The Best & Worst Sandwich at Panera Bread
Take the Panera Bread menu, for example, a calorie-clad list of "food as it should be." Just as the item names alone don't give a complete idea of what's in the meal, calorie counts can't tell us the extent of how healthy—or not—something may truly be. The lowest-calorie option may be riddled in sodium, whereas a higher-calorie option might be packed full of heart-healthy fats and much needed protein. To cut through the noise — and all the numbers — we've sorted through the nutrition facts (everything from calories and fat to sodium and fiber) to find the best and worst sandwich option at Panera Bread.
Eat This!
Roasted Turkey & Avocado BLT on Sourdough (Whole)
| Calories | 510 |
| Fat | 19 g |
| Saturated Fat | 3.5 g |
| Sodium | 960 mg |
| Carbs | 48 g |
| Protein | 37 g |
Not That!
Steak & White Cheddar Panini on French Baguette (Whole)
| Calories | 1,050 |
| Fat | 46 g |
| Saturated Fat | 17 g |
| Trans Fat | 1 g |
| Sodium | 1,910 mg |
| Carbs | 104 g |
| Protein | 52 g |
No matter how small the print is on the calorie count, even an unsuspecting eye can catch the four digits strewn under the Steak & White Cheddar Panini. The fat hidden from the menu is just as bad — and worse than seven slices of Domino's pizza. But that doesn't mean you have to switch to a salad.
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Stick with the Roasted Turkey & Avocado BLT. Although it's not Panera's lowest-calorie sandwich pick, we've deemed this heart-happy order the winner thanks to the healthy fats from avocado—fats that a recent study has attributed to the fruit's cancer-fighting power. Plus, you'll get to enjoy a classic bacon-topped lunch without derailing your day of healthy eating. Worried about calories and willing to give up the pork? Hold the bacon to eliminate all saturated fat, slash sodium in half and bring this sandwich down to the lowest-calorie option on the menu.
