Sandwich or Salad? Which is the Better Choice?

For many people, a sandwich or a salad is the typical mid-day fare. Ever wonder which is better? Here's some facts about both options for you to "chew" on...

In most cases, a salad beats a sandwich as it tends to have far more nutrients than the carb-laden sandwich. You do, however, need to choose your salad wisely. For comparison sake, we have compared sandwiches and salads from Panera, which seems to be a popular lunch spot these days.

The Sandwich Option:

Most Panera sandwiches (with the exception of the half sandwich in a "You Pick 2") and paninis start out with 300 to 500 calories just from the ciabatta, french baguette, focaccia, tomato basil, honey wheat, or three cheese bread. That's a lot of white flour in one sitting and more than most of us need. The Sierra Turkey on Asiago Cheese Focaccia, for example, gets 690 of its 820 calories from the focaccia (510) and the chipotle mayonnaise (180).

Only a few breads, such as the sourdough, keep the calories down to 200. The sodium content of most of these breads is also alarmingly high with roughly 700 to 900 milligrams. This is approximately half of the recommended intake of sodium from the bread alone. When you add in the fillings, most sandwiches hit 600 to 900 calories and 1,000 to 2,500 mg of sodium!

Healthier sandwich options? 

• Make your own and bring it with you to work! 
• Stick to whole grain breads or opt for low-carb wraps such as La Tortilla Factory, Cedars low-carb whole wheat or Joseph's Oat Bran & Whole Wheat wraps or lavash breads. 
• Avoid the carbs all together - try bibb lettuce rather than bread to wrap your fillings!
• Avoid using mayonnaise to skip on unneeded calories. Opt for mustard or a teaspoon of hummus if your sandwich is lacking moisture. 
• Make tuna fish with low-sodium tuna (try Starkist low or very low sodium - 100 mg or 30 mg per serving) and mix it with hummus or Greek plain yogurt rather than mayonnaise - try different flavors of hummus too!
• Bake your own chicken and/or turkey breast and slice thin for sandwiches to reduce the unneeded sodium and nitrites found in deli meats.
• Add plenty of veggies such as lettuce, tomato, cucumbers, shredded carrots, avocado, pickles, sprouts, etc. - more veggies = more vitamins, minerals and overall nutrients!

The Salad Option:

A full salad starts with greens (ideally mixed or spinach greens) and raw veggies. Most salads from Panera range from 400-600 calories, which includes the dressing, chicken, cheese, and other usual add-ons. The vegetables provide an adequate source of potassium that may help to balance out the damage from the sodium, ranging from 700-1,500 mg.

Food for Thought: 

• At Panera, opt to skip ingredients such as the crispy wonton strips or croutons, which have approximately 100 calories each. You can also save another 100 or more calories by using half the salad dressing. Or even better, opt for olive oil and vinegar, which will greatly reduce your sodium and artificial ingredient intake from dressings. Also, don't forget to account for the baguette you get on the side, which adds 180 calories to your meal.
• Most wraps in restaurants are unfortunately not much different from sandwiches. In most cases, you’re simply trading the bread for a 300-calorie white-flour tortilla. 
• Ask for the cheese on the side or for none at all - cheese adds a lot of calories, saturated fat and sodium!
• Ask for your dressing on the side - dip your fork in it to control the amount of dressing you use.