![]() ![]() Pair it with the Seasonal Greens Salad and remember to go easy on the side serving of dressing. You’ll get a smaller portion, which naturally lessens the sodium levels. To lighten the sodium load, choose off the “You Pick Two” menu. Note, however, that it’s really high in sodium - above 1,000 mg out of the 2,300 mg limit recommended for healthy adults. This bean-based soup is a satisfying, plant-based choice that provides almost 70 percent of your daily fiber needs. Have it with the Sprouted Whole Grain roll if you like (yes, you heard me right!). This meal meets all of my nutritional requirements: Not too much added sugar, lots of produce, hearty levels of protein and fiber (to keep your belly full), and sodium levels (just 280 mg) that are hard to match in restaurant meals. Choosing pecans over the croutons also lightens the carb load. Whole foods provide a nutritional boost over processed ones, and in this case, pecans stand out with more than 19 vitamins and minerals, including key nutrients like vitamin E, calcium, magnesium, and potassium. Since the black pepper croutons don’t add anything by way of nutrition, try skipping them and getting your crunch from the optional pecans instead. ![]() As with other salads, my advice is to get the dressing on the side and use just enough to coat your greens. The Caesar Salad is a classic choice, although not without its landmines. That will keep the sodium in a healthy range. Order the dressing on the side and drizzle lightly - just enough to add flavor. Like most restaurant meals, the sodium is high, but 300 mg of salt is coming from the Greek dressing. There are plenty of healthy ingredients, like olives, kale and romaine lettuce, in this main-sized salad. Skipping the bacon would shave 200 mg of sodium (and 100 calories) from this meal - worthwhile nutritional savings if you ask me. Roasted Turkey & Avocado BLTįor those craving a turkey sandwich, this one gets my vote, but I’d suggest eating it open-faced since most adults could do without the extra carbs, calories and sodium from refined breads. The swap brings avocado’s vitamins and minerals to your meal and ups the fiber another 4 grams. Bring it down another 250 mg by choosing avocado instead of feta. Doing so brings the sodium down 250 mg - still high at 980 mg, but an improvement. Instead of the tomato-basil bread it’s served on, get it on the sourdough. This sandwich is layered with lots of veggies, which is why it makes the cut. ![]() Doing so boosts your healthy fat intake, which is a nutritious move. To cut back even more, you can skip both toppings and opt for pecans, instead. You’ll still get one and a half teaspoons of added sweetener from the granola it comes with. However, too much added sugar is a personal pet peeve so I’d skip the cinnamon crunch topping here. When compared to cold cereal, oatmeal has been shown to increase feelings of fullness and satisfaction, so if cereal is your morning jam, oatmeal is a good choice. The steel cut oatmeal base makes this another winning breakfast. Steel Cut Oatmeal with Blueberries, Granola & Cinnamon Crunch Topping The only thing missing from this meal is produce, so I’d pair it with the Summer Fruit Cup to balance out breakfast. I can’t even quibble with the drizzle of honey since it’s only providing about a teaspoon of added sugar. The combo of steel cut oats and quinoa gets the thumbs up in my book. Steel Cut Oatmeal with Almonds, Quinoa and Honey The healthy fat from the avocado together with the 21 grams of protein (mainly from the egg whites) and 7 grams of fiber (from the bagel and veggies) means this is a meal that will curb hunger and fuel busy days. Sprouted grains also make the nutrients in grains more bioavailable. Plus, it contains sprouted grains, which are easier to digest than regular whole grain breads. I’m a fan of the flat bagel, which cuts about 20 g of carbs when compared to Panera’s whole grain bagel. This sandwich would make a filling and nutritious start to your day. Here are your healthy Panera Bread picks. (Chicken Tortellini Alfredo and Frontega Chicken Panini, I’ve got my eyes on you!) Still, dining out is a convenience we all rely on so to help you avoid the unhealthiness and keep things light, I drilled down into the nutrition information of the Panera menu for the best offerings and looked for ways to make them even better. That’s true even at Panera, where the health halo of clean ingredients may trick you into thinking that everything on the menu gets the green light. If unwanted pounds aren’t bad enough, restaurant meals are also typically high in sodium, yet low in fiber and whole grains, and many don’t contain adequate produce. ![]()
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