Taco vs. Burrito — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

Summary

Taco has more phosphorus, calcium Vitamin B12, and zinc. It is also lower in sodium than burritos. On the other hand, a burrito provides more Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin A, iron, copper, manganese, and potassium. Burrito is also lower in saturated fats, sugars, and cholesterol.

Introduction

Burritos and tacos are popular Mexican dishes. We’ll go through their differences, focusing on nutrition.

What’s The Actual Difference?

The main difference between burritos and tacos is that tacos typically contain grilled meat and veggies, while burritos contain meat, beans, rice, and other fillings. The main fillings of tacos are lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, baked chicken, beef, or pork. Besides, the burrito is wrapped in an extra-large-sized tortilla, but the tacos are wrapped in small ones.

Nutrition

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

Calories

Overall, burritos and tacos have almost an equal amount of calories. Burritos have 206 calories per 100 g, while tacos have 206 calories per 100 g.

Minerals

The mineral amounts of burritos and tacos are almost equal. Taco contains two times higher phosphorus, calcium, and zinc than a burrito.

The amount of sodium is also lower in tacos.

Contrariwise, a burrito has two times more copper and more iron, magnesium, and potassium than a taco. The levels of magnesium and iron are also higher in the burrito.

Mineral Comparison

Mineral comparison score is based on the number of minerals by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.

Taco

4

:

6

Burrito

Contains more Calcium +71.2%

Contains more Phosphorus +295.6%

Contains less Sodium -12.6%

Contains more Zinc +150%

Contains more Iron +74.8%

Contains more Magnesium +25%

Contains more Potassium +44%

Contains more Copper +126%

Contains more Manganese +60.6%

Equal in Selenium - 10.1

Taco

Burrito

Contains more Calcium +71.2%

Contains more Phosphorus +295.6%

Contains less Sodium -12.6%

Contains more Zinc +150%

Contains more Iron +74.8%

Contains more Magnesium +25%

Contains more Potassium +44%

Contains more Copper +126%

Contains more Manganese +60.6%

Equal in Selenium - 10.1

Vitamins

Burritos have a higher vitamin content than tacos. Burritos provide four times more Vitamin B1 and three times more Vitamin B2.

The amounts of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B6, and folate are also high in burritos.

On the other hand, taco contains more Vitamin B12 and Vitamin D than burritos.

Vitamin Comparison

Vitamin comparison score is based on the number of vitamins by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.

Taco

4

:

8

Burrito

Contains more Vitamin B12 +86%

Contains more Vitamin A +16.8%

Contains more Vitamin C +125%

Contains more Vitamin B1 +480%

Contains more Vitamin B2 +366.7%

Contains more Vitamin B3 +13.3%

Contains more Vitamin B6 +55.6%

Contains more Folate +110.5%

Taco

Burrito

Contains more Vitamin B12 +86%

Contains more Vitamin A +16.8%

Contains more Vitamin C +125%

Contains more Vitamin B1 +480%

Contains more Vitamin B2 +366.7%

Contains more Vitamin B3 +13.3%

Contains more Vitamin B6 +55.6%

Contains more Folate +110.5%

Glycemic index

The glycemic index of a burrito is equal to 37; a taco has a GI of 39. Both are considered low glycemic index foods.

Fats

Tacos have higher amounts of fats than burritos. It has 12.7g of fats per 100 g, whereas a burrito has 6.22 g per 100 g. Taco contains 4g saturated fats and 4g mono/polyunsaturated fats. Burrito provides 3g saturated and 2g monounsaturated fats.

Cholesterol

Taco contains 14 times higher cholesterol than a burrito. It provides 28mg of cholesterol per 100g, whereas a burrito contains only 2mg of cholesterol.

Carbs

The level of carbs in burritos is higher than in tacos. It contains 32.92 g of carbs, whereas tacos have 19.85g of carbs per 100g. The number of carbs in the burrito comes from ingredients.

Acidity

The potential renal acid load (PRAL) of food describes its acidity by indicating the acid production of the food within the body. The acidity of a burrito is about 3.2 (alkaline), while that of a taco is 4.5 (acidic).

Health Impact

Diabetes

One Indian study shows the correlation between burrito consumption and high BMI (body measure size) is present, leading to increased risks of developing diabetes [1]. Besides, research confirms the link between eating red meat and developing type 2 diabetes. Red meat, mainly processed meats, contains a lot of heme iron, which raises blood sugar levels [2].

Cardiovascular health

The daily recommended intake of sodium for adults is 2.3 g. A high sodium intake can raise the risk of high blood pressure, a significant cause of heart disease [3]. Red meat also contains saturated fats, which can clog arteries.[4]. With these facts in mind, try to limit your burrito and taco consumption, as they both have high sodium and saturated fat content.

Red meat allergy

People usually have red meat allergies if sensitive to cat serum albumin, which reacts with pork albumin. Urticaria, vomiting, and stomach cramps are common symptoms, with anaphylaxis occurring in rare cases [5]. These cases are frequently associated with specific IgE to galactose-1,3-galactose (-Gal), an oligosaccharide found in non-primate mammals.

References

1. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0229716
2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27744145/
3. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0033062006000831
4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20089734/
5. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6488443/