Health

How healthy is Chipotle, really? Customize your order to meet your dietary goals.

From 2013-2016, just over 36% of adults consumed fast food on a given day, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported. The rise of “fast casual”, however, changed the price tag, style and meaning of “fast food.” 

Boasting burritos with swanky names, plant-based options and salad bars, fast casual restaurants doubled in sales and location between 2009 and 2018. Chipotle CEO Steve Ells opened his first location in 1993, a modest burrito shop, but by 2017 the chain had almost 2,300 locations. 

This changing landscape also meant a new scale for “healthy” and “unhealthy” to-go food.

New minimum wage:California looks to raise fast-food worker pay, prices.

How healthy is Chipotle?

Sodium is likely the biggest threat to healthy eating at Chipotle. A flour tortilla itself has about 600 milligrams of sodium, and Chipotle’s meat options range from 310-560 milligrams. Your sodium intake can easily add up with just a burrito order, ticking toward the FDA’s recommended maximum of 2,300 milligrams sodium per day. A McDonald’s Big Mac, for comparison, contains 1,010 milligrams of sodium.

You may also like

Health

Daily Briefing

The day’s top stories, from sports to movies to politics to world events. Sign Up Share this newsletter Select the
Health

‘Biggest step forward on climate ever’: Biden signs Democrats’ landmark bill

This article is more than 4 months old ‘Biggest step forward on climate ever’: Biden signs Democrats’ landmark bill This