Bacons, luncheon meat, hot dog sausages and corned beef are some of the most popular sandwich fillings. These foods are, however, high in fat and salt content. 100 grams of bacon, for instance, contains almost an adult's recommended daily intake of sodium, which is no more than 2440 mg. Moreover, some of the Ingredients of bread making, such as baking soda, also contain high level of sodium. People suffering from cardiovascular disease and hypertension need to be particularly vigilant.

Dietitian, Carmela LEE, reminds us that Cooking Method could decide how healthy a dish is. Pan-fried or deep-fried food, she says, is inevitably high in fat while soft drinks, tea and coffee with sugar and milk added have higher sugar contents.

Carmela says, “A sandwich or hamburger can also be a healthy meal if you follow the principles of the ‘food pyramid’; that means one should observe the appropriate ratio of cereals, meats and vegetables”. As she suggests,

Eat more fibre and avoid excessive fat: do not put too much meat or deep-fried stuffing in your sandwich. Brown bread with coarse grains, rye, oatmeal bread and multi-grain bread are healthier choices because they aid digestion and make you feel full. Avoid processed foods: most processed foods contain high amount of salt and additives. Include a wide variety of Ingredients in your sandwich or burger: to create a nutritionally balanced sandwich or burger that contains an adequate amount of fresh meats and vegetables. Tomatoes, eggs, low fat cheese, skinned chicken breasts, beef, tuna in water, vegetables and mushrooms are healthy choices. Go for the right combination of food and drinks: have your sandwich and burger alongside vegetable soup, grilled potatoes, green salad and lemon water. They contain lower sugar and calorie.

Fat, Sodium, Sugar and Calorie Content in Selected Sandwich or BurgerFillings

Types of Bread (per 100 g)	Fat (g)	Sodium (mg)	Sugar (g)	Energy (kcal)
Bacon	40.3	2428	0	533
Luncheon meat	27.24	1369	0	310
Corn ed beef	14.93	1006	0	250
Ham	3.7	1348	0.3	104
Cheddar cheese	33.14	621	0.52	403
Hot dog sausage	23.68	816	0	269
Pork patty	20.77	73	0	297
Beef patty	21.83	77	0	295
Tuna in oil	8.08	396	0	186
Egg salad	9.4	329	4.95	157
Deep-fried fish fillet	13.33	280	0.7	229
Deep-fried chicken thigh meat with skin	14.81	86	0	229
Pan-fried pork chop	18.05	50	0	229
Scrambled egg	11.66	155	0.31	154

Source: Food Research Laboratory, Centre for Food Safety
The Nutrient Data Laboratory, United States Department of Agriculture