The Taco Bell Burrito With The Most Fiber And 23 Grams Of Protein

Generally speaking, when someone stops at a fast food chain for a meal, it is not a decision made on the basis of nutrition. The top selling points of quick service restaurants are that they are fast, convenient, and inexpensive. But just because something is cheap and easy doesn't mean that it can't also help you to meet your macronutrient goals. Looking at Taco Bell, there are actually quite a few healthy options on the menu that stack both protein and fiber into one package. For example, the Black Bean Grilled Cheese Burrito contains nine grams of dietary fiber as well as a whopping 23 grams of protein — pretty good for a single item from a fast food restaurant.

This burrito comes stuffed with black beans, seasoned rice, tortilla strips, nacho cheese, sour cream, chipotle sauce, and a blend of mozzarella, pepper jack, and cheddar cheeses. The real distinguishing characteristic, though — and what gives it that "grilled cheese" moniker — is that even more of that cheese is melted and grilled onto the outside of the tortilla. Despite the decadence of this cheese-on-cheese construction, though, Taco Bell's Black Bean Grilled Cheese Burrito does have a number of factors that make it inviting for individuals trying to meet certain macronutrient goals.

The FDA recommends that for a 2,000-calorie diet, individuals should consume around 50 grams of protein per day and 28 grams of dietary fiber. Working with those numbers, this one burrito delivers 46% of the protein and 32% of the fiber that an individual needs per day. In a 680-calorie package (around 34% of the daily caloric need for such a diet), that's not bad.

The key to this burrito's nutritional boasts (much like those of many other items on the menu) is the beans. Taco Bell is the fast food chain with the most fiber-rich menu, thanks to so many items containing beans. Anything at Taco Bell can be made vegetarian by swapping in beans in place of meat, and this choice can also significantly increase the dietary fiber content. When it comes to the trend of fibermaxxing, though, there may be an even better option on the menu than Taco Bell's Black Bean Grilled Cheese Burrito — and one that doesn't sacrifice on protein, either.

The aforementioned Grilled Cheese Burrito does have the highest fiber content of any burrito on the menu, but it offers only one more gram than the run-of-the-mill Bean Burrito. And when you look at the fiber and protein per calorie, that simpler offering starts to look even better. Each basic Bean Burrito contains eight grams of fiber and 13 grams of protein, with a total calorie count of 360. So, two of the chain's basic Bean Burritos together have just 40 more calories, but pack in 16 grams of fiber and 26 grams of protein. That's 57% of the daily fiber and 52% of the daily protein needs for a 2,000-calorie diet. Plus, each burrito costs about half as much, so the total price comes out almost the same if you order two.

Regardless of what someone ends up choosing, either of these Taco Bell burritos can be a healthy part of a balanced diet and also provide a significant source of both protein and dietary fiber. When it comes to balancing these macronutrients, though, it's always a good idea to choose the beans.