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Nachos uphold all the rules of the most beloved comfort foods: They’re carb-based, fried, cheese plays a central role, and you can top them with just about anything. Unfortunately, those same qualities tend to make them a nutritional nightmare.
Still, the premise behind this finger food makes them too appealing to avoid entirely. Being easy to make with whatever is on hand is reportedly how the dish was originally invented, according to an October 2020 article in The New York Times. Their creator, Ignacio “Nacho” Anaya, was not even a chef, but he had a burst of creativity when a group of women stopped by the hotel in northern Mexico where he worked for a late-night snack after the kitchen had closed. Anaya came up with a corn chip, cheese, and pickled jalapeño combination that was an instant hit. That was seven decades ago, and his namesake snack now has iterations around the world (in Quebec, you can find poutine nachos, for instance).
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While restaurants often market nachos as an appetizer, an order frequently packs an entrée-size amount of calories, saturated fat, and sodium. The Neighborhood Nachos with beef at Applebee’s, for instance, will run you almost 2,000 calories, 55 grams (g) of artery-clogging saturated fat, and a whopping 4,400 milligrams (mg) of sodium — almost double the American Heart Association’s recommended daily limit. Drive-thru options aren’t much better: Nachos BellGrande from Taco Bell has more than 700 calories, 6 g of saturated fat, and more than 1,100 mg of sodium.
Still, one of the advantages of nachos is their versatility. If you make them yourself, you can control the toppings and therefore the nutritional quality. And nacho toppings can be a great way to sneak in servings of vegetables, plant-based protein, and other good-for-you nutrients, while satisfying your craving for crunchy, gooey snack food. Done right, nachos can even be a great lazy meal — or, yes, dessert.
These healthier versions, which we’re calling “not-chos,” will show you how you can appeal to your taste buds and health goals at the same time.
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