Unusually high numbers found on the nutrition facts of various grab-n-go and other food items sold on campus have caused several students to express concerns regarding the accuracy of the labels, but for the most part, these labels are true.

Some of the facts listed were simply errors, such as the example seen in a screenshot posted to the “Overheard at WashU” Facebook group that listed mozzarella sticks as having 8,953 calories per serving. The label has since been corrected to show 779 calories per serving, but several of Dining Services’ grab-n-go items really do have high values of sodium, calories and total fat.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the majority of American youth and young adults eat more than the daily recommended amount of sodium. Around 40 percent of young adults’ daily calorie intake comes from sugars and fats. The CDC says that such a diet can lead to a higher risk of diabetes, obesity and lung, esophageal and stomach cancers. Moreover, a report from the Harvard School of Public Health states that consuming too much sodium can lead to higher blood pressure and increased risk of heart attacks or strokes.

Some examples of popular, high-sodium foods on campus include the chicken Caesar wrap, which has 2,018.3 milligrams, or 84 percent of the recommended value, and the buffalo chicken wrap, which has 3,022.4 milligrams, or 126 percent of the daily value of sodium. The buffalo chicken tenders have 2,434.4 milligrams of sodium, or 101 percent of the daily recommended value.

Nadeem Siddiqui, resident district manager of Dining Service, says that Bon Appetit, Washington University’s catering company, uses the computer service Food Pro to calculate the nutritional values displayed online and on packages.

“If [the nutrition fact] is that, then it’s accurate,” Siddiqui said. “My issue is accuracy. What we are telling you is true. You can make the decision saying, ‘I don’t want this much sodium in my food,’ but at least inform students what is accurate.”

“You’re adults; you’re smart kids,” Siddiqui added. “Our job is to educate, make sure that healthier food is available to you and you have access to it.”

Siddiqui noted that high levels of sodium are the biggest issue in providing students with healthful food. He added that the food on campus has the same nutritional value as outside restaurants, if it isn’t healthier.

“I’m not trusting that outside has better food than this,” Siddiqui said. “We have to provide, choices, variety and education. I think education is a big piece in making good decisions.

Connie Diekman, director of University Nutrition, confirmed that the labels were accurate when she reviewed the nutritional information.

“I’m not surprised it is what it is,” Diekman said. “All of [the nutrition facts] make total sense. I hate to see the numbers.”

Of the 672 calories in one order of buffalo chicken tenders, 414 are calories from fat, and in the chicken Caesar wrap, 639 of the 1,049 calories come from fat. The chicken Caesar wraps sold across campus contain 71 grams of total fat, or 109 percent of the daily value recommended by the Federal Food and Drug Administration. And according to Diekman, peanut butter is the main culprit of the 1,100 calories in a Jake’s Wrap.

Diekman said that the reason the sodium content is so high in many food items is that the chemical is the main way to preserve bread and is necessary for taste and a longer shelf life. Diekman said that essentially all sodium added was essential to the dish, adding that students need to be careful what they put in their body during the college years.

“It’s what people think or expect about food versus the realities of the food. Most people don’t realize that our tortillas are like eating three slices of bread,” Diekman said. “You are establishing your eating habits. So you are establishing an eating pattern that is not healthful.”

Dining Services has been searching for better alternatives for years but has been unable to find a viable option. It is currently experimenting with thinner tortillas, but dining administrators say they are not ready to implement any changes yet.

“We’ve tried. We continue to search for better tortillas…for a minimum of four to five years. And they’re just not out there. You get them and they rip when the guys try to make a wrap and you have food waste,” Diekman said.

Like Siddiqui, she stressed that students make their own choices when it comes to eating options.

“The University has been committed to options,” Diekman said. “The reason for that is two-fold. One: you guys, in theory, are adults and you need to develop personal responsibility, so that’s why we do options. The other is we know that you’re all a mix of people and different people have different food preferences and you have to have the options. But we have to have the options—that’s what’s important. If you don’t have the healthier option, it’s just as unfair as if we only had healthy options.”

April Powell, director of Marketing and Communications for Dining Services, stated that all recipes are created with FDA dietary guidelines in mind.

“When it comes to the sodium, our biggest thing is not only do we want the information to be accurate, but we want the food to taste good,” Powell said.

Powell also said that the ingredients in the grab-n-go food are the same in the food made to order and that the to-go food has no preservatives.

“If we can’t find [ingredients] that reduce the amount of sodium and still maintain the quality of the food, then we need to keep doing our research,” Powell said. “I think we’ve not found a product that really maintains the quality and the taste of the food and still meets that sodium requirement.”

Junior Juhi Shah, a transfer student, believes Dining Services is doing a better job than her previous school, Wake Forest University, in providing enough options to compensate for unhealthy college foods.

“I’m satisfied with the nutrition level because if you feel like you’re eating too much fat or something, you can easily just go and get a side of vegetables,” Shah said. “At least Wash. U. gives you that option while other schools don’t.”

She added that her perception of nutrition amongst the student body has been positive in her time at the University.

“I think students are eating well,” Shah said. “In general when they’re having lunch or dinner, I’m seeing more than enough people aiming for vegetarian options or getting salads. Sure, once in a while they may have their fried chicken days, but there’s nothing wrong with that in moderation.”

Although freshman Katy Gritz does not approve of the high amount of sodium and fat in several of the food options around campus, she thinks the decision of what to eat is ultimately up to the student.

“Students give up healthy eating options when they choose to eat conveniently,” Gritz said. “Unless they eat healthier foods like fruit, some responsibility is on the students for their choices.”