IateApie.net Healthy Diet Food Reviews

Iateapie.net *Healthy* Food Reviews

How to make a healthy and filling sandwich
September 21, 2006

Believe it or not, the calories in a sandwich can add up to quite a lot if you are not careful of the amount and type of ingredients you add. So lets look at the anatomy of a sandwich and how to keep it healthy.

The Bread: So many choices these days, but let's stay away from "white, bleached, enriched" and go for something with "whole" grains. Try Sara Lee Heart Healthy 100% Multi-Grain Bread [reviewed here]. There's 100 calories in each slice of bread (on average), so you've already got 200 calories.

The Veggies: You want to bulk up on the veggies because it will make your sandwich thicker, and it doesn't add as many calories as meat. For lettuce, go for Romaine over Iceberg to get a little better nutritional value [check the comparison]. You've probably only added 20 calories maximum here.

Another staple should be slices of tomatoes. You want to make sure that you have firm tomatoes. There's nothing worse than tomatoes juice just oozing from a "too old tomato." Again, you are probably adding another 20 calories here.

Want to get fancy with the vegetables - add more. I like strips of bell peppers and slices of cucumbers cucumbers. Another 30 calories from both.

Cheese: If you want to save some extra calories, then this is one of the places to do it. Try eliminating or cutting down on the amount of cheese you use. I do have a weakness for sharp cheddar, but I don't include it in all my sandwiches. One slice of cheddar cheese averages about 110 calories, so again, if you are trying to cut calories ... leave it out!

Meat: Not an issue for vegetarians, but certainly is a requirement in the sandwiches of us 'omnivores.' You have to change your thinking though. Think of the veggies as the 'guts of your sandwich' and meat as 'taste enhancer' - just a little something extra to add to the flavor. I am partial to using deli ham or turkey because they have fewer calories. One slice of the reduced fat kind, like Healthy Choice Honey Ham [reviewed here] is 60 calories.

So the calorie count on the sandwich I made pictured above: 220 calories for the bread, 50 calories for the lettuce and tomatoes, 1 slice of cheese at 110 calories and 2 slices of ham, 120 calories = 500! It would have been 390 calories without the cheese, and 330 if I had only used one slice of ham.

Category: Healthy Foods Article Link Comments (9) Food Reviews

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Comments:

September 21, 2006 2:12 PM
kelly jeanie

Thanks, this is great.

September 21, 2006 8:48 PM
Colleen

Hard to believe a sandwhich is only a sixty calorie cry from a Big Mac, isn't it?

September 22, 2006 9:53 AM
Mindy

How about a tablespoon of mayo at 90 more calories! Yikes!

September 22, 2006 12:30 PM
Brad Shorr

Thanks for the tips, especially about the bread. Your photo makes me think how many calories I could save by leaving some food on my plate. Why do I finish everything even if I'm not hungry?

September 23, 2006 11:46 AM
Anonymous

i think you should know, 1 entire bell pepper is only 25 calories, and 100 grams of cucumber is only 17 calories. I think you're selling your recipe a little short :)

October 1, 2006 5:26 AM
Martin

Thanks for the info (I found this on ProBlogger). I especially like the following:

"You have to change your thinking though. Think of the veggies as the 'guts of your sandwich' and meat as 'taste enhancer' - just a little something extra to add to the flavor."

Great advice!

October 3, 2006 12:07 PM
tanya

Thanks for the comments guys. Anon: I think I did overestimate the calories a bit. And Brad - I finish everything on my plate too - that's why I try to put less on it :0)

November 30, 2006 9:23 PM
Anonymous

This is very good info i can't believe a sandwhich has this many calories

December 12, 2006 3:36 PM
betty glenn

i am trying not to eat bread help