On a motorway rest area, at the beach, on a hike… The sandwich is very popular to eat on the go in summer because it is practical and inexpensive.
To meet demand, specialist brands and supermarkets are offering an increasingly diversified offer.
But beware: the majority of these products are nutritional nonsense!
Better to leave them on the shelf, as explained by nutritionist Angélique Houlbert, columnist for the program Le magazine de la santé on France 5, author of “Nash diet recipes” and co-author of “the good choice at the supermarket” (published published by Thierry Souccar).
What is your fault with industrial sandwiches?
Angelique Houlbert.
Commercial sandwiches, even those sold in bakeries, contain unhealthy fat and salt intake that far exceeds the body's needs. They should therefore not find their place on a daily basis at the midday meal. Industrial sandwiches are often the worst: they can have a moderate calorie density and a Nutri-Score B without being healthy! Their bread is generally too soft, too fatty and too sweet (sandwich bread and the so-called Swedish bread in particular). It also sometimes contains more than ten ingredients, including certain additives considered to be suspect. The patties used for wraps are also full of emulsifiers that you should be wary of. Their garnish usually features second-grade ham stuffed with glucose syrup, nitrites, phosphates, and artificial flavors.And their sauce, even when it is a so-called low-fat mayonnaise, is overflowing with modified starches, sulphites and preservatives which are not ideal for your health ... If you eat a sandwich every now and then, you have to prepare it yourself. This is the only way to control the quantity and quality of the ingredients.
Which bread to choose for your homemade sandwich?
Especially neither baguette nor another bread fermented with yeast: they cause blood glucose levels to skyrocket.
I recommend choosing a real bread - wholemeal or multi-grain - sourdough that requires an effort of chewing, provides a lot of fiber and satiating permanently.
We also forget the sweet ketchup, mayonnaise or mustard full of sulphites, which can trigger headaches, stomach aches or hives in sensitive people.
To give it flavor and softness, it is best to spread your bread with crushed avocado or hummus, tapenade or even homemade tomato puree.
And to make a wrap, you can use, for example, buckwheat pancakes.
And what garnish to put inside?
Always bet on a vegetable base to ensure good intake of fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants: salad, tomato, onion, zucchini or grated carrots ... To avoid cravings in the afternoon , proteins are also essential: a good ham, smoked duck breast, free range eggs, smoked trout or tofu for example for vegetarians. Don't hesitate to sprinkle them with fresh cilantro, parsley or chives. It is also possible to add a little cream cheese or mozzarella to give it fondant, but neither Gruyère nor Emmental which will increase the salt bill. For a balanced meal, complete your lunch with a piece of fruit.