How to Build a Healthy Sandwich

1. Artisan sourdough bread

Skip the bagged bread and head to a local bakery or farmer’s market, Elkaim tells Yahoo Health. You’ll avoid the preservatives and junk fillers, like cornstarch, in store-bought breads — and add delicious baked-this-morning taste. Elkaim recommends choosing a gluten-free bread if it’s available, or a sourdough as an alternative. Sourdough’s long fermentation process (12 or more hours, versus three or less for wheat bread) helps break down the gluten proteins.

Related: Grain-Free Recipes for Apple Pie, Taco Shells, and More

2. Fresh-sliced deli meat

Skip right past those pre-packaged containers of sliced sandwich meat and head to the deli counter instead. “They’re usually using some type of preservative to keep it fresh in the package, and that might be sulfites, nitrites, or nitrates, and those are pretty problematic for a lot of people,” Elkaim says. The WHO lists nitrites and nitrates as probable human carcinogens.

Related: Eating Red Meat Twice Weekly May Up Cancer Risk 20%

While you’re at the deli counter, ask a few questions about the meat you’re considering. “Does it contain any nitrates, MSG, colors, or fillers? Some of those meats will have things like that to make it look more appealing and taste better,” Elkaim says. “Those are things that you don’t really need in meat. Meat is just meat — you don’t need those extra things to be put in.”

Finally, don’t trust a label that says the meat is “natural.” The term isn’t regulated, and can mean anything (or nothing).

3. All the veggies

No surprise here: pile on the veggies. According to the American Cancer Society, one-third of cancers in the U.S. can be linked to diet or physical activity. A 2015 research review in the British Journal of Nutrition confirmed that eating lots of fruits and vegetables may protect against several forms of cancer, especially cancers affecting the digestive tract.

Elkaim’s order? Ham with lettuce, tomato, and avocado. Bon apetit!