A Reuben sandwich is typically made with rye or pumpernickel bread, Thousand Island dressing, corned beef, sauerkraut and Swiss cheese. The ingredients are assembled as a sandwich and then heated on a grill or in a frying pan so the cheese will melt. Values listed are for a Reuben sandwich made with 2 slices of pumpernickel, 2 tablespoons of Thousand Island dressing, 3 oz. chopped, pressed corned beef, ½ cup drained sauerkraut and 1 oz. Swiss cheese. If you order this sandwich in a restaurant, values may vary, as each establishment uses varying amounts and brands of each ingredient.
Calories and Fat
One Reuben sandwich contains 490 calories, which are made up of approximately 50 percent fat, 25 percent carbohydrates and 25 percent protein. One sandwich contains 26.6 g of fat, which is about 30 percent of the maximum amount per day for an adult consuming 2,000 calories. More than 1/3, or 9.3 g, of the fat in one sandwich is saturated fat, which should make up less than 10 percent of your calories per day. The 9.3 g in one Reuben provides 83 calories, which is 42 percent of the maximum recommended amount if you eat 2,000 calories per day.
Low-Fat Alternatives
In some restaurants, the fat content maybe even higher if butter is put on the grill before the sandwich is heated. If you would like to keep the fat content low, request that your sandwich be made with low-fat dressing and without added butter or oil. If you make your own Reuben sandwich, you can use low-fat cheese and low-fat dressing to make a sandwich with approximately 15 g of fat instead of 26.6 g.
Carbohydrates and Protein
One Reuben sandwich contains 34.8 g of carbohydrates, most of which come from the pumpernickel bread. Of this 34.8 g of carbohydrates, 5.8 g are fiber, which provides 21 percent of the recommended amount of fiber per day for most adults. Each ½-cup serving of sauerkraut contains 2.1 g of fiber so you can easily increase the fiber content of your sandwich by adding extra sauerkraut. One sandwich also contains 29.6 g of protein, which provides 58 percent of the recommended daily amount for women and 48 percent for men.
Sodium
Because all of the ingredients in a Reuben sandwich contain sodium, the total sodium content is very high. One sandwich contains 2,289 mg of sodium, which is almost 100 percent of the maximum amount of 2,300 mg recommended per day for healthy individuals. Older adults and people with heart disease should consume less than 1,500 mg per day; one Reuben sandwich contains more than 150 percent of this amount.
Other Minerals and Vitamins
Along with sodium, a Reuben sandwich also contains other essential minerals. One sandwich supplies 63 percent of the recommended daily amount of iron for men and 28 percent for women. One sandwich also provides 29 percent of the recommended amount of potassium and 30 percent of calcium. A Reuben sandwich also contains a large amount of three B vitamins: riboflavin, niacin, and thiamin. One sandwich provides 62 percent of the recommended amount of thiamin, 37 percent of riboflavin and 34 percent of niacin.
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