and cheese really is compared to the quality that Chipotle is using.

McDonald's adds cellulose (non-digestible wood pulp) to their 'beef' as filler. So that helps them come in with lower calories, but it has no nutritional value.

That filler is not only in their 'meat' though, it's also in buns, cheeses, sauces, cakes, shakes, rolls, fries, onion rings, smoothies.
Yum?

 

[kelly3927]

The steak and cheese also contain nutrients. That burrito is actually quite healthy when you look at the protein and fat break downs. But some people seem to think that "high calorie" equals unhealthy. No idea where this idea came from. With light exercise I can eat 2000+ calories a day and not gain weight.

Agree. Most people still think low fat = healthy and high fat is unhealthy I would take lard in my carnitas any day!

 

[J.C.&ALI'SMOM]

http://www.buzzfeed.com/deenashanker/disappointed-in-chipotle

 

[Diznygrl]

Never been to Chipotle, unfortunately (afraid that there isn't anything on the menu that isn't spicy, but I have yet to try it out to see if that's true or not). BUT I would still say that compared to regular fast food, it is healthy because they actually use REAL ingredients versus ingredients that include a long list of chemicals whose names you can't pronounce like you would get at McD's and the like.

 

[Jeff in BigD]

Depending on what you order, it can be one of the healthier counter service options. I just wish that you could order avocado slices (not their guac-goo). We eat their pretty frequently, but I personally prefer Freebirds.

 

[ennazus]

http://foodbabe.com/2013/03/24/a-food-babe-investigates-win-chipotle-posts-ingredients/

It *can* be healthy depending on what you get.