Analysis shows that festive sandwiches sold on British high streets contain as many calories as one and a half Big Macs.
Options sold at the likes of M&S, Starbucks and Pret can be packed with as much sugar as one and a half Krispy Kreme donuts and as salty as 10 packets of Walkers crisps.
Sandwiches on offer this year include a Christmas dinner stuffed between slices of bread, pigs in thick toasted sandwiches and brie and cranberry baguettes.
MailOnline’s audit found that the worst offender – Asda’s Festive Feast Wrap – contains 824 calories. And that’s before you add a drink or snack.
It contains turkey, sausages, smoked bacon, stuffing, a gravy mayo and cranberry chutney.
A Christmas dinner stuffed between slices of bread, pigs in thick toasted sandwiches and brie and cranberry baguettes are just some of the tasty options available from the likes of M&S, Starbucks and Pret. But while the festive season is often seen as a time for indulgence, some may be shocked to discover that these lunch options are also as packed with sugar as a Krispy Kreme donut and a half.
For comparison, a McDonald’s Big Mac contains 493 calories.
As a guideline, men should not eat more than 2,500 calories per day. For women, it is recommended to stick to 2,000 or lower.
The full results of MailOnline’s research, which involves more than 60 festive-themed sandwiches, wraps and baguettes, are published in a fascinating table, where you can search for your favorite lunch option.
Pret’s Christmas Lunch Baguette, filled with turkey, cranberry sauce, pork stuffing and crispy onions, was the next worst offender at 702.
Baguettes typically contain more calories than sandwiches, partly because the portion sizes are larger.
Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Christmas Cracker Club Sandwich, packed with chicken, bacon, filling and chutney and made with three slices of bread, contained 661 calories – more than three Kit Kat Chunky bars.
Asda’s Festive Feast Wrap, meanwhile, topped the list with the highest salt content and was also the most calorific. It contains 3.7 g, more than the daily recommended amount of salt for half an adult.
Adults are told to stick to less than 6 grams per day. Children should eat even less.
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Eating too much salt can increase blood pressure by increasing the amount of water the body retains, putting extra pressure on blood vessel walls. Over time, this can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Caffè Nero’s Pigs Under Blankets Panini, filled with pork sausages, smoked bacon, cheddar cheese and a balsamic onion chutney, was the next worst offender, with 3.5 grams – equivalent to 10 bags of Walker’s ready-to-eat salted chips.
Meanwhile, M&S’s Jingle Brie-LT contained 3.4 grams per portion.
Even though the lunch choices are a savory option, MailOnline’s check also found that some snacks contained almost twice as much sugar as sweet snacks.
Among the worst offenders is M&S’s Christmas Club Sandwich, with 20.2 grams of sugar.
For comparison, a Krispy Kreme Original Glazed Donut has 12 g.
Layered with chicken, maple bacon, cranberry chutney, stuffing, spinach, pickled red cabbage and a gravy mayo, the sandwich is also one of the most caloric options at 623 calories.
Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Christmas Cracker Club Sandwich also recorded 19 grams of sugar per serving.
Pret’s Christmas Nut Roast sandwich, meanwhile, contained 17.4 grams of sugar – despite it possibly being perceived as healthier because it is meat-free.
Eating too much sugar over time can lead to weight gain and tooth decay.
The NHS guidelines set the maximum daily intake at 30 grams of free sugars per day, or 210 grams per week.
The NHS sugar limits only apply to free sugars – the sugars added to products – and not to the sugars naturally found in milk, fruit and vegetables. Some of the sugar content of festive sandwiches will come from natural sources.
In addition to the limit of 30 grams of free sugars per day, the government recommends that these sugars should not account for more than 5 percent of the calories a person consumes daily through food and drink.
Dr. Duane Mellor, a registered dietitian and senior lecturer at Aston University, told MailOnline that many people regard a sandwich as a ‘snack or light meal.
He said: ‘So it’s worth remembering that almost all of these festive offerings can contain more calories than a ready-made version of spaghetti bolognaise or chilli.
‘If you want to eat a sandwich like this, it is important not to add extras, such as mince pies or coffee with syrup.
‘Instead, maybe have a portion of fruit and regular tea or coffee with a splash of milk or water if you need something to add to your sandwich.’
The shockingly high sugar content in the sandwiches is likely due to the sauces in the sandwiches, Dr. Mellor said.
In the meantime, people should be aware that eating one of these sandwiches can yield more than half of their daily recommended salt intake, he added.
A spokesperson for Sainsbury’s said: ‘We strive to provide choice, quality and value and clearly label our products with nutritional information to help our customers make informed decisions about the products they choose to buy.’
An M&S spokesperson said: ‘Our festive sandwiches are a special treat that we have in store for the weeks leading up to Christmas, when we know customers are keen to try something different.
‘They sit alongside our normal range of sandwiches, sushi and salads, many of which carry our Eat Well flower, making it easy to discover healthy options.
‘Customers who choose our festive sandwiches will not only receive a delicious, limited-edition lunch, but will also help tackle homelessness as 5 per cent of all sales go to Shelter.’