The Art of Sandwich

Well it’s back to school time, which for many parents means, back to trying to figure out how to provide their child with a healthy lunch and snacks. As a mother of two myself, I can say that when mine were young, the thoughts of the lunch line and institutional fare was never too appealing to me, thankfully, my kids would rather not eat than take part in pigs-in-a-blanket or mystery meat day.

But that leads to the question, what to send. Well, a sandwich may be the easiest choice, but it isn’t always the best choice. Let me restate that, your basic white bread and lunch meat sandwich is not the best choice, but sandwiches are still a viable option.

As some of you may know, I am currently working on a book and during some of my research, I have uncovered information that has made me rethink the way I look at a sandwich. First of all, a serious health risk can be found in the one staple all sandwiches share – bread. If you are living in the United States, your typical grocery store white bread could very well contain an ingredient that is dangerous…so dangerous it has been banned throughout the world for food use, including Europe, the United Kingdom (1990), Canada (1994), Sri Lanka (2001), Nigeria, and China (2005).But for me, it is as close as the corner market.

What is this insidious additive, in two words – potassium bromate. It is typically used as a flour improver, and when cooked under the right conditions, will be completely used up in the process of baking the bread. However, if too much is added or the bread is not cooked long enough or at a high enough temperature, a residual amount will remain, which is harmful if consumed. Not just harmful, it it actually is a known carcinogenic. As a matter of fact, Bromate is considered a category 2B (possibly carcinogenic to humans) carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).

Potassium bromate is available in the US, with the exception of the state of California. If it is used there, a cancer warning would be required on the label under the guidelines of Proposition 65. Rather than label their baked goods as being carcinogenic, most California bakers have switched to bromate-free flour.

Outside of California though, your diligence is required, beware and look closely for this additive, because believe it or not, it's still widely available. Just to prove it, if only to myself, I went to the grocery store, part of a regional chain, and started reading that teeny tiny little list of Ingredients. Guess what. Numerous loaves of white bread contained potassium bromate – a known CARCINOGEN! Generally, it was the off brands, lower cost loaves, which means that those on a budget or looking for a bargain are picking these loaves up, three for $2.00 and taking them home to feed their children.

How can something that is a known carcinogen be put in baked goods and sold to an unsuspecting public. Why can entire countries ban this product, and the state of California make it something nobody wants to use, but here in Missouri I can take my pick of tainted loaves?

The answer lies with the FDA. Potassium bromate was sanctioned by the FDA before the Delaney Clause of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act went into effect in 1958 – which bans carcinogenic substances – so now, it is more difficult for it to be banned. Instead, since 1991 the FDA has simply urged bakers to voluntarily stop using it. Apparently, not too many bakers listened.

Next time you need some bread, read the label, and if it has potassium bromate, in addition to all of the other lovely additives, put it down and run out of the store screaming.

And now on to the filler, the oh-so-easy, every time convenient option – lunch meat. Now lunch meat or a processed deli meat would not be the healthy choice. Why? Because most lunch meats share one common ingredient that can have devastating effects on your health – sodium nitrite/nitrate.

As a food additive, sodium nitrite (also beware of sodium nitrate) serves a dual purpose since it both alters the color of preserved fish and meats and also prevents the growth of Clostridium botulinum, the bacteria which causes botulism. Sodium nitrite can turn your meats and fish the bright red color that you generally associate with freshness, when in fact the product can be anything but.

While sodium nitrite will prevent the growth of bacteria, it is also toxic for mammals. Recent studies have found a link between high processed meat consumption and colon cancer, possibly due to preservatives such as sodium nitrite. The evidence doesn't stop there, a recent study shows a 67% increase in pancreatic cancer for people consuming moderate amounts of processed meat on a frequent basis.

Sodium nitrite can be highly carcinogenic once it enters the digestive system because once there it forms a variety of nitrosamine compounds that enter the bloodstream and wreak havoc on a number of internal organs, particularly the liver and pancreas.

Being a toxic ingredient is not a new label for sodium nitrite, the USDA actually tried to ban it's use as an additive in the 1970's but the move was vetoed by food manufacturers who complained they had no alternative for preserving packaged meat products.

Dr. William Lijinsky, an internationally recognized authority on nitrites and cancer, told a US Senate agricultural committee that there is evidence to show that nitrites in meat are the most dangerous food additives today and that they are major contributors to cancer. Yet here we are, sodium nitrite can befound in every packaged meat product you can imagine, bacon, sausage, beef jerky, pepperoni, lunch meat, ham, hot dogs, and even meat products found in canned soups.

Whenever you think of sodium nitrite just think to yourself, reason number 10,585 to buy only fresh, organic, free-range meats.....and never, ever eat a hot dog again.

So what’s a busy parent to do? Well, in my case, I got creative. I purchased either the higher end natural breads in the grocery store (after reading the labels of course), or I run to the health food store and pick up an organic/sprouted grain variety. By making the trip to the health food store to buy my bread, I am not only removing the risk of the insidious potassium bromate, I am also removing about 35 other ingredients I have not yet researched, and I am sure that removing those ingredients is only helping me – and my kids.

With the bread down, the remaining question is what to put inside. Well, for starters make sure your meats are of the organic/grass fed variety. Maybe a little leftover chicken from last night’s dinner could turn into a healthy chicken salad sandwich, or roast beef, or really any meat that you buy fresh and cook at home. Other alternatives include organic or raw cheese with veggies, peanut butter or almond butter and a fresh fruit jelly. The sky is the limit when it comes to sandwich building, really you can make it out of anything that you know would be good for you in a sandwich or wrap form.

And as far as the remainder of the lunch goes – remember to avoid juices and sodas that are sweetened with high fructose corn syrup (more on this next issue), stick with organic fruits and veggies to avoid pesticides, natural chips or crackers and read your labels to finish it off with clean, healthy snacks and treats.

While it may be oh-so tempting to buy the pre-packaged lunches, deli meats, processed cheeses and crackers, taking a few extra steps when it comes to preparing your child’s lunch will pay off in more ways than you can imagine.