Most sandwiches high in salt: study

Philadelphia – From grilled cheese to roast beef, sandwiches are a part of many people’s daily diet. However, Americans may need to take a closer look at their eating habits, as new research shows that sandwiches – including fast-food burgers – make up one-fifth of many consumers’ daily sodium intake.

Nearly half of American adults (49 percent) eat at least one sandwich per day, according to a study from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Researchers examined survey results from 5,762 adults who listed what they ate and drank the previous day. Each food or drink was labeled with one or more codes to calculate its nutrient content. Sandwiches accounted for 30 percent of the recommended maximum daily sodium intake and 46 percent of the stricter maximum intake.

The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends a maximum daily intake of 2,300 milligrams of sodium. That number is reduced to 1,500 milligrams for adults older than 50, African-Americans and people with medical conditions such as high blood pressure or diabetes.

Sandwich eaters also reported overall sodium intakes that were an average of 600 milligrams per day higher than people who did not eat sandwiches.

Researchers suggested that efforts be made to use lower-sodium ingredients in sandwiches.

The research was published online Oct. 5 in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.