Dietitians Say This Popular Lunch Can Be the Sneakiest Source of Sodium in Your Diet

If you consistently crave salt, you may loathe hearing about dietary advice to cut back on sodium to protect your heart and overall health. Every meal and snack likely includes foods that contribute to your daily sodium intake, and lunch is often loaded with overlooked sources. Still, you won't want to cut all of the sodium from your diet-it's essential.

"Sodium is an important electrolyte that humans require in small amounts to function optimally," states Sophia Friedeborn, MS, RDN, LDN, a clinical dietitian and Diabetes Prevention Program lifestyle coach at Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic.

She says the problem is that most people overdo their sodium intake. The American Heart Association (AHA) agrees, noting that most Americans consume 3,400 mg per day. The AHA recommends consuming no more than 2,300 mg of sodium daily, ideally limiting your salt intake to 1,500 mg.

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"Excess sodium causes our body to retain extra water, which causes our heart to work harder, eventually leading to hypertension and thickening of the heart muscles," Emily Feivor, RD, a registered dietitian at Long Island Jewish Forest Hills Hospital, tells Parade. "This extra fluid and pressure take a toll on our kidneys, leading to eventual damage and kidney stones."

And those issues are just a few of the long-term concerns associated with consistently eating a high-sodium lunch. Eating a lunch loaded with salt can also cause short-term problems. Feivor says high-salt lunches can make you thirstier than usual, bloated, swollen and fatigued. Afternoon slump? No, thanks. For this reason, dietitians warn that this popular lunch is a sneaky source of sodium (but delicious alternatives are available).

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This Popular Lunch Can Be the Sneakiest Source of Sodium in Your Diet, RDs Say

"Deli sandwiches are a lunch-time staple, but registered dietitians report they are often high in sodium. Each part of a deli sandwich can be a top contender for sneaky sodium," says Michelle Routhenstein, MS, RD, CDCES, CDN, a preventive cardiology dietitian at EntirelyNourished.com. "Deli meats are preserved through a brining and curing process that uses sodium. The bread or rolls are often high in sodium."

Friedeborn notes that deli meats are often the biggest source of sodium, but bread tends to be the sneakiest. "Bread can contribute a substantial amount of sodium to the diet but varies greatly in amount of sodium based on the type of bread, the brand and the amount eaten," she explains.

For instance, she says, a slice of bread may contain around 100 milligrams of sodium, while a 12-inch hoagie may contain a whopping 800 milligrams. For context, that's more than half of the AHA's recommended daily intake of salt.

Julia Zumpano, RD, a registered dietitian at Cleveland Clinic, warns that piling on cheese and condiments, such as pickles, dressings and sauces, also adds to the salt count. It's no wonder Routhenstein says that, "Many of these deli sandwich combinations can add up to a full day's worth of sodium in one meal."

Plus, registered dietitians say that the issues deli sandwiches don't stop at sodium. "During processing, preservatives, such as nitrates, are generally added, which research shows can turn into cancer-causing compounds in the body," Feivor says. "Some are high in saturated fat, which we know can lead to high cholesterol and [harm] heart health."

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How To Lower the Sodium in Your Deli Sandwich

Despite the high sodium content, Zumpano understands why people order deli sandwiches daily. "It's easy, convenient, inexpensive and tasty," she says.

If you're going to order a deli sandwich, there are ways to lower the milligrams of salt you eat. Registered dietitians share a few practical tips with Parade.

• Choose fresh meat. Feivor suggests proteins like tuna and shredded or grilled chicken instead of high-sodium cured or smoked meats like ham or salami.
• Go light on cheese. Cheese is delicious, but Routhenstein warns it's high in sodium and saturated fat. Veggies are an add-on that your heart and taste buds will love. "Vegetables...add volume, crunch, fiber and flavor with virtually no sodium, helping you feel full without relying on salty ingredients," she reports. "If you don't like them inside the sandwich, get them on the side."
• Keep carbs in check. "Bread contributes more sodium than most people realize, especially in large rolls or multiple slices," Routhenstein says. She suggests whole-grain bread and limiting it to one portion. Bonus: Whole-grain bread also has fiber to boost fullness and better blood sugar control, so you'll avoid the "midday energy crash."
• Watch condiments. Zumpano recommends low-salt condiments, like mustard, olive oil or avocado oil.

Related: The ‘Healthy' Lunch Staple That's Silently Spiking Your Blood Sugar, According to Dietitians

Lower-Sodium Alternatives to Deli Sandwiches

Here are some quick, convenient and delicious alternatives to deli sandwiches with way less sodium.

• A Mediterranean veggie sandwich. Friedeborn loves this meatless option because it nixes the biggest sodium culprit in deli sandwiches. "This type of sandwich is packed full of vegetables, which are naturally low in sodium and saturated fats and rich in vitamins, minerals and water," she says. "You can likely still order this type of sandwich at most delis and sandwich shops."
• Salad with grilled chicken or salmon, served with homemade dressing. Zumpano says this option is high in fiber and protein but doesn't go overboard on salt and saturated fat. Her homemade dressing of choice is extra-virgin olive oil and vinegar.
• Peanut butter and 100% preserves on low-sodium sprouted bread or rice cake. The classic school lunch is all grown up-and low in sodium. "Sprinkle chia seeds on top for extra crunch and omega-3 boost," Feivor suggests. "This is a plant-based alternative that provides a heart-healthy boost."

Up Next:

Related: We Asked 4 Cardiac Dietitians About the Best Drink To Lower Blood Pressure and They All Said the Same Thing

Sources:

• Sophia Friedeborn, MS, RDN, LDN, a clinical dietitian and Diabetes Prevention Program lifestyle coach at Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic
• Shaking the Salt Habit to Lower High Blood Pressure. American Heart Association.
• Too much salt? How sodium consumption varies by culture. American Heart Association.
• Emily Feivor, RD, a registered dietitian at Long Island Jewish Forest Hills Hospital
• Julia Zumpano, RD, a registered dietitian at the Cleveland Clinic
• Michelle Routhenstein, MS, RD, CDCES, CDN, a preventive cardiology dietitian at EntirelyNourished.com
• Nitrate. National Cancer Institute.
• Saturated Fats. American Heart Association.

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This story was originally published June 4, 2026 at 7:50 AM.