Mexican food can be quite the healthy meal depending on how the meal is cooked and what it consists of. Think about it, many of the food items are filled with fiber e.g., black beans, tortillas (if using wheat or whole grain of course), vegetables, and many more!

Fiber is a big component that we often neglect, but any meal or cuisine from any culture can be filled with fiber, it’s all in the choices of food we make. The beauty of fiber is that it helps us reach satiety quickly and it does not affect blood sugar levels.

In order for a food product to be considered high in fiber, one serving must have 5g total fiber or more. You can then subtract the total fiber from the total carbohydrates and that will provide you with your net carbohydrate intake for that particular serving.

I would encourage you to only do this with foods naturally rich in fiber rather than subtracting the fiber from the food source that has had a lot of fiber added to it. Food made by nature will provide higher sources of fiber, i.e. beans, lentils, bran, berries, bulgur, peas, green vegetables, and so much more!

So, for example, if a food source has 10g total carbohydrates and 5g total fiber, you can subtract 5 from 10 to provide you with 5g of total carbohydrates that your body will actually use.

See below for a tasty Mexican cuisine that is high in fiber:

Fiber-Filled Fiesta Wrap

INGREDIENTS

• 1 OLE Xtreme Wellness Spinach & Herb Tortilla (14g total carbohydrates)
• ¼ cup black beans (10g total carbohydrates + 7.5g fiber= 6.25g net carbohydrate and 3.5g protein)
• 2 oz shredded chicken or 2 oz lean ground beef (93/7) (14g protein)
• 1oz (2 Tbsp) Fat Free shredded cheese Kraft brand (4.5g protein)
• 1 cup chopped onion, tomato, baby spinach (5g total carbohydrates)
• 1 tsp Canola oil (about 5g fat)

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat skillet on medium heat with 1 tsp of canola oil.
2. Place black beans, cheese, and chicken/meat inside tortilla and wrap it as best as possible with the ends closed so the ingredients do not fall out.
3. Place wrap in skillet for about 2 minutes, or until cheese melts the tortilla to the wrap.
4. Place wrap on a plate and top with veggies for a completed dish!

Nutrition Information: 25 total carbohydrates, 22g total protein, about 5g total fat