Is Mexican Food Healthy? A Latina Dietitian weighs in.
Written by Isabel Vasquez RD, LDN
Many of our clients are Mexican and they wonder…is Mexican food healthy? Unfortunately, many have internalized the idea that their cultural foods aren’t healthy. Have you?
We’re here to tell you that Mexican food is absolutely healthy. Traditional Mexican foods are nutritionally well-rounded. They incorporate fruits, veggies, whole grains, lean proteins, and antioxidant-rich ingredients that add delicious flavor.
Just like any cultural eating pattern, there are Mexican foods that are higher in added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium—things we should limit for overall health. However, this isn’t unique to Mexican food. It’s part of any diet, and these foods can absolutely be included in an overall healthy eating pattern!
In this article, we’re sharing what a traditional Mexican diet is and the research-backed health benefits of Mexican food.
What is a Traditional Mexican Diet?
A 2019 research review in Nutrients looked at over 60 definitions of a Traditional Mexican Diet. They found that a common thread was that it’s rich in grains and tubers, legumes, and vegetables. Specific foods included maize, beans, chile, squash, tomato, and onion.
Other foods that were less common but still prevalent included maize products, fruits, fish and seafood, meats, sweets and sweeteners, and herbs and condiments.
That said, Mexico is a big country with lots of regional variations in cuisine. While there are common threads across Mexican cuisine, each region has some differences that impact the nutrient breakdown of the diet.
For example, Northern Mexican cuisine includes more beef because there are many rancheros there. Oaxaca is home to many variations of mole. Coastal regions feature more seafood. These are just a few examples of regional differences in Mexican cuisine.
Still, Mexican cuisine is generally rich in veggies, legumes, and whole grains like corn, beans, chiles, tomatoes, onions, and squash.
Health Benefits of a Traditional Mexican Diet
A few studies have evaluated the benefits of a traditional Mexican diet and found promising benefits!
A 2023 study in the British Journal of Nutrition evaluating data from over 10,000 Mexican adults found that following a traditional Mexican diet was linked with lower LDL cholesterol (the “bad” kind) and total cholesterol.
It was also linked with lower insulin levels, which indicates better insulin sensitivity. This is important for blood sugar management.
An older study—from 2015 in the Journal of Nutrition—found that women of Mexican descent who followed a traditional Mexican diet had lower insulin levels and markers of inflammation.
A 2016 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition also found that compared to a traditional US diet, a traditional Mexican diet modestly improved insulin sensitivity.
To sum it up, research has found that eating a traditional Mexican diet may improve insulin sensitivity, cholesterol, and inflammation! But why is a Mexican diet healthy? Keep reading to learn about the benefits of Mexican food.
Mexican Food Benefits
Rich in Fruits and Veggies
Mexican food is rich in fruits and veggies. Fruit cups with mango, pineapple, watermelon, jicama, melon, and more topped with tajín and lime are a common snack. Aguas frescas are also a common source of fruit.
Just because foods like kale and spinach aren’t central to Mexican cuisine doesn’t mean it’s not rich in veggies. Mexican dishes are full of veggies like onions, peppers, squash, carrots, garlic, nopales, radishes, and tomatoes!
Fruits and veggies are important sources of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to support overall health. They are an essential part of an overall healthy diet and Mexican food is full of them!
Relies Heavily on Whole Grains
Corn is a Mexican staple food. Whether eaten whole or used to make tortillas, it’s a source of whole grains in the Mexican diet.
Whole grains are an important source of fiber and carbohydrates. The fiber in whole grains like corn helps prevent blood sugar spikes, which helps prevent or manage diabetes, per the CDC.
Some Mexican dishes include other whole grains like quinoa, amaranth, or barley.
Features Lean Proteins
Mexican cuisine uses a variety of proteins, including lean proteins. Lean proteins are ones that are lower in fat, especially saturated fat.
Eating too much saturated fat can raise your LDL cholesterol (the “bad” kind), which puts you at higher risk of developing heart disease. So it’s beneficial to opt for more lean proteins in your diet, especially if you have high cholesterol.
Some lean proteins in Mexican food are chicken breast, fish, and beans. These provide plenty of protein to support muscle health, blood sugar stability, and satiety, while also promoting your heart health.
Note that Mexican food does also include proteins that are higher in saturated fat like fatty cuts of beef or chicken thighs. If you have high cholesterol or you want to be proactive about preventing cardiovascular disease, you can prioritize Mexican dishes with leaner proteins.
Includes Plenty of Beans
Beans are a powerhouse food, and Mexican cuisine is full of them—from refried beans to frijoles de la olla. They are a great source of plant protein and an excellent source of fiber. This supports blood sugar management, cholesterol reduction, and gut health, per the CDC.
They’re also full of key micronutrients like iron, B-vitamins, folate, calcium, zinc, potassium, and phosphorus, per Medline Plus.
Many Americans don’t eat enough beans to reap health benefits, per a 2020 study in Nutrients. That said, Hispanic Americans have the highest bean consumption since beans are central to our amazing cultural dishes!
Uses Antioxidant-Rich Ingredients for Flavor
Mexican food also relies heavily on antioxidant-rich ingredients for flavor. This includes things like peppers, spices, herbs, and veggies.
For example, capsaicin (the compound that makes chili peppers spicy), is an antioxidant.
Antioxidants help neutralize harmful free radicals in the body that can damage your cells and lead to inflammation.
Research also shows that eating antioxidant-rich foods can help prevent chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancer, per the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
Antioxidant supplements don’t benefit health in the way that antioxidant-rich foods do (in fact, in some cases they may harm health). All the more reason to enjoy antioxidant-rich Mexican food!
Mexican Food Potential Drawbacks
Traditional Mexican food uses fresh, nutritious ingredients. However, just like the US, the modern Mexican diet has shifted to include more high-sodium, high-added-sugar foods like chips or soda. Eating too much sodium or added sugars could increase your risk of health issues like heart disease or diabetes.
Also, some Mexican dishes can be high in saturated fat, especially ones with a lot of cheese, cream, or fatty cuts of meat.
Eating too much saturated fat can raise cholesterol, per the American Heart Association, so you may want to prioritize Mexican dishes with lean proteins (like fish, chicken breast, or beans) if you’re trying to lower your cholesterol.
Final Thoughts
Mexican food is full of fruits, veggies, beans, antioxidants, and whole grains which supports overall health. In fact, studies have found a link between the traditional Mexican diet and improvements in insulin sensitivity, cholesterol, and inflammation.
So don’t let anyone tell you to ditch your cultural foods. They have plenty of nutrition to offer!
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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