If you have diabetes, enjoying a quick meal at Taco Bell can prove to be a challenge. When it comes to eating out at fast food places such as Taco Bell, it can be difficult to follow a low-carb diet that's required to keep your blood sugar levels in check.

People who live with diabetes typically restrict their carbohydrate intake to fewer than 50 g per day and finding items with fewer than 20 g of carbs can be pretty tricky at Taco Bell. However, the good news is that it's not an impossible mission to enjoy a trip to Taco Bell with your friends and family if you have diabetes. There are several tasty menu choices that are low in carbohydrates and that you can enjoy without going over your carb limit for the day.

Tacos

Most of the tacos on Taco Bell's menu have more than 20 g of carbs. However, several of them would work for someone who lives with type I or type II diabetes. The majority of the carbs in a taco are in the soft tortillas or crunchy taco shells, so you can always discard some of the shell and enjoy more of the fillings if you want to reduce your carbohydrate intake.

If you look at the Taco Bell menu, you'll see that some of their tacos are quite low in carbs, ranging from 12 to 15 g. Some examples include the Volcano, Crunchy, Crunchy Taco Supreme, Fresco Crunchy, Doritos Locos and Doritos Locos Taco Supreme tacos. Other tacos have 18 to 19 g of carbohydrates, including Chicken, Beef, Fresco Chicken, Fresco Grilled Steak and Grilled Steak and soft tacos. 

Sides and drinks

Most of the side dishes at Taco Bell have more than 20 g of carbs per serving, but a couple of them only contain 18 g of carbs, such as the Cheese Roll-up, for example. Pintos 'n' Cheese and the Mexican Rice both have 20 g of carbohydrates per serving.

If you want to enjoy beverage with your meal at Taco Bell, always opt for diet drinks that contain 0 g of carbs, such as Diet Mountain Dew and Diet Pepsi, for example. Most of the regular beverages at the fast-food chain are very high in carbohydrates because of their sugar content and are best to be avoided if you have diabetes.

Other options 

If you want to enjoy one of the main items on the Taco Bell menu, you can split one of them with a friend. For example, half of the Double Decker Taco Supreme, Chili Cheese Burrito, Cheesy Gordita Crunch, Nachos Supreme, or Chicken or Steak Quesadilla has around 20 g of carbohydrates each so if you split them with a friend, you can still enjoy your favorite food.

Some other items that work well when they are cut in half include any Enchurito, Chalupa, or Gordita Supreme, because all of them have approximately 15 g of carbs per half of the serving.

Another option is to order a salad or to choose a Chalupa or taco and not eat the shell because that is where most of the carbs are contained.

The Power Ball at Taco Bell is another excellent choice for someone who lives with diabetes. The entire bowl has 7 grams of carbs, and it's loaded with a lot of food, so it'll keep you full for hours. Some of the ingredients include chicken, lettuce, cheese, and guacamole.

You can add some seasoned rice and beans to the bowl, but you need to keep in mind that they will increase the amount of carbohydrates in your meal. If you want to bulk up your bowl, it's always better to double the meat or add some more lettuce or guacamole.

What to avoid at Taco Bell if you have diabetes?

Besides the items mentioned above, such as regular tacos and sugary drinks, you should also avoid any of the sweets on the Taco Bell menu. Even though the churros and mini Cinnabon's sound very attractive, they are loaded with sugar and will cause your blood sugar levels to spike. For example, a serving of churros has no less than 72 grams of carbs. 

Bottom line

Just because you have type I or type II diabetes, it doesn't mean that you can't enjoy some of the foods you like at fast-food chains such as Taco Bell. Make sure you eat a balanced diet so that you can enjoy treats in moderation from time to time. However, it is crucial to track your daily intake of carbs to manage your diabetes and avoid a blood sugar spike. Make sure you have a good look at the nutritional information on the Taco Bell menu to make sure that you only order low-carb foods.