Taco Bell Satisfies Healthy and Indulgent Options

Chain offers low-calorie and high-protein menus, and meatless fare certified by the American Vegetarian Association.

February 25, 2016

NEW YORK CITY – Taco Bell has subtly become a destination for better-for-you fare, reports Business Insider. Yum Brands-owned Taco Bell offers consumers who want to indulge the options to do so; however, the chain also offers choices for diners who are seeking healthy alternatives.

The news source writes that according to Missy Nelson, Taco Bell’s dietitian and product developer, in the four years she’s been with the chain it has pledged to cut artificial ingredients and switch to cage-free eggs; and it has launched a lower-calorie Fresco menu, a high-protein Cantina menu, and a vegetarian menu certified by the American Vegetarian Association. “Across all offerings, there has been a 15% reduction in sodium,” the news site reports.

Through its website and mobile ordering platforms, Taco Bell has subtly been promoting the option to make healthier choices among its customers who want vegetarian alternatives or “Fresco” calorie-cutting options. Nelson says Taco Bell is striving for menu transparency, and by positioning its healthy options around consumer choice, the chain remains true to its more calorie-laden options. “Us touting ourselves as a health halo—it’s not authentic and it’s not real,” Taco Bell spokesperson Alec Boyle told the news source.

Taco Bell opts not to run ad campaigns touting health and freshness; instead the chain posts nutritional information online so customers can make more informed choices. “Overall, however, at Taco Bell, the onus is on customers to be healthy,” writes Business Insider, adding, “The fast-food chain has provided taco lovers with surprisingly useful nutrition tools—now, they just have to use them.”

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