A BLT sandwich is a classic and delicious sandwich made with bacon, lettuce, tomato and often mayonnaise on bread. But how many calories are actually in a homemade BLT?
Quick Answer
The total calories in a homemade BLT sandwich can range from 300 to 700 calories or more depending on the ingredients and portion sizes used. A BLT made with 2 slices of bread, 2 slices of bacon, 1 leaf of lettuce, 1 slice of tomato and 1 tbsp of mayonnaise provides about 405 calories.
Calculating Calories in a BLT
To determine the calories in a BLT, we need to look at the calorie counts for each component of the sandwich. Here is an overview of the common BLT ingredients and their calorie contributions:
Bread
– White bread: About 70-80 calories per slice
– Whole wheat bread: About 60-70 calories per slice
– Sourdough bread: About 90-100 calories per slice
Using 2 slices of bread contributes 140-200 calories to the BLT.
Bacon
– 2 slices center-cut bacon: About 90 calories
– 2 slices regular sliced bacon: About 80 calories
– 2 slices thick-cut bacon: About 110 calories
Bacon accounts for 80-110 calories in a BLT.
Lettuce
– 1 leaf of iceberg lettuce: About 5 calories
– 1 leaf of romaine lettuce: About 8 calories
The lettuce in a BLT adds only about 5-10 calories.
Tomato
– 1 slice tomato: Around 5-10 calories
The tomato contributes a minimal amount of calories to a BLT.
Mayonnaise
– 1 tablespoon of regular mayonnaise: About 90-100 calories
– 1 tablespoon of light mayonnaise: About 35-45 calories
Using regular mayo can add around 100 calories to the sandwich.
Nutrition Facts for a Typical BLT
Here are the nutrition facts for a typical homemade BLT with the following ingredients:
– 2 slices of white bread
– 2 slices of regular sliced bacon
– 1 leaf of iceberg lettuce
– 1 slice tomato
– 1 tablespoon of regular mayonnaise
| Calories | 405 |
|---|---|
| Total Fat | 26 g |
| Saturated Fat | 4 g |
| Cholesterol | 26 mg |
| Sodium | 818 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 29 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2 g |
| Protein | 12 g |
As you can see, this typical BLT comes to a total of 405 calories. The calories come mostly from the mayonnaise, bacon and bread.
Factors That Impact Total Calories
While a typical BLT with common ingredients is around 400 calories, there are many factors that can raise or lower the total calorie count.
Ingredient Choices
Choosing higher calorie bread, bacon, mayonnaise, lettuce and tomato varieties will increase the total calories. For example:
– Sourdough bread instead of white bread
– Thick-cut bacon instead of regular sliced
– Romaine lettuce instead of iceberg
– 2 tablespoons of mayo instead of 1
Making these simple swaps can easily bring the calories over 500 for the sandwich.
On the flip side, choosing lower calorie options reduces the calorie total:
– Whole wheat bread instead of white
– Center-cut bacon instead of regular sliced
– Light mayo instead of regular mayo
Portion Sizes
The portion size of each ingredient impacts the total calories as well. Using extra bacon, extra mayo, an extra slice of bread, or extra tomato can add calories.
For example, a BLT on 3 slices of bread instead of 2 can add 70-100 additional calories.
Cooking Methods
How the bacon is prepared also changes the calorie content. Pan fried bacon has more fat and calories than bacon cooked in the oven or microwave.
Additions and Substitutions
Adding cheese, avocado, sautéed vegetables or other ingredients will raise the calorie count of the BLT. Swapping out mayo for a lower calorie spread like mustard or hummus helps lower the total calories.
Low Calorie BLT Options
If you are looking for ways to lighten up your BLT, here are some tips:
– Use whole grain bread or lettuce wraps instead of white bread
– Choose center-cut or turkey bacon
– Use just 1 tablespoon of light mayo
– Load up on extra tomato, lettuce and other veggie toppings
– Skip the mayo entirely and use mustard or hummus for creaminess instead
– Opt for a BLAT with avocado rather than mayo
– Use a low-fat cooking method like baking or microwaving for the bacon
– Choose a smaller portion size with just 1 slice of bread and 1 slice of bacon
Following some of these tips can help create a satisfying BLT with around or under 300 calories.
Nutrition Benefits of a BLT
While the BLT is fairly high in calories, the sandwich also provides some important nutrition:
Protein
The bacon and bread provide about 12g of protein. Protein helps keeps you full and satisfied.
Fiber
Whole grain bread options provide fiber, which aids digestion.
Vitamin C
The tomato is high in immune-boosting vitamin C. One slice provides around 16% of your daily needs.
Vitamin A
Lettuce is high in vitamin A, an antioxidant that supports eye health and immunity.
Potassium
With the tomato, lettuce and whole grain bread, a BLT can provide a decent amount of potassium, which regulates fluid balance and blood pressure.
Iron
The bread provides some iron, which helps transport oxygen in the blood.
Healthier Preparation Tips
Here are some tips for lightening up your BLT:
– Use olive oil instead of butter or mayo when cooking the bacon. This reduces saturated fat.
– Choose whole grain or sprouted grain bread for more fiber and nutrients.
– Add spinach, avocado or cucumber for extra veggies.
– Use mustard instead of mayonnaise.
– Opt for turkey bacon for less saturated fat than pork bacon.
– Bake the bacon in the oven instead of frying in a pan.
– Limit to 1 tablespoon of regular mayo or use light mayo.
– Pick romaine lettuce for higher nutrient content over iceberg.
– Go easy on salty additions like soy sauce.
Low Calorie BLT Recipes
Here are some recipe ideas for light and healthy BLTs with around or under 300 calories:
Skinny BLT
Makes 1 serving
– 2 slices whole wheat bread (120 calories)
– 2 slices center-cut bacon (45 calories)
– 1 leaf romaine lettuce (4 calories)
– 2 slices tomato (10 calories)
– 1⁄2 tbsp light mayo (20 calories)
– Total Calories: About 200
BLT Lettuce Wrap
Makes 1 serving
– 2 slices center cut bacon (90 calories)
– 1 leaf iceberg lettuce (5 calories)
– 2 slices tomato (10 calories)
– 1 tbsp hummus (46 calories)
– Total Calories: About 150
Open Faced BLT
Makes 1 serving
– 1 slice whole wheat bread, toasted (60 calories)
– 1 slice turkey bacon (30 calories)
– 1⁄4 avocado, sliced (64 calories)
– Lettuce, tomato, sprouts (10 calories)
– 1 tsp olive oil (40 calories)
– 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar (15 calories)
– Total Calories: About 220
High Calorie BLT Examples
It’s also easy to make a supersized BLT with over 700 calories:
Triple Decker BLT
– 3 slices white bread (210 calories)
– 4 slices regular bacon (160 calories)
– Double mayo (200 calories)
– 2 slices cheese (140 calories)
– Total: 710 calories
BLAT
– 2 slices sourdough bread (200 calories)
– 3 slices thick-cut bacon (165 calories)
– 2 tbsp mayo (200 calories)
– Avocado (200 calories)
– Total: 765 calories
BLT Sandwich Calories Without Mayonnaise
Leaving out the mayonnaise is an easy way to shave off nearly 100 calories. Here’s a breakdown of a BLT without mayo:
– 2 slices whole wheat bread: 140 calories
– 2 slices bacon: 90 calories
– Lettuce and tomato: ~10 calories
– Total Calories: ~240
So a BLT sandwich without mayo will have about 160 fewer calories than a BLT with mayo. If you need some creaminess, use just 1 teaspoon of light mayo or substitute hummus or avocado spread to keep the calories down.
Low Calorie Mayo Options
If you don’t want to skip the mayo entirely, you can lower the calories using one of these options:
| Regular mayo (1 tbsp) | ~90-100 calories |
| Light mayo (1 tbsp) | ~35-45 calories |
| Extra light mayo (1 tbsp) | ~15-25 calories |
| Mustard (1 tbsp) | ~0-20 calories |
| Hummus (1 tbsp) | ~25-50 calories |
So choosing light, extra light or mustard over regular mayo can save about 50-90 calories per tablespoon.
High Protein BLT Options
To ramp up the protein in your BLT, consider these ingredient swaps:
– Turkey or vegetarian bacon instead of regular pork bacon
– Hummus instead of mayo
– Cottage cheese instead of mayo
– Almond butter instead of mayo
– Chicken breast or tuna salad instead of bacon
– Black beans instead of bacon
Adding extra protein helps keep you feeling fuller for longer after eating your BLT.
Vegetarian BLT Ideas
There are many ways to make a vegetarian and vegan BLT:
– Use faux bacon made from soy, coconut or tempeh
– Try eggplant or zucchini “bacon”
– Swap in sliced avocado or hummus for the bacon
– Use marinated and grilled tofu or mushrooms instead of bacon
– Add black beans, chickpeas or lentils for protein and texture
– Try roasted carrots, beets or sweet potatoes for color and crunch
Mushrooms, avocado and hummus make excellent meatless bacon substitutes while still providing creaminess and hearty texture.
Low Carb BLT Options
To reduce the carbs in a BLT:
– Skip the bread and make it a lettuce wrap
– Use a low carb tortilla or wrap instead of bread
– Try thick sliced cucumber instead of bread
– Opt for just one slice of bread instead of two
– Look for low carb bread options with 5g net carbs or less per slice
– Add extra tomato and lettuce which are very low carb
Lettuce wraps and low carb wraps help reduce the carbs substantially while still letting you enjoy the classic BLT flavors.
Conclusion
A homemade BLT can range from around 240 calories without mayo on whole wheat bread to over 700 calories for a loaded BLT with high calorie ingredients. Paying attention to your ingredient choices, portion sizes, preparation methods and additions can help keep your BLT relatively light. Limiting mayo, choosing healthier bacon, using lettuce wraps instead of bread, and loading up on veggie toppings are all great ways to cut back on calories while still enjoying the indulgent flavors of a BLT. With some simple substitutions and smart preparation techniques, you can enjoy a satisfying BLT without the high calorie cost.
