Americans love sandwiches. On average, we each eat about 200 of them a year. Fast, convenient, and endlessly variable, they can make a great, healthy meal-or not. Consider the ever-popular turkey sandwich: stacks of processed meat, American cheese, and iceberg
lettuce held fast between two pieces of white bread slathered with mayo. High in fat and sodium, and sorely lacking in vitamins, minerals, and fiber, it's a real turkey when it comes to nutrition. But you can turn this sandwich into a health star with these ingredient upgrades.

Recipe
Turkey Sandwich

Before + After
Calories: 432 down to 320
Fat: 23g down to 6g
Saturated fat: 8g down to 1g
Fiber: 0.1g up to 8g
Sodium: 1, 837mg down to 491mg

*Before sandwich: 2 slices white bread, 3 ounces processed turkey breast,
1 ounce American cheese, 1 tablespoon mayonnaise, and 2 leaves iceberg lettuce

Buy Better Bread
You know the benefits of eating whole grains, such as a decreased risk for heart disease and longterm weight gain. When buying bread, scan the ingredients list, making sure it starts with "whole wheat" or another whole grain. Also, look for at least three grams of fiber per serving.

Diversify Your Greens 
Crisp romaine and peppery arugula contain more of most nutrients than iceberg lettuce, including potassium, vitamins C and K, folate, and certain carotenoids. Delicately crunchy broccoli sprouts provide plenty of the cancer-fighting compound sulforaphane, which you won't find in iceberg.

Get Real Turkey 
An array of turkey choices, many of which contain fillers, binders, and sodium phosphate, awaits you at the deli counter. Your best bet? Roast your own. You don't have to cook the whole bird; a breast will do. Some delis also roast their own turkeys, so ask. When buying a packaged brand, look for a short ingredients list: just turkey, and possibly water and salt.

Trade Fat for Flavor 
Skip the mayo and cheese, which add fat but not much else, and try a romesco sauce instead (see our Turkey Sandwich recipe). Made with ingredients like red peppers, tomatoes, almonds, and garlic, it provides a zesty kick along with lots of nutrients, including vitamins A and C.