Can a sandwich spread be HEALTHY?
Heinz Salad Cream is considering changing its name to Sandwich Cream, the maker says, to reflect the way most people now use it. There are, of course, more traditional sandwich fillers such as meat paste and the original Sandwich Spread — but are they any good for you? Here, nHS dietician noor Al Refae assesses five of the most popular...
Heinz original Sandwich Spread
270g, £1.40, most supermarkets THERE’S almost a teaspoon of sugar in a 20g serving of this tangy spread made from vegetables and mayonnaise — around one seventh of an adult’s recommended limit of 30g added sugar a day. A serving is just 44 calories but only 0.2g protein (mostly from egg yolk) so it won’t fill you up for long and has 0.4g salt, about a twelfth of your 6g daily maximum.
Patum Peperium The Gentleman’s Relish
71g, £2.85, most supermarkets MADE with anchovies mixed with butter and spices, this is a good source of heart-healthy omega 3 fatty acid from the fish. They are also a source of filling protein. But a 10g serving gives you around a sixth of your salt limit. Consuming too much salt has been linked to high blood pressure. On the plus side, it is low in sugar, with 0.02g per serving.
Princes Beef Paste
75g, 69p, most supermarkets THIS contains just 36 per cent beef; the rest is mainly chicken and soya protein. It’s one of the higher-protein fillers, with around 3g in a 20g portion. It’s also low in sugar and has a medium salt content. But it is high in saturated fat at 1.3g a portion, over 6 per cent of a woman’s recommended maximum.
Tesco Salmon Paste
75g, 45p AS WELL as 67 per cent minced salmon, this contains minced haddock, soya protein, tomato paste, lemon juice and potato starch to bind it. It’s low in added sugar, with 0.12g per 20g portion, and provides 2.4g protein — which isn’t a huge amount. However, salmon is a good source of omega 3 fatty acid. A tablespoon will provide around 40 calories.
Primula Original Cheese
150g, £1.50, most supermarkets MADE of skimmed milk powder with added whey powder, this has a similar protein content to the beef paste (3.25g in 25g), though it is one of the more calorific fillings at 60 calories a serving. A portion provides 15 per cent of your daily calcium. However, there’s also 3g of saturated fat — nearly 15 per cent of the daily limit for a woman — and a tenth of the recommended maximum 6g salt.