This Taco Bell Order Skips The Carbs But Keeps All The Flavor

Many chains offer keto-friendly fast food options, but not all of them are delicious. If you're looking for something that doesn't skimp on flavor, you'll want to head straight to Taco Bell. While the Tex-Mex chain may be known for carb-heavy-hitters like the Crunchwrap Supreme, burritos, and potato-based sides like the Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes, there are some lower-carb options worth ordering. 

Tasting Table asked registered dietitian Angel Luk about the best item to order if we're looking to cut down on carbs. She suggested the Veggie Bowl from Taco Bell, which comes with Mexican rice, shredded cabbage, beans, lettuce, pico de gallo, guacamole, Avocado Ranch sauce, reduced-fat sour cream, and cheddar cheese. 

This veggie-forward bowl is filled with fiber, which will help you stay fuller for longer. Luk also suggested swapping out the Mexican rice for even fewer net carbs. "If you ask the staff to remove the Mexican rice, the bowl would contain only 21 [grams] of total carbohydrate, but 10 grams of fiber, making the net available carbs only 11 grams," she explained.

The nice thing about Taco Bell's menu is that it's incredibly customizable. This ease of customization makes it undoubtedly one of the best fast food chains for vegetarians, keto-diners, and people with allergies, food sensitivities, or other dietary restraints alike. Not only can you drizzle your bowl with any number of flavorful Taco Bell sauces, but you can also customize your bowl with affordable — and in many cases, low-carb — add-ons, and make anything at Taco Bell vegetarian by swapping the meat for fiber-packed beans. 

"You may want to double the lettuce, purple cabbage, and black beans to improve your satiety by increasing the fiber and protein content," suggested Angel Luk. Still without the rice, these customizations would "up the nutrient content" to 37 grams of carbs, 18 grams of fiber, 15 grams of protein, and 6 grams of saturated fat. Taco Bell's Veggie Bowl is vegetarian as is, but it's easy to max out your protein intake with it, too. 

Seasoned beef, chicken (both slow-roasted and regular), and steak are all potential add-ons that will allow you to reap all of the fiberous benefits of this order while also hitting your macro goals. If you like things spicy, don't forget to add jalapeños, Spicy Ranch, or creamy jalapeño sauce to your bowl, too.