Are Black Bean Burritos Actually Good For You? The Surprising Truth

Burritos Just the word is enough to make your mouth water That warm, soft tortilla wrapped around spicy, flavorful fillings like rice, beans, salsa, guacamole…what’s not to love?

But are burritos really good for you? That depends what kind of burrito we’re talking about. Beef and cheese burritos from your favorite Tex-Mex joint are probably loaded with calories, saturated fat, and sodium. But burritos made at home with healthy ingredients like black beans, brown rice, veggies, and avocado can be a nutritious meal option.

In this article we’ll take a close look at black bean burritos and explain why they can be a smart healthy choice – if you make them right. Here’s the scoop on these tasty handheld meals.

Why Are Black Beans Healthy?

Black beans are nutrition all-stars, packing these benefits

• Protein: 1 cup of cooked black beans contains about 15 grams of plant-based protein. The protein in beans and legumes is substantial and helps keep you feeling full.

• Fiber: Black beans have around 15 grams of fiber per cup. Fiber promotes healthy digestion and may help lower cholesterol.

• Iron: Beans provide a good amount of iron, which aids in transporting oxygen in your blood. This is especially important for vegetarians who don’t get iron from meat.

• Magnesium and potassium: These minerals are essential for muscle, nerve, and heart health. They also help reduce blood pressure.

• Antioxidants: Black beans contain beneficial plant compounds like anthocyanins and flavonoids which combat inflammation and cell damage.

• Low glycemic index: Beans are low on the glycemic index, meaning they won’t dramatically spike your blood sugar levels. This steady energy helps you avoid crashes later.

So just by adding a cup of black beans to your burrito, you’re already getting lots of nutrition!

Building a Healthy Black Bean Burrito

A good black bean burrito starts with quality ingredients. Here’s what you’ll want to include:

Whole grain tortilla

Opt for a whole wheat or corn tortilla rather than white flour. Whole grains provide more fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Warm it up before assembling your burrito so it’s soft and pliable.

Lean protein

Along with the beans, add another protein source like grilled chicken breast, sauteed shrimp, or tofu. This gives you complete protein with all the essential amino acids.

Veggies

Load up your burrito with fresh veggies! Good options are spinach, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, peppers, avocado, etc. You really can’t go wrong here.

Brown rice

Use brown rice instead of white to get that nutty texture and whole grain goodness. Optional, but recommended.

Healthy fat

Don’t be afraid of healthy fats! Avocado, nuts, olive oil, and vinaigrettes contain unsaturated fats that are good for you.

Fresh salsa

Make your own salsa with chopped tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and spices. It tastes so much better than store-bought.

Greek yogurt

Plain greek yogurt adds a tangy creaminess and boosts the protein content.

By combining these nutritious ingredients, you wind up with a burrito that’s good for you and keeps you feeling satisfied!

Tips for Making Healthier Burritos

Little tweaks like these can make your burritos even better:

• Use less cheese or skip it altogether. Cheese packs a lot of calories and saturated fat.

• Fill your burrito with lots of veggies to increase volume without adding many calories.

• Choose corn over flour tortillas when you can. Corn has a little more fiber.

• Swap the sour cream for greek yogurt or leave it off altogether.

• Opt for brown rice instead of white rice. The brown variety is far more nutritious.

• Load up on salsa and skip the fatty sauces like ranch or queso.

• Grill your protein and veggies instead of frying them to cut down on unhealthy fats.

• Stick to one reasonably sized burrito instead of two or more. Portion control is key!

Follow these tips, and you can feel good about enjoying homemade black bean burritos guilt-free!

Benefits of Black Bean Burritos

Here’s a quick rundown of why black bean burritos made with whole ingredients are so good for you:

• High in protein: Great for building and maintaining muscle, keeping you full.

• Excellent source of fiber: Aids digestion and heart health.

• Packed with vitamins and minerals: Provides necessary nutrients your body needs.

• Low glycemic index: Won’t cause energy crashes or spikes in blood sugar.

• Contain healthy fats: From plant-based foods like avocado, nuts, seeds.

• Very customizable: Make it exactly how you like with your favorite flavors and textures.

• Vegetarian and vegan friendly: Beans give plant-based diets a protein boost.

• Kid-approved: Most kids love burritos, so they’re an easy way to get nutrition in their diets.

• Perfect for meal prep: Burritos store and reheat beautifully. Make a batch on Sunday to eat all week!

As you can see, nutritious homemade black bean burritos really do check all the boxes. They make for a quick, portable meal that will power you through your day.

Freezer-Friendly Burrito Meal Prep

One of the best things about black bean burritos is that they’re totally freezer-friendly. Here’s a simple burrito meal prep blueprint:

1. Cook your beans. Soak and boil dry black beans, or use canned beans rinsed thoroughly. Having cooked beans ready to go makes assembly easier.

2. Cook your brown rice. Make enough for the week ahead. Let it cool completely before assembling burritos.

3. Roast veggies. Toss cauliflower, zucchini, peppers, etc with olive oil and roast at 400°F until tender. Allow to cool.

4. Grill lean protein. Chicken breasts, shrimp, or extra firm tofu. Marinate if desired. Grill until done and let cool.

5. Make fresh salsa. Chop tomatoes, onion, cilantro, garlic and mix together. Store in a container in the fridge.

6. Warm tortillas. Heat them so they’re soft and pliable enough to roll.

7. Assemble burritos. Lay out tortilla, add beans, rice, protein, veggies, salsa, Greek yogurt. Roll up tightly.

8. Wrap individually. Wrap each assembled burrito tightly in foil or plastic wrap. This prevents freezer burn.

9. Freeze. Lay wrapped burritos flat in a single layer in the freezer until solid. Transfer to a freezer bag or container.

10. Reheat. Unwrap burrito and reheat in the oven at 375°F for 15-20 minutes until warmed through!

With this meal prep, you’ll have delicious homemade burritos ready to enjoy all week long. It takes a little effort up front, but saves you time in the mornings when you need a quick meal.

Burrito Sides That Make It a Complete Meal

While burritos alone make a tasty convenient meal, adding some simple sides can round it out nutritionally. Here are some delicious options:

• Fresh sliced fruit – Grapes, berries, melon, mango all add vitamins, minerals, antioxidants. Great for breakfast burritos!

• Vegetable sticks – Carrots, celery, jicama with salsa or hummus ups the veggies.

• Chips and guacamole – Whole grain chips paired with creamy avocado dip gives you fiber, protein, and good fats.

• Green salad – Mix up lettuces, veggies, nuts and a light dressing for crunch.

• Roasted sweet potato – Cube and roast diced sweet potato seasoned with cumin, chili powder, and garlic. Fiber-filled!

• Tomato basil soup – A warm cup of veggie-loaded soup complements your burrito wonderfully.

• Greek yogurt – Choose plain, unsweetened yogurt for protein, calcium, probiotics.

Mix and match a couple of these simple sides each time you eat a burrito to get in more vitamins, minerals and overall nutrition. Making burritos part of a balanced meal is the healthy way to enjoy them often.

Are Black Bean Burritos Good for You?

The final verdict? Yes, black bean burritos can definitely be a nutritious choice! They provide protein