{"id":4153,"date":"2025-01-15T15:36:04","date_gmt":"2025-01-15T15:36:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/the-ultimate-guide-to-tamales.html"},"modified":"2025-01-15T15:36:04","modified_gmt":"2025-01-15T15:36:04","slug":"the-ultimate-guide-to-tamales","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/health\/the-ultimate-guide-to-tamales.html","title":{"rendered":"The Ultimate Guide to Tamales"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tamales are a Christmas menu staple for many families. This traditional Mexican and Native American dish is made by stuffing masa dough with a filling of meat, cheese, chili peppers, or beans, then steaming it inside a corn husk or banana leaf and serving it with salsa or hot sauce.<\/p>\n

Whether tamales are already part of your family\u2019s holiday tradition or you\u2019re looking for new\u00a0Christmas breakfast ideas, you may be wondering: Are tamales healthy?<\/p>\n

\u201cTamales are generally considered healthy,\u201d says\u00a0Bansari Acharya, R.D.N., a registered dietitian and blogger at FoodLove. \u201cEspecially because they\u2019re steamed instead of fried.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, because of the fat and carbohydrate content, it\u2019s important to\u00a0watch your portions.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s how to make this\u00a0holiday treat\u00a0fit into your healthy eating plan \u2014 whether it\u2019s Christmas morning or a random Tuesday night.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

How Healthy Are Tamales?<\/h2>\n

Good news: Tamales may taste decadent, but they can still fit into a healthy meal plan (in moderation) and deliver some important nutrients.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe merits of a tamale or two may surprise you!\u201d says\u00a0Libby Mills, M.S., R.D., L.D.N., registered dietitian and national spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what you need to know about the nutritional content in a tamale:<\/p>\n

Calories<\/h3>\n

One\u00a0large chicken tamale\u00a0typically contains 305 calories, though the exact calorie count can vary depending on what ingredients are used in the filling.<\/p>\n

Adding cheese, sour cream, or pork drippings to your tamales can rack up extra calories.<\/p>\n

Fat<\/h3>\n

One\u00a0large chicken tamale\u00a0contains 19.4 grams of fat, which means more than half the calories come from fat.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s because traditional recipes call for lard to make the masa dough, Mills explains. Lard is high in\u00a0saturated fat, but it\u2019s fine to eat in moderation \u2014 especially if you limit saturated fat the rest of the day, Mills adds.<\/p>\n

Carbohydrates and fiber<\/h3>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Including beans and vegetables in the filling can help you amp up the fiber count, Mills says.<\/p>\n

Protein<\/h3>\n

Tamales are typically made with chicken, pork, beef, or beans \u2014 all of which are sources of\u00a0body-boosting protein. One large chicken tamale contains about 12.3 grams of protein.<\/p>\n

Vitamins and minerals<\/h3>\n

Tamales provide healthy micronutrients, including folate, vitamin A, calcium, zinc, phosphorous, potassium, and iron.<\/p>\n

Adding chili peppers can give tamales an extra kick, and the capsaicin in spicy peppers may help support\u00a0vascular and metabolic health.<\/p>\n

One downside: One large tamale can contain as much as\u00a0656 mg of sodium, thanks to the salt, baking powder, and chicken broth used in many recipes.<\/p>\n

That makes up a significant portion of the recommended maximum of\u00a02,300 mg of sodium per day, so you may want to look for a lower-sodium recipe.<\/p>\n

\"Delicious<\/p>\n

How to Make Tamales Healthier<\/h2>\n

There are a few simple ways to boost the health benefits by making some strategic swaps in your tamale recipe:<\/p>\n