That's Fit

Cinco de Mayo is less than two weeks away, so get ready for the celebration. There's a cool restaurant called Tortilla Flats that I usually visit on Cinco de Mayo, but I'm not sure if I'll be making it there this year. Either way, I'll still be sure to sip on a few Coronas and enjoy some salsa and guacamole. These foods, at first blush, may not exactly seem like the most appropriate choices for someone who writes about health and fitness. However, thanks to some research from The Journal of Nutrition and Penn State University, I feel I can enjoy this fare without feeling like a hypocrite.

Staring first with the beer; Penn State researchers found that drinking moderate amounts of alcohol can help thin the blood, thus preventing against the formation of heart attack-causing clots. So, barkeep, crack me open another one of those Coronas, if you don't mind. And yes, I'd like to run a tab.

As for the salsa and guacamole, eating these two foods together actually makes for a healthier meal than eating each separately. Allow me to explain. In order to fully benefit from the beta-carotene, leutin, and lycopene found in abundance in salsa, you should eat a good source of fat at the same time. According to the journal article, fatty acids help dissolve these cancer and heart disease-fighting components in your intestines, increasing their rate of absorption. And, since avocados (the primary ingredient in guacamole) contains a high amount of healthy fat, it's the perfect compliment to this spicy topping.

Mexican food is definitely a fan favorite, but tends to be atrociously heavy in fat and calories. It doesn't have to be though, and getting the taste you like without the love handles to match isn't such a challenge.

The ingredients on almost all Mexican meals are mainly the same. Meat, beans, veggies, rice, cheese, sour cream, guacamole, salsa and some version of a tortilla shell. Give or take a little bit of each ingredient, the meals don't vary much. Cooking at home or ordering out there's a few adjustments you can make to keep things more healthful than not.

First, choose a lean meat. Doesn't matter which one, just make it lean; not cooked in oil. Black beans or fat-free re-fried beans are your next choice. Beans are high in protein, but also high in calories so avoid too much. Fill up on those veggies, just make sure they are grilled, not sauteed. My favorite Mexican restaurant will grill mine dry, grease free. Pile on the fresh veggies like lettuce and tomatoes freely.