IS TAMALES GOOD FOR HEALTH?
Tamales are generally healthy said by BANSARI ACHARYA ,R.D.N., a registered dietitian and blogger at food love. "Especially because they are steamed instead of fried "
However because of the fat and carbonhydrate content it’s important to watch your portions .
HOW HEALTHY ARE TAMALES ?
Tamales May taste decadent but they can still fit into a healthy meal plan and deliver some important nutrients.
Here is what you need to know about the nutritional content in a tamale:
CALORIES
One large chicken tamale typically contains 305 calories though the exact calorie count can vary depending on what ingredients are used in the filling.
Adding cheese, sour cream or pork drippings to your tamales can rack up extra calories.
FAT
One large chicken tamale contain 19.4 grams of fat which means more than half of the calories come from fat.
That is because traditional recipes call for lard to make the masa dough, Mills explains Lard is high in saturated fat but it’s fine to eat in moderation especially if you limit saturated fat the rest of the day, Mills add.
CARBONHYDRATES AND FIBER
Each large chicken tamale contains 21 grams of carbohydrates and 1.7 grams of fiber thanks to the corn flour used to make the masa dough.
Including beans and vegetables in the filling can help you amp up the fiber count mills says.
PROTEIN
Tamales are typically made with chicken, pork , beef or beans all of which are sources of body boosting protein one large chicken tamale contains 12.3 grams of protein.
VITAMINS AND MINERALS
Tamales provide healthy micronutrients including folate, vitamin A, calcium, zinc, potassium and iron.
Adding chili peppers can give tamales an extra kick and the capsaicin in spicy peppers may help support vascular and metabolic health.
ONE DOWNSIDE One large tamale can contain as much as 656 mg of sodium thanks to the salt baking powder and chicken broth used in many recipes.
That makes up a significant portion of the recommended maximum of 2,300 mg of sodium per day so you may want to look for a lower sodium recipe.
HOW TO MAKE TAMALES HEALTHIER
There are a few simple ways to boost the health benefits by making some strategic swaps in your tamale recipe:
1 Replace the lard with vegetable oil to reduce the saturated fat content.
2 For the filling choose a lean meat such as shredded chicken ■■■■■■ or ground turkey.
3 Add fiber rich beans and veggies to the filling.
4 Limit the amount of cheese in the filling or skip it altogether.
5 Choose a reduced sodium broth.
6 Add flavor without adding a ton of extra calories Build big flavor with aromatics like onion garlic and carrots spices like chili and cumin and flavorful spices like chili and cumin and flavorful herbs like cilantro.
7 Opt for a healthier take on tamales instead like this turkey tamale pie recipe.