Are Quesadillas Healthy? A nutrition breakdown of quesadillas.
Written by Isabel Vasquez RD, LDN
Quesadillas are a typical Mexican food, although they have become popular in other parts of the world as well. The name comes from the word “queso”, which means cheese in Spanish. Hence, why cheese is a staple ingredient of this stuffed tortilla dish.
Although they originated in Mexico, they’ve become widely available, not just at authentic Mexican restaurants.
Unfortunately, many people may worry that quesadillas are “unhealthy”, even though they’re usually full of nutrition.
Keep reading to learn the nutrition content of three types of quesadillas, their health benefits, and potential drawbacks.
Quesadilla Nutrition Facts
The nutrition in quesadillas varies a lot based on what they’re filled with and how they’re prepared. When you’re making a quesadilla at home, you can easily customize what you put in it, so you can use the following nutrition info and your own taste preferences to decide a good combo for you.
Veggies and beans will add fiber, while cheese and meat will add protein. The tortilla is a source of carbs, so in general, quesadillas are very well-rounded nutritionally. They check off the four nutrition boxes we often talk about with our clients: carbs, protein, fat, and fiber.
Plus, if you have salsa or guacamole on the side, that will add even more vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
That being said, we’re including the nutrition facts of a chicken quesadilla, vegetable quesadilla, and cheese quesadilla below. (Note: The nutrition information is from the USDA’s FoodData Central, so we don’t have detailed info on the full ingredient list.)
Chicken Quesadilla Nutrition
A chicken quesadilla (140 grams) has the following nutrition, per the USDA:
Protein: 20 grams
Fat: 18 grams
Saturated fat: 7 grams
Carbs: 38 grams
Fiber: 3 grams, or 11% of the daily value (DV)
Sodium: 871 milligrams, or 38% of the DV
Iron: 3 milligrams, or 17% of the DV
Folate: 76 micrograms, or 19% of the DV
Vitamin B12: 0.4 micrograms, or 13% of the DV
Calcium: 265 milligrams, or 20% of the DV
Vitamin B3 (Niacin): 6 milligrams, or 38% of the DV
Vegetable Quesadilla nutrition
A vegetable quesadilla (140 grams) has the following nutrition, per the USDA:
Protein: 12 grams
Fat: 16 grams
Saturated fat: 7 grams
Carbs: 41 grams
Fiber: 3 grams, or 11% of the daily value (DV)
Sodium: 764 milligrams, or 33% of the DV
Iron: 3 milligrams, or 17% of the DV
Folate: 83 micrograms, or 21% of the DV
Vitamin B12: 0.2 micrograms, or 10% of the DV
Calcium: 267 milligrams, or 20% of the DV
Vitamin B3 (Niacin): 3.6 milligrams, or 23% of the DV
Cheese Quesadilla nutrition
A cheese quesadilla (120 grams) has the following nutrition, per the USDA:
Protein: 16 grams
Fat: 20 grams
Saturated fat: 11 grams
Carbs: 34 grams
Fiber: 2.4 grams, or 9% of the daily value (DV)
Sodium: 839 milligrams, or 36% of the DV
Iron: 2.6 milligrams, or 14% of the DV
Folate: 70 micrograms, or 18% of the DV
Vitamin B12: 0.5 micrograms, or 21% of the DV
Calcium: 430 milligrams, or 33% of the DV
Vitamin B3 (Niacin): 3 milligrams, or 19% of the DV
Health Benefits of Quesadillas
Convenient Source of Nutrition
Quesadillas are an amazing food because of how simple they are to prepare and how full of nutrition they are. As you can see from the nutrition facts above, all three types of quesadillas are well-rounded in terms of carbohydrates, protein, and fat.
Of course, some quesadillas will take a while to prep, but they can also be prepared quickly using premade or pre-chopped ingredients.
We love this versatility, so you can adapt the same food for different time constraints. If you need a quick lunch, just slap some shredded cheese and veggies between a tortilla and you have a complete meal. Whereas if you have time, you can make tortillas from scratch and take your time marinating and cooking meat or beans.
Either way, you get a satisfying, complete meal.
Full of Micronutrients
Because quesadillas have a bunch of different food groups (yes, we’re talking about carbs, protein, fat, and fiber again), they’re also a great source of micronutrients.
If you add meat and cheese, then you’ll get a wide array of B-vitamins and iron.
Meanwhile, adding peppers and onions contributes vitamin C, vitamin A, and fiber.
Furthermore, beans are a good plant source of iron and B-vitamins, making them a great option for those who don’t eat much meat or who simply love beans.
Plus, the vitamin C in the peppers helps your body better absorb the iron from beans, making this a great combo for people with iron-deficiency, especially vegetarians who don’t get animal sources of iron.
Loading up your quesadilla with beans also adds more plant-based protein and lots more fiber.
Good Source of Fiber
Speaking of fiber, quesadillas are often a good source of this health-promoting carb. Yes, you read that right; fiber is a carbohydrate. Since our bodies can’t digest or absorb it, it helps add bulk to our stool and move it through the GI tract, so it helps keep us regular.
Plus, fiber helps prevent blood sugar spikes and lower cholesterol levels, per a 2020 study in Nutrients.
Research shows that most Americans don’t eat enough fiber, so we love that quesadillas are an accessible way to add more fiber to your day. Simply adding beans, peppers, and onions to a quesadilla contributes a few grams of fiber.
For even more fiber, dip your quesadilla in guacamole. According to the USDA, just ¼ cup of guacamole has 3.6 grams of fiber—13% of the daily value (DV)!
Also, using a corn tortilla instead of a flour one could add a couple more grams of fiber to the quesadilla, per the USDA.
Potential Health Drawbacks
While quesadillas can be a fantastic source of nutrition, there are some potential drawbacks to be aware of.
For one, they can be high in sodium, depending on the ingredients you use. Cheese can be a surprising source of sodium in the diet, so if you add a lot of cheese it may also mean that the quesadilla is high in sodium.
We do need some sodium for fluid balance and nerve function, per the World Health Organization. However, most Americans eat more sodium than the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend.
Consuming too much sodium is linked with high blood pressure, which increases the risk of heart disease and stroke, per the CDC.
Furthermore, quesadillas may be high in saturated fat if you use fatty cuts of meat and full-fat cheese. Saturated fat is another nutrient that the Dietary Guidelines and the American Heart Association recommend limiting because it can increase cholesterol levels, which increases the risk of heart disease.
That being said, the recommendation isn’t to eliminate these nutrients entirely, but just to be mindful of your consumption of them.
So, particularly if you have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or heart disease, it may be worth being mindful of how much cheese and fatty meat you’re adding to your quesadilla.
Incorporating Quesadillas to Promote Your Health
If you’re concerned about your saturated fat intake, you may want to either use less cheese, low- or reduced-fat cheese, and/or opt for lean meats like poultry. You could also use beans as a protein source which have no saturated fat and are loaded with fiber—a beneficial nutrient for heart health.
Beans are also a decent source of potassium (½ cup of black beans has about 7% of the DV, per the USDA), which helps counter the effects of sodium on blood pressure, per the CDC.
As you can see from the nutrition breakdowns above, a cheese quesadilla has the highest amount of saturated fat compared to a veggie or chicken quesadilla.
Otherwise, quesadillas are a well-rounded source of nutrition. They incorporate grains, protein, fiber, and micronutrients that support satiety and overall health.
Final Thoughts
Quesadillas are a delicious and convenient Mexican food that has become beloved by people of all ethnicities. Not only are they delicious, but they’re also typically a good source of iron, B-vitamins, calcium, and fiber.
Of course, the specific nutrition will vary based on what you fill your quesadilla with, which is part of what makes them so great. You can easily customize them to meet your needs and taste preferences.
For education on how to ADD nutrition to your favorite Latine cultural dishes, make peace with food, and focus on your health without dieting, join our nutrition library for just $27/month.
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