MEXICO TRAVEL - Healthy Eating in Mexico

With a little savvy and self-control, you can come back from your Mexican vacation healthier than ever. Besides avoiding food and drink likely to make you sick, you can find delicious, nutricious Mexican  cuisine.

Here is the first way to look out for yourself. Although Montezuma’s Revenge (aka La Turista) can strike a visitor either from the change of water or from food you eat, you’ll be less susceptible if you keep to bottled water and carry a healthy snack in your pocket. With your own snack handy, you’ll be able to pass street stands even when you’re hungry.

You won’t need to succumb to impulse if you visit a market to pick up the snacks you need. Examples of foods wrapped in their own skin are bananas, peanuts, tangerines during the winter season, and peas in the pod. If you’re carrying a jackknife, you can choose an avocado or any fruit you can peel. On a larger scale, chow down on a slice of watermelon.

Not that every street vendor is selling food that causes diarrhea, but if you want to make the most of your vacation, you may decide to avoid all street food as veteran traveler Ann Crew does.

Notice that the cutup fruit you see sold along the street is not mentioned. Unless you watch the vendor at work, you won’t know how much the fruit is handled. Take Lonely Planet’s word for this.

What about the tempting fruit-flavored ice cream you keep passing? These sellers face regular inspections. An American living in Mexico who stops for a cone every week says she has never been sick after indulging. If you’re watching calories, choose the water-based variety rather than the cream-based.

Fruit drinks, from lemonade to tamarind, are good liquefiers full of vitamins, but heavy on sugar. Some restaurants will substitute plain water without charging extra; others will charge, considering the fruit drink standard.

If you usually limit saturated fat, Mexican food does present a challenge. There are several strategies: eat only half the enchilada, ask for a ham sandwich (sacrifice the cheese) or perhaps best of all, order a chicken sandwich complete with tomato and avocado. If you’re worried about the safety of the tomato, ask for chicken and avocado only; the avocado will even lower LDL cholesterol. If eating lettuce worries you, inquire whether it has been disinfected or ask that it be left out. Mainly, most of the time substitute chicken or fish for those oh so tempting carnitas.

Most economically priced Mexican meals start with soup. Ordering a clear soup instead of, say, spaghetti, as a first course will keep you high on vegetables and low on carbs. Most important in a hot climate, you’ll be taking in liquid. Lentils and beans make healthy company to a Mexican main dish, especially when the beans are not refried.

If you have osteoporosis, the corn tortilla makes a great source of calcium with 60 mg in each, but you should limit soda pop, which contains phosphorus. Beer won’t keep anyone liquefied if it runs right through nor will too much caffeine. Instead drink water or a readily available tea like mint, chamomile or cinnamon. Ice with a hole through it is safe.

Remember, the Mexican vacation of your dreams is more than a fantasy. In Mexico as elsewhere, The law of Extra Calories still holds.  Eating large portions puts weight on, but by planning ahead, you’ll have mouth-watering tales to tell back home.

LOS CABOS TRAVEL - Los Cabos, Mexico Vacation Packages, Cruises and Travel Updates.

The Fabulous Mariner a previous Caribbean cruise ship from Port Canaveral, Florida has arrived in Los Angeles, California and will begin sailing to the Mexican Riviera on February 19, 2009.

Royal Caribbean’s Mariner of the Seas guests' can voyage on the largest ship ever providing seven-night cruises with ports of call at Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlan.

The Mariner Voyager-class ocean liner has a nine-hole miniature gold course, ice-skating rink, full size basketball court, inline skating track and shops, restaurants, bars and lounges throughout the entire ship.

Book your Mexico Cruise by clicking here to view our cruise vacations and select your travel dates, our cruise line specialists, will get back to you with details and updated rates for your Mexican Riviera adventure.