(Keto, Low-Carb, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free & Dairy-Free)
With Just 8 Ingredients!
Jump to RecipeLong ago, I used to buy packets of store-bought taco or other Mexican seasoning mixes whenever I made tacos, fajitas, or other Latin foods. When I started eating a gluten-free diet, I started to question the ingredients in these pre-made packets and it became clear that these included many questionable ingredients.
Questionable Commercial Ingredients
It’s not uncommon to find Maltodextrin, corn starch, cornmeal, polyunsaturated fats, natural or artificial flavors, wheat flour or sugar in the ingredients list. Why are these bad, you ask? Let’s take a look.
1. Maltodextrin
Maltodextrin is a common additive in many processed foods. It’s a highly processed white powder made from corn, rice, potato starch or wheat. It is also high on the glycemic index, meaning that it will raise your blood sugar and insulin levels and can lead to weight gain. It is added to foods to thicken them and increase their shelf life. You might want to avoid foods with maltodextrin in them, since a 2012 study found that it can suppress the growth of beneficial probiotics in your digestive system, damaging your gut bacteria and making you more susceptible to disease. It can also increase the growth harmful bacteria, such as E. coli, associated with autoimmune disorders.
2. Corn starch
Corn starch is a highly processed white powder, or starch, that is derived from corn. It is a carbohydrate additive in many processed foods to thicken them. Since there is no other nutritional value (i.e. no protein, fat, fiber, vitamins or minerals), it essentially adds empty calories to your food, all while raising your insulin levels and can lead to weight gain. In addition, most of the corn grown today is genetically modified (GM) and is full of pesticides. If you are concerned about avoiding genetically modified foods, it would be best to avoid corn starch.
3. Cornmeal
Cornmeal is a meal, or coarse flour, made from ground up yellow corn, also known as maize. It is a grain that has a high starch content and has been highly processed to remove the bran and germ, which prolongs its shelf life. Cornmeal is mostly a carbohydrate, containing very little protein, fat or fiber, which raises your insulin and can lead to weight gain. It is also a derivative of corn, which means it is most likely genetically modified, full of pesticides and is best avoided.
4. Polyunsaturated fats
Polyunsaturated fats, such as canola oil and soybean oil, are high in Omega 6 fats. These fats have been associated with an increase in ALL inflammatory diseases, including cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, obesity, arthritis and cancer, just to name a few. A healthy ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3 fats in our diet is 1:1. However, the average American consumes a ratio of 25:1! Therefore, these oils should be avoided at all cost!
5. Natural flavors and artificial flavors
Natural flavors are not so different from artificial flavors, chemically. Both natural and artificial flavors are created in laboratories. Artificial flavors are derived from petroleum and other inedible substances, whereas “natural” flavors are derived from edible sources, such as spices, fruit, fruit juice, vegetables or vegetable juice, etc. Both natural and artificial flavor blends are highly processed extracts of certain flavor molecules made in an industrial manufacturing production plant. There is no nutritional value left behind. These extracts are used to make processed foods more enticing and additive. Since the FDA does not require food labels to say what ingredients are included in a food’s “natural or artificial flavors,” it’s best to avoid anything with “natural or artificial flavors” listed on the ingredients label.
6. Wheat and Sugar
Occasionally, spice mixes will be adulterated with wheat flour or wheat starch and sugar to reduce costs or add extra flavoring. In fact, if a food label lists “seasonings” in its ingredients list, this generally refers to a blend of spices and/or herbs, often combined with a carrier agent (e.g., salt, sugar, lactose, starches or flours) and an anti-caking agent. Gluten-containing ingredients that are used in seasonings can include wheat flour, wheat starch, wheat crumbs or hydrolyzed wheat protein. Both wheat and sugar ingredients are usually refined and have no nutritional value. The do, however, add additional carbohydrates to your seasoning mix, raise your insulin and can lead to weight gain.
What Is In This Mexican Seasoning?
This seasoning mix contains NONE of the harmful ingredients listed above, I can assure you! It includes only the following 8 ingredients:
- Dried Chopped Onions
- Himalayan Pink Salt
- Chili Powder
- Garlic Powder
- Dried Oregano
- Ground Cumin
- Arrowroot Powder
- Cayenne Pepper
If you don’t have most of these ingredients in your spice cabinet already, they are all easy to find in your local grocery store. To save money, I often buy organic herbs in bulk, as they will last for 1 to 3 years in a cool dark place. You can, then, use those herbs to pre-make your own seasoning mix. I store my seasoning mixes in re-used spice jars or in these 8 to 10 ounce jars with air tight seals. They stack nicely in my spice cabinet and are handy when I need them.
What Do I Use This Mexican Seasoning For?
I am always finding new ways to incorporate pre-made mixes in my recipes. Here are a few ways I use this Mexican seasoning.
- Dip – Add this seasoning to mayonnaise, sour cream and heavy whipping cream and you’ve got yourself a tasty taco dip!
- Meat – Sprinkle 2 Tbsp of seasoning on 1 pound of meat. I’ve made shredded chicken or pork tacos, as well as tacos with ground beef, turkey, pork or lamb. I have also made chicken and steak fajitas using this seasoning. These seasoned meats can even be used in casseroles, such as a Chile Relleno Casserole. There are so many possibilities!
- Eggs – You can add this to your scrambled or fried eggs. I like to add it to my egg casseroles and skillets.
- Vegetables – This seasoning will taste great on any kind of vegetables, whether they be baked, roasted, grilled, fried or steamed. Just add some butter and yum!
How should I store my seasoning mix?
As I stated earlier, I store all of my pre-made mixes in 8 to 10 ounce jars with air tight seals or in re-purposed old glass spice jars. Re-purposing old mason jars work great, too!
I store my spices in a cool dark place away from heat. This is usually a kitchen cabinet where the jar will be handy when I’m cooking. Although the mix will last for at least 1 year before it starts to lose flavor, it will be good for 2 or even 3 years. However, it probably won’t last you that long! I tend to make a fresh batch of this mix every 1 or 2 months.
Once you’ve made your own Mexican seasoning mix, you’ll never want to buy another pre-made package of Mexican or taco seasoning mix again! With all of the additives included in the commercial packages, you just don’t always know what you are buying. When you make your own homemade mix, you don’t have to worry about preservatives and other mystery ingredients being added in. So, save yourself the worry, and some time and money, too, by just making your own mix.
Mexican Seasoning (Keto, Low-Carb, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free & Dairy-Free)
Equipment
- Bowl
- Measuring Spoons
- Spoon
- 10-12 oz Mason Jar
Ingredients
- ½ Cup Dried Chopped Onions
- 3 Tbsp Himalayan Pink Salt
- 3 Tbsp Chili Powder
- 4 ½ Tsp Garlic Powder
- 4 ½ Tsp Dried Oregano
- 4 ½ Tsp Ground Cumin
- 4 ½ Tsp Arrowroot Powder
- 2 Tsp Cayenne Pepper
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Stir well to combine. Store in an airtight mason jar for up to one year. Shake well before using, as seasonings can settle.
Notes
- Calories 14.8
- Total Fat 0.2 g
- Saturated Fat 0.0 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat 0.1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat 0.0 g
- Cholesterol 0.0 mg
- Sodium 134.0 mg
- Potassium 27.1 mg
- Total Carbohydrate 3.3 g
- Dietary Fiber 0.7 g
- Sugars 0.7 g
- Protein 0.4 g
Have you tried making your own Mexican seasoning mix? How do you use your mix? Please share below.
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