Fajita vs Burrito - Health impact and Nutrition Comparison

Introduction

Burritos and fajitas are popular Mexican dishes. Both are prepared with tortillas, therefore usually it is hard to differ them.

Externally, they may have some similarities, however, they have very little in common. The main difference between burritos and fajitas is that fajita typically contains grilled meat and veggies, while burrito contains meat, beans, and a combination of other fillings. Besides, the burrito is wrapped in an extra-large-sized tortilla, but the fajita is wrapped in the small ones.

Varieties 

There are different types of burritos, the most popular of which are Wet burrito, Poncho Burrito, and Bean-and-Cheese Burrito. Bean-and-Cheese was the first burrito that spread across the United States. Fajitas are usually made from meat, grilled or sauteed peppers, and onions. However, fajita has different variations; with Cheesy Enchilada Rice or Pineapple Slaw And Coconut Rice.

Culinary

Burritos and fajitas are the most popular Mexican food around the world. However, they are usually prepared as fast food. Some cuisines took the concept of the burrito made it into a burrito bowl, and turned it into healthy food. On the other hand, fajitas also have the healthiest variations, for example, chicken fajitas or fajitas without tortillas.

Nutrition

At the bottom of this page, you can find a nutrition infographic, which will help you to better understand the differences in the nutrition of burritos and fajitas.

Calories

Overall, burritos are higher in calories than fajitas, which is connected with their combination of different fillings, such as sour cream, salsa and so. Burritos have 206 calories per 100 g, while fajitas have only 135 calories per 100 g.

Minerals

The mineral amount of burrito and fajita is almost equal. Fajita contains 5 times higher phosphorus and 2 times higher zinc than a burrito. Contrariwise, a burrito has 4 times more copper and 3 times more calcium than a fajita. The levels of magnesium and iron are also higher in the burrito. Both have an equal level of potassium.

Potassium

Ou body can’t produce potassium naturally. It is an essential mineral that may help with normal water balance and blood pressure. Chorizo contains more potassium, than pepperoni. The amount of potassium a burrito is 301 mg per 100 g, while a fajita contains 284 mg per 100 g. 

Vitamins

Burritos and fajitas are packed in vitamins in different amounts. Fajitas lack  Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and Vitamin D, whereas burritos have moderate amounts of these vitamins. Moreover, the amount of Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, B5, and folate are also higher in burritos. On the other hand, fajitas contain more Vitamin B3 and Vitamin B6 than burritos. Both foods have an equal level of Vitamin 12.

Micronutrients

The protein amount of fajita is 3 times higher than that of a burrito. Fajitas has 18.56 g protein per 100 g, while burrito has 6.48 g protein per 100 g. In comparison, burritos contain more carbohydrates and more fats than fajitas. However, fajita is high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. 

Glycemic index

The glycemic index of a food is a value based on how slowly or how quickly can food cause increases in blood glucose level. The glycemic index of a burrito is equal to 37, fajita has a GI of 42. Both are considered low glycemic index food.

Fats

Burritos have higher amounts of fats than fajitas. The saturated fat in the burrito fills 15% of the daily value, while, in fajitas, it is lesser as it is 7% of the daily value. The amount of saturated fat in the burrito is 2 times higher than that of fajita. It has 2.3 g per 100 g, whereas fajita has 1.5 g per 100 g.

Carbs

The level of carbs in burritos is way higher than in fajita. It contains 32.92 g of carbs whereas, while fajitas have only 2.23 g. 

Acidity

The acidity of foods is described by the potential renal acid load (PRAL), which indicates the acid production of the food within the body. The acidity of a burrito is about 3.2 (alkaline), while that of a fajita is 12.6 (acidic).

Health Impact

Both burritos and fajitas can be modified from being healthy foods to junk food. This is since they contain different ingredients. 

Weight loss

From the very start, it is necessary to point out that burritos and fajitas are not often associated with weight loss. Usually, they are high in calories, however, some adaptations can be made to make them acceptable for people who are craving them even when on a diet. Choose Fajitas Bowl or Burrito Bowl, they prepared without tortillas, which have about 100 calories each, also they contain healthy ingredients, such as Vitamin C and fiber, therefore they are the healthiest of all varieties [1]. 

Diabetes

According to the Indian study, there is a correlation between burrito consumption and high BMI (body measure size) is present and this leads to increased risks of developing diabetes. In contrast to a burrito,  fajitas are the safest and most delicious low-carb dish for diabetics. The meat and vegetables in fajita are grilled and contain little amount of carbs and no sugar. If flour tortillas are replaced, then fajitas can be a diabetic-friendly food [2].

Cardiovascular health

Studies show that burritos have nearly 55% of the required daily trans fat, besides, as we mentioned above, consuming burritos is associated with high BMI which may increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Fajitas use one of the healthiest cooking methods: grilling. Chicken fajitas are packed with nutritious ingredients, lean protein, and fiber, containing no trans fats. Eating fajitas is not an issue, but in any case, try to avoid using it daily [3] [4]. 

Side Effects

Red meat allergy

Red meat allergy is common in any age group and race. People have usually this allergy if they are sensitive to cat serum albumin that cross-reacts with albumin in pork. These cases often relate to specific IgE to galactose-α-1,3-galactose (α-Gal), an oligosaccharide of non-primate mammals. Symptoms often include urticaria, vomiting, and stomach cramps, in rare cases, anaphylaxis [5].

Summary

Burritos contain 9 times more Folate and 2 times more Vitamin B1, more iron and magnesium than fajitas. They also have lower sodium, glycemic index, and cholesterol. On the other hand, fajitas contain more Vitamin B3, Vitamin B6, phosphorus, and have lower calories than burritos.

References

1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24762709/
2. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0229716
3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23531781/ 
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6316192/
5. //www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6488443/