The Whole30 diet is a 30-day elimination diet that emphasizes whole, unprocessed foods. Many people follow the Whole30 to reset their eating habits, relieve medical symptoms, or lose weight. The diet involves avoiding sugar, grains, legumes, dairy, and certain additives for 30 days. After the 30 days, you slowly reintroduce the eliminated foods while evaluating how they impact your body.
The Whole30 has strict guidelines about which foods and ingredients are allowed. When dining out or buying prepared foods, it can be tricky to determine if a dish or product complies with the diet. Chipotle’s honey vinaigrette dressing is one such menu item that leaves Whole30 followers wondering if it fits within the rules.
What is Whole30?
The Whole30 is a nutritional program developed by Melissa and Dallas Hartwig in 2009. The Whole30 aims to eliminate potentially inflammatory foods and reset eating habits. During the 30 days on the diet, you cannot eat:
- Added sugars, including honey, maple syrup, and agave
- Grains, including wheat, rye, barley, corn, and rice
- Legumes, including beans, peas, lentils, and soy
- Dairy, including milk, yogurt, cheese, and butter
- Certain additives like carrageenan, MSG, and sulfites
You also cannot recreate “treats” or baked goods using Whole30 substitutes like almond flour. The intent is to break habits like craving sweets and relying on comfort foods.
On the Whole30, you can eat:
- Meat, seafood, eggs, and plant proteins like nuts and seeds
- Fruits and vegetables
- Natural fats like olive oil, coconut oil, and avocado
- Herbs, spices, salt, pepper, vinegars, tamari, etc.
The Whole30 aims to:
- Eliminate cravings and habits for inflammatory or unhealthy foods
- Identify potential food sensitivities or intolerances
- Reduce gastrointestinal symptoms like gas, bloating, pain, etc.
- Instill healthier eating habits long-term
- Promote weight loss (although not the primary goal)
Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette Ingredients
To determine if Chipotle’s honey vinaigrette complies with the Whole30 diet, we need to look at the ingredients:
- Canola oil
- Honey
- Cider vinegar
- Chipotle chili puree
- Water
- Agave nectar
- Cumin
- Salt
- Garlic
- Onion
At first glance, some ingredients raise red flags for Whole30 compliance. Let’s take a closer look at the problematic items:
Honey
Honey is avoided on the Whole30 diet because it counts as added sugar. The Whole30 aims to eliminate sweeteners and reset cravings for sweets. Even though honey is natural, it is still considered an added sweetener that could trigger sugar cravings.
Agave Nectar
Like honey, agave nectar is avoided on the Whole30 diet because it is an added sweetener. Agave syrup comes from the agave plant but is processed into a sweet syrup. It contains fructose and glucose just like other added sugars.
Chipotle Chili Puree
The chipotle chili puree itself is Whole30 compliant. Chipotle chilis are simply smoked jalapeño peppers, so the puree provides flavor without any non-compliant ingredients. However, the puree could potentially contain additives not listed on the label that are non-compliant. For example, vinegar or preservatives could be present. Without an ingredient list or verification from the manufacturer, the puree is questionable.
Canola Oil
Refined seed oils like canola oil are avoided by some followers of the Whole30 and paleo diets. The reasoning is that seed oils high in omega-6 polyunsaturated fats may promote inflammation. However, canola oil is not strictly prohibited on the Whole30 as written. The diet’s creator, Melissa Hartwig, sanctions using olive, avocado, coconut, macadamia, walnut, and flaxseed oils. But other neutral oils like canola are permitted in moderation.
Is Chipotle Honey Vinaigrette Whole30 Compliant?
Based on an analysis of the ingredients, Chipotle’s honey vinaigrette is not compliant with the rules of the Whole30 diet due to containing added sugars from honey and agave nectar.
While the other ingredients – like canola oil and chipotle puree – are potentially questionable, the added sweeteners definitively make the dressing non-compliant.
Some Whole30 followers choose to avoid seed oils like canola oil as well. The vagueness around the purity of the chili puree could also make the vinaigrette non-compliant for stricter adherents.
Overall, the honey and agave nectar sugar content is an automatic disqualification of this dressing for the Whole30 diet.
Compliant Alternatives
If dining at Chipotle on the Whole30 diet, you have some compliant salad dressing options:
Vinegar
Chipotle offers plain vinegar as a salad dressing choice. Most plain vinegars like apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, etc. are compliant with no added sugars. Balsamic vinegar is the exception, as some types contain added sweeteners.
Lemon and Lime Juice
Fresh lemon or lime juice from Chipotle’s beverage station would be a Whole30 compliant topping. Avoid the pre-bottled juices, as they likely have preservatives or added sugars.
Guacamole
Plain fresh guacamole would make a creamy, tasty Whole30 salad dressing. Chipotle’s guac contains minimal ingredients of avocado, onion, cilantro, lime, and salt.
Salsa
Chipotle’s fresh tomato and green chili salsas contain no non-compliant ingredients. They make flavorful, spicy salad dressing options.
Oil and Vinegars
A simple vinaigrette of oil and vinegar is easy to make Whole30 compliant. Request olive oil and vinegar, then mix together and season with salt and pepper. You can also ask for a lime wedge and garlic to up the flavor.
Making Your Own Compliant Dressing
It’s easy to make your own Whole30-friendly alternative to Chipotle’s honey vinaigrette at home. Here is a recipe:
Chipotle Lime Vinaigrette
| 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil |
| 1/4 cup lime juice (juice of 2-3 limes) |
| 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar |
| 1 clove garlic, minced |
| 1 chipotle chili pepper from can, finely chopped |
| 1/2 teaspoon cumin |
| 1/4 teaspoon salt |
| Pepper to taste |
Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl or shake vigorously in a jar with a tight fitting lid. Store leftovers refrigerated for up to 5 days.
The smoky chipotle pepper recreates that signature flavor, while fresh lime juice gives it brightness. Apple cider vinegar adds tang without sugar.
You can adjust the flavor by adding more or less chipotle, lime, or garlic to taste. Garnish your salad with cilantro for extra freshness.
Summary
Chipotle’s honey vinaigrette contains two added sugars – honey and agave nectar – that are not compliant with the Whole30 diet rules.
To stay within the guidelines of Whole30 while dining at Chipotle, opt for vinegar, salsa, guacamole, lemon/lime juice, or a simple oil and vinegar mixture as your salad dressing.
Or make your own Whole30-approved Chipotle lime vinaigrette at home using chipotle peppers, lime juice, olive oil, garlic, cumin, and apple cider vinegar.
By avoiding Chipotle’s honey vinaigrette and choosing compliant alternatives, you can succeed with the Whole30 while still enjoying Chipotle’s fresh ingredients. Careful menu choices make it possible to follow the Whole30 anywhere.