Sandwiches May Be To Blame For Some Americans Excessively High Sodium Intake

Many Americans consume too much salt, but just where are they getting it from? Of course, unhealthy snacks can be to blame. Yet an all-too common favorite is also a likely culprit: the sandwich.

Recent findings published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics reveal that close to 49 percent of American adults over the age of 20 eat at least one sandwich on any given day. Furthermore, researchers found that about 20 percent ate sandwichs that contained all of their daily sodium intake.

For the study, they collected information on people's dietary intake with the help of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Food and beverage consumption was categorized and coded based on its nutritional value.

The researchers focused on sandwiches and coded them based on the components that went into making one. Previous studies grouped sandwiches under one food code even though they can consist of varying ingredients.

"The unanticipated finding that sandwich consumption is associated with higher overall intake of energy underscores the importance of making healthful choices of sandwich ingredients," stated co-author ARS nutritionist Cecilia Wilkinson Enns, MS, RD, via Medical Xpress. "Many sandwiches, such as burgers and franks, and common sandwich components, such as yeast breads, cheese, and cured meats, are among the top contributors not only to sodium but also to energy in the diets of adult Americans."

She concluded that, "Though much national attention is appropriately focused on reducing sodium in the food supply, consumer choices still play a vital role. Due to sandwiches' frequent consumption and considerable contributions to sodium intake, substituting lower-sodium for higher-sodium ingredients in sandwiches could significantly impact sodium intakes."