Beware: Healthy-sounding sandwiches are not created equal

A sandwich may be the original at-home fast food.

Slap some meat (or sliced veggies), perhaps a splash of mustard and some lettuce or pickles between two bread slices and you're ready to eat.

If you're on the go, you could head to a restaurant for a quick sandwich, but, your journey to Sandwich Land could be dangerous to your waistline if you're not armed with some facts. The good folks at Men's Health magazine did some fieldwork and came up with good, but sometimes scary, information about what awaits us out there.

Men's Health considers Quiznos' large tuna melt the worst sandwich in America, weighing in at 2,090 calories (75 percent from fat) and a whopping 175 fat grams (31 grams saturated plus some trans fat). Adding insult to injury, the sandwich delivers almost a full day's sodium.

What was Quiznos thinking?

If you find your way to a Quiznos, the editors suggest small honey bourbon chicken on wheat bread. This satisfying sandwich delivers just 310 calories (11.6 percent from fat) and 4 fat grams (1 gram saturated) and 920 milligrams sodium.

Most of us believe a turkey sandwich, like the one found at a Subway, to be healthy, but Chili's has managed to create a high-fat land mine out of it. The smoked turkey sandwich brings 930 calories (55.2 percent from fat) and 57 fat grams (15 saturated grams) and almost 3,000 milligrams sodium to the table. Instead, try the chicken fajita pita with 450 calories (34 percent from fat) and 17 fat grams (3 grams saturated).

A well-made, well-thought-out vegetarian sandwich could be a healthy choice unless you order Jimmy John's Gourmet Veggie Club. This is just a wolf in sheep's clothing thanks to provolone cheese, avocado (nature's butter) and real mayonnaise. Finish one off and you'll have consumed more than 850 calories (48.4 percent from fat) and 46 fat grams (a third of them saturated).

On the other hand, Jimmy John's no-mayo Vegetarian Sub delivers just 290 calories (4.7 percent from fat) and a miserly 1.5 fat grams.

For other sandwiches on the Men's Health list, as well as healthy alternatives, head to menshealth.com/eatthis/The_Worst_Sandwiches_in_America/index.php

Want to make leaner sandwiches at home? Start with a lighter (reduced-calorie), fiber-rich, whole-grain bread like Nature's Own Double Fiber Wheat (50 calories and 5 grams fiber per slice). Switch to fat-free mayo (10 calories per tablespoon) or reduced-fat mayo (15 calories), or forgo mayo and spread on some weight-loss-friendly spicy mustard. Today, many luncheon meats (even bologna) come in low-fat, lower-calorie varieties.

Try this recipe: Sometimes, a sandwich isn't enough; I also want soup to go with it. As a kid, I loved cream of mushroom soup; yes the one from the red and white can. Now, I make my own without any cream that looks and tastes creamy and is even better than canned soup. Give it a try.

• Write Don Mauer at don@theleanwizard.com.