How to make a healthier sandwich: Nutritionists share 9 tips | Mohit Bansal

1. How to make a healthier sandwich: Nutritionists share 9 tips

2. A sandwich is one of those meals which you can literally eat at any time of the day. It just depends upon how many ingredients you are stashing in it. For breakfast, you might make a heavier sandwich and maybe go light at dinner time. But whatever time of the day a healthy sandwich is a must. Yes, it is true that you can make a sandwich which is healthy and tasty you just need the right ingredients which will make your sandwich the healthy version of it. Before looking into some recipes here are 9 tips from Nutritionists that will help make your sandwich healthy -

3. Fibre-filled bread The base of every sandwich is bread. Make sure the bread is made entirely of whole grains, and use the best bread you can find (it really makes a difference in both texture and flavour). Check the ingredient list carefully because many loaves that just declare "whole grain" or "wheat" are not actually manufactured from whole-grain flours. You have two choices if you want to cut calories: Either have the bread incredibly thinly sliced or construct an open-faced sandwich, commonly known as a tartine, using just one piece. If you like wraps, choose one that is 100% whole grain. In India, whole grain options, commonly which you will find are whole wheat bread, brown bread and multi-grain bread.

4. The power of proteins Use homemade leftovers in place of most lunch meat, which tends to be heavy in salt. Traditional fillings include roasted chicken, turkey, and lean roast beef. If you would rather purchase your food from a shop, seek low-sodium options and limit the amount of meat in your sandwich to 3 ounces. Use yoghurt and low-fat mayo to lighten up an egg or tuna salad, and add lots of finely chopped vegetables for crunch and additional nutrients. Another tasty choice is smoked salmon if you don't like having any of these sauces do not forget the Indian tadka to sandwiches which is chutney. You can coriander or mint chutneys for your sandwich. If you are a vegetarian you make a whole vegetable-based sandwich, add panner to it or Whole chickpeas give your sandwich a satisfying texture and a lot of fibre.

5. Healthy spreads make a healthy sandwich Consider alternatives to condiments like mayonnaise and mustard, which have extra calories and salt without any beneficial elements. Hummus, tapenade, low-fat ricotta cheese, bean spread (similar to hummus but prepared with other legumes), or mashed avocado may all add flavour and moisture to your sandwich. Ricotta, hummus, and nut butter are a few spreads that also function as proteins. You can also make a salsa out of tomatoes and onion and spread it on your bread, it will give you a feeling of healthy bruschetta.

6. Vegetables and fruits all the way There is no reason to limit yourself to the traditional sandwich toppings of lettuce and tomato. Sliced avocado offers a creamy layer and healthful fats, while grated carrots, cucumber slices, and radishes add crunch and a peppery flavour. Vegetables will give your sandwich more bulk (and fibre content) without adding many more calories, allowing you to feel fuller for longer. Sliced fruit makes a terrific substitute for jam on a nut butter sandwich if you're in the mood for something sweeter.

7. Avocados Everyone knows that avocado has made the list of superfoods so using it as the filling or topping of your sandwich is definitely making a good choice. Avocado is very versatile so you can experiment with different flavours on your sandwich.

8. Use pickles We are not talking here about the Indian Achaar to be clear! We are talking about the cucumber one. Pickles give the array some crunch and an equally tasty dash of brine. They are low in calories, high in fibre, and coated in vinegar, all of which are advantageous for your weight. In fact, eating three or four large pickles might actually leave you feeling satisfied for less than 100 calories since just one pickle offers 15 calories and 2 grams of belly-filling fibre. Additionally, studies have shown that acidic meals speed up the pace at which the body burns off carbohydrates. And the quicker your body burns off carbohydrates, the sooner it begins to burn fat.

9. Why use bread? The next time you stock up on sandwich fixings, look outside the bread section. When used in place of bread slices, large, crisp pieces of lettuce are the ideal way to increase your daily intake of veggies without feeling like you spend every meal at the salad bar. And the hot summer months are ideal for this novel take on the traditional sandwich basis.

10. Herbs and lemon To flavour and add nutrition to your sandwich while consuming a few calories, use freshly squeezed lemon juice, aromatic herbs, or any number of spices.

11. Paneer In India when it comes to sandwiches not many people have paneer in mind. But they should as it is very easy to work with and you can easily add it to your healthy sandwich plus do not forget the amazing nutrients it comes with.

12. These were certain tips by nutritionists that you should keep in mind when making a healthy sandwich.