Choosing healthy meals at Chipotle is not always easy, but the good news is that this fast food chain includes nutrition information for their entire menu. If you have diabetes and want to enjoy a meal out with your friends or family, it is possible to choose some low sugar options at Chipotle.

Like many fast food joints, Chipotle also serves foods high in carbs, fat, sodium, and sugar, but it doesn't mean that a trip to this popular Mexican restaurant should be completely off the table even if you have diabetes. Fast food comes with lots of benefits, such as convenience and consistent quality wherever you go, which means that there are moments when it's the only option for a meal when you're stuck in an airport or on a road trip.

What can you safely eat at Chipotle if you have diabetes? 

A typical meal at Chipotle is laden with lots of hidden carbs, so it's important to avoid anything that will cause a spike in your blood sugar levels. Nevertheless, multiple options on the Chipotle menu are safe to eat even if you have diabetes.

Here are some of the healthiest options on the menu:

Burrito Bowl

The burrito bowl is an excellent option that is actually great as a substitute to the popular Chipotle burrito. Opt for brown rice as your main source of carb and then include any other toppings you fancy, such as carnitas, veggies, tomatillo salsa, pico, cheese, guacamole, and lettuce. A burrito bowl with these toppings and brown rice clocks in at approximately 60 g of carbs.

Cauliflower Rice

Chipotle has been offering cauliflower rice for a while now, and this is an excellent way to reduce the amount of carbs in your meal. Cauliflower rice has fewer carb than white and brown rice, so if you opt for a burrito bowl with carnitas, fajita veggies, tomatillo salsa, pico de gallo, cheese, lettuce and guacamole, you'll get a total of just 30 grams of carbs.

Salads

Chipotle is a great place to enjoy a filling salad, and the best thing about them is that you can customize them however you want, so you're in total control of the amount of carbs you're eating. There's even a handy calculator on the Chipotle website where you can customize your salad to see how many grams of carbs the final combination will have.

For example, a salad with a base of romaine lettuce, carnitas, guacamole, pinto beans, and roasted tomato red chili salsa has just 30 grams of carbs for a total of 470 calories. If you are ordering drinks at Chipotle, it is important to go only for sugar-free options because the regular drinks are loaded with sugar and can cause an immediate spike in your blood sugar levels.

What to avoid at Chipotle if you have diabetes?

Many of the items on the Chipotle menu are a diabetic disaster because they contain lots of fried tortillas, sour cream and cheese. It's thus essential to have a careful look at the menu and the nutritional information Chipotle provides for each ingredient before ordering to make sure you don't go over your daily carbs limit. Here's what you should avoid on a trip to Chipotle if you have diabetes:

Burritos

Even though burritos are the main reason many people come to Chipotle, they are definitely not a great choice for people with diabetes. For example, a simple burrito with a flour tortilla, carnitas, guacamole, cilantro lime white rice and sour cream has a whopping 975 calories and 100 grams of carbs.

Tacos

Just like burritos, tacos are best to be avoided at Chipotle if you have diabetes. With over 900 calories for three tacos and a whopping 90 grams of carbs per serving, having tacos is likely to send your blood sugar level spiralling. Just one of the flour tortillas used to make tacos has 250 calories and 40 grams of carbohydrates.

Tortilla Chips and Guacamole 

Another very popular item on the Chipotle menu, the tortilla chips and guacamole are not the best choice for people with diabetes. A serving contains 770 calories and 81 grams of carbohydrates and it is unlikely it will leave you feeling full, as it's just an appetizer.