9 Things You Shouldn’t Order at Taco Bell

There's a reason why Taco Bell is so successful. The restaurant is a guilty pleasure for many people who can't help returning there time after time. Like many fast food restaurants, a lot of the food is caked with salt and unhealthy ingredients, which makes everything taste better. However, overindulging can lead to health problems down the road. You can still go, but you should be careful about what you order. And there are some things you shouldn't order at Taco Bell at any cost.

To help you make the best choices, we have compiled a list of meals, beverages, and desserts that you probably shouldn't order if you want to be healthy. From overstuffed burritos to high-calorie meals and unhealthy "salads", there's a lot that you'd be smart to avoid. With that said, there are a few items at Taco Bell that are actually decently healthy. To guide you during your next trip, here is a list of food items you should avoid and some you should try.

One of the menu items you shouldn't order at Taco Bell is the XXL Grilled Stuft Burrito. It's one of the most unhealthy items in the entire restaurant. It's a big meal that contains a lot of fat. In fact, this burrito has 870 calories per serving, and most of that is the fat. Eating just one of these takes up 90% of your daily sodium allowance. Eat any more than that per day and you could find yourself with health problems. The burrito may look tasty, but it's best to avoid it for your own sake.

In general, the more layers a meal has, the more dangerous it probably is for your health. That's also the case with the beefy 5-layer burrito. Just about everything is wrong with this meal. It has 500 calories, an extreme amount of saturated fat, and just about enough sodium to equal the maximum amount that you should have in an entire day. The fault lies in the ingredients, including the meat and cheese.

It's not only the food items that are bad for your health. Several of the beverages are just as dangerous. Of course, you never want to go overboard with soda. But you should also avoid the Mountain Dew Baja Blast Freeze at all costs. The beverage contains almost exclusively harmful ingredients. It's full of sugar. It has 51 grams of carbs. There are zero nutrients in it. The green color is made from artificial coloring and chemicals. You may be fine trying it here or there but don't make it a habit.

Many people like to go to this restaurant for the nachos, but one item you shouldn't order at Taco Bell is the nachos bell grande. This dish packs 750 calories, and that's almost exclusively from the fat in the meal. On top of that, it has 85 grams of carbs, 28 grams of fat, and 1,300 grams of sodium. If you eat this every day, you could experience heart issues or worse. Plus, the beef, beans, and cheese are mostly made from fake modified additives.

Don't be fooled. Anything with the word salad in it at Taco Bell is not actually healthy. That's especially true for the Fiesta Taco Salad. The dish has an amazing 760 calories, and it's loaded with unhealthy ingredients, from cheese to beans. The problem with this dish and many others on this list is that they are typically not authentic dishes. Instead, they're loaded with additives and preservatives.

This menu option seems harmless enough, but in reality, it's one of the most unhealthy options on the list. The culprit here is the high sodium content. Just one quesadilla has 14 grams of saturated fat, 520 calories, and a massively unhealthy 1,270 milligrams of sodium. The only good side is the 26 grams of protein, but it's not enough to not make this meal dangerous.

One of my favorites used to be the Crunchwrap Supreme, but I've recently discovered that it's one of the items you shouldn't order at Taco Bell. This is a small meal with minimal ingredients, but what is there is covered with salt. The numbers say it all. The meal has 7 grams of saturated fat, 540 calories, and 1,200 mg of sodium. That's more than half of what you should have in a full day, and that's from one small meal.

If you're a fan of the Crunchwrap and think that the breakfast option may be better for you, think again. In addition to also being loaded with salt, there's an issue with fat. In fact, it has a massive 47 grams of fat. There are also 1,220 milligrams of sodium, 750 calories, and 53 grams of carbs. Eating this for breakfast regularly can result in heart issues and unwanted weight gain. This sausage option isn't even halfway healthy. The only bright spot is the four grams of fiber.

Many restaurants offer Cinnabon desserts but avoid them like the plague. They're another item that you shouldn't order at Taco Bell. The treats offer almost zero nutritional value. These are just deep-fried dough balls. Each 12-pack of snacks has 50 grams of sugar, loads of saturated fat, and 1,010 calories per order. They may be a nice treat, but eat them sparingly and with caution.

While Taco Bell is far from being what you would consider a health food store, there are some menu items that aren't too bad for you. They have smaller amounts of sodium and fat, and you'll love the taste. Some of these decent items include:

• Crunchy Tacos (Without a lot of extra toppings, crunch tacos are low in sodium and high in protein.)
• Bean Burrito (A standard bean burrito is packed with protein. Cover it with pico de Gallo sauce to increase your vegetable intake.)
• Doritos Locos Taco (No, it's not really a healthy meal, but it's better than many others because it's lower in calories.)
• Chicken Quesadilla (If you must get a quesadilla, go for the chicken option because it provides a solid dose of protein without a lot of the bad stuff.)
• Chips and Guacamole (The more you eat at Taco Bell, the worse it will be for you. So go for a side. Guacamole is loaded with healthy fats that will give you a boost. Just don't eat too many chips)