Making Potbelly sandwiches healthier

It’s been awhile since TOC’s Healthy Carrot checked on lunches, so in the spirit of Halloween, we sent him to the new Candyality location (520 N Michigan Ave, third floor, 312-527-1010) while we asked Toby Smithson, a registered dietitian and American Dietetic Association spokeswoman, to give us the skinny on how healthy store employees are eating.

Ashley Reinsmith, Candyality employee Potbelly’s Italian on white with lettuce, onion, pickles, oil and Italian seasoning; water
Expert says Ashley’s meal is high in calories (568) and has almost a day’s worth of fat (30 grams) and sodium (1,886 milligrams) in one sandwich. I recommend that she switch to the Wreck sandwich, ordered skinny (with a third less bread and meat) and that she skip the mustard (a high sodium condiment) and oil (a high fat condiment). Instead, ask for veggies (lettuce, tomato and mushrooms) and Italian seasoning. This revised sandwich is lower in calories (397), fat (13 grams) and sodium (1,609 milligrams).

Terese McDonald, Candyality owner Potbelly’s tuna sandwich, ordered skinny on wheat with Swiss cheese and lettuce, onion, pickles, mayo, mustard and hot peppers; water
Expert says Terese is on the right track by requesting a skinny sandwich, but that doesn’t nix much fat from this order. To make it healthier, she could go sans cheese and mayo to cut 17 grams of fat and 183 calories. Both Terese and Ashley can lower calories and fat by ordering a turkey skinny sandwich with all the veggies (lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle and mushrooms; no oil or mayo). This sandwich has 294 calories, four grams of fat and 1,095 milligrams sodium. Skip the hot peppers, though, they may be low in calories, but the sodium adds up to close to 500 milligrams.

And since this is a candy shop, we had to ask if they ever indulge in the merch. “We both sneak a couple of chocolate-covered gummy bears for a sweet treat,” McDonald told us.
Expert says Chocolate-covered gummy bears pack about 140 calories and four grams of fat per 1.4 ounce serving. But that doesn’t mean you should skip the sweets altogether. There are documented health benefits to dark chocolate and cocoa. They contain an antioxidant (which is also found in wine and tea) that has been shown to support heart health, improve blood flow to the brain and lower blood pressure. Opt for pure chocolate or cocoa, though, because here’s the bad news: When cocoa is incorporated into chocolate candy, it’s high in both calories and fat. So, most likely, your favorite Halloween treat will not contain any beneficial antioxidants.

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