A Lot Of Nutrition In A Little Brown Bag

FROM THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE FOR CANCER RESEARCH

Bringing lunch from home is a bargain in a bag – easy on both your weight and your wallet. Making your own midday meal gives you better control over portion size, calorie and fat content, and at the same time provides nutritional benefits that can even lower the risk of cancer and other chronic diseases.

The most popular purchased lunches to eat at the office are sandwiches, wraps and salads. But they can be full of hidden fats and calories and poor nutrition bargains. The only way to get a true bargain is to make your own.

A good place to start with your brown-bag lunch is the traditional, central item: the sandwich. Since about 60 percent of a sandwich is bread, use one made of a whole-grain flour. But just because bread is dark brown, don't think this means it's a whole grain. Caramel color or molasses is often added to bread to give it a deep color.

Whole grains, which are more nutrient-dense than refined versions, are more fiber-rich and filling than refined grains. They are rich in many health-protective substances: antioxidants, phytochemicals, vitamin E, folic acid, zinc, selenium and magnesium. When selecting a loaf of bread, the ingredient label should list as the first item either "100 percent whole grain" or "whole" followed by the grain used.

In choosing sandwich fillings and considering an alternate to meat, remember that most cheeses contain more fat per ounce than most meats. Consider a reduced-fat cheese.

Sandwich fillings made with soft cheese can also include vegetables or fruits, or both, creating extra flavor, texture and nutrition, as do the following spreads.

Carrot Spread

Chunky Cranberry Spread

Place cheese in a medium bowl and allow to soften at room temperature. Mash and work with a fork until texture is light enough to combine easily with other ingredients.

*Using sour cream for the carrot spread or milk for the cranberry version, gradually add just enough liquid so cheese becomes soft and easy to spread.

Mix in remaining ingredients for the spread of choice. Cover and refrigerate up to 2 days ahead or let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving to allow flavors to blend and mellow.

Spread on slices of a whole-grain bread.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups, or 1 tablespoon per average slice of bread.

Per serving (1 tablespoon) of carrot spread: 31 calories, 2 g. total fat (1 g. saturated fat), 2 g. carbohydrate, 1 g. protein, less than 1 g. dietary fiber, 30 mg. sodium.

Per serving (1 tablespoon) of cranberry spread: 36 calories, 2g. total fat (1 g. saturated fat), 3 g. carbohydrate, 1 g. protein, less than 1 g. dietary fiber, 29 mg. sodium.

AICR offers a Nutrition Hotline (1-800-843-8114) Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET, a free service that allows you to ask a registered dietitian questions about diet, nutrition and cancer. The American Institute for Cancer Research is the only major cancer charity focusing exclusively on the link between diet, nutrition and cancer. The Institute provides a range of education programs that help millions of Americans learn to make changes for lower cancer risk. AICR also supports innovative research in cancer prevention and treatment at universities, hospitals and research centers across the U.S. The Institute has provided more than $62 million in funding for research in diet, nutrition and cancer. AICR's Web address is www.aicr.org. AICR is a member of the World Cancer Research Fund International.

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