Do Deli On a Diet

Carb Patrol

Before you bite into a bagel, budget those carbs into your meal plan. A typical bakery bagel contains about 70 grams of carbohydrates—about five times as many carbs as a slice of whole-wheat bread.  Research shows that the amount of carbohydrates, not the kind of carbohydrates, most influences the amount of glucose in the blood. Ingesting a whole bagel in one sitting may cause your blood sugar to spike; consider eating half of the bagel now, and half later in the day to spread your carb intake out.

The Right Meats

Skip the salami and bologna. You’ll blow your saturated fat and sodium allowance for much of the day. A single slice of beef bologna has 87 calories and 302 milligrams of sodium. Compare that to a slice of smoked turkey breast, with only 28 calories and 257 milligrams of sodium.

It's All About the Fixings

Ask for less meat and extra fixings. A serving size of deli meats is just two slices—a fraction of what delis usually give you. Ask them to cut the meat in half and bulk up your sandwich (and add extra flavour and crunch) with lettuce, tomatoes, hot peppers, onions, sprouts, and other veggies.

Say No to Sauce!

Hold the mayo, special sauce, and cheese. Even a lean turkey breast sandwich can be full of fat if you add on cheese and fattening condiments. Simple switches can bring your sandwich back within healthy bounds: Substituting mustard for mayonnaise makes it 10 grams of fat lighter. Forgo vague-sounding “house” or “special” sauces, too, which are usually mayonnaise based.

Opt for Whole-Wheat

Ask for a whole-wheat, rather than white, roll. Or even ask them to hold the roll altogether. Most sub shops will turn your favourite sub into a salad by tossing the meat and veggies onto a bed of lettuce rather than a roll. A six-inch Italian white sub roll can have 38 grams of carbs—a huge carb savings if you skip it. Have a piece of fruit instead.