Is Subway Healthy? The Answer Might Surprise You (2024)

Just how healthy is the fast food chain Subway? The nutrition of Subway's menu items varies. Some options are more nutritious than others. The grilled chicken, for example, contains caramelized sugar, maltodextrin, and rib meat. The rotisserie-style chicken, in contrast, consists of chicken, water, and 2% or less salt and seasoning.

Some items, like a side of applesauce or avocado, provide more nutrients and less added sugar than cookies and soda. Your best bet is to check the list of ingredients and the nutrition of each item before ordering. Read on to learn if Subway is healthy and the nutritional facts of popular items.

Plenty of healthy menu options exist at Subway, but less-balanced choices do, too. Certain meats contain additives, excess sodium, and unhealthy fats. Other items that are less nutritious include added sugar.

Bacon

Two strips of bacon contain 170 milligrams (mg) of sodium, about 7% of the recommended daily intake. Too much sodium increases the risk of high blood pressure and a build-up of fluids in people with heart failure, liver disease, and kidney disease.

The same serving size also has 3 grams (g) of saturated fat. This fat contributes to health complications like heart disease. Examples of saturated fat include butter and lard.

Cookies

A double chocolate chip cookie has about 19 g of added sugar. The American Heart Association (AHA) advises 36 g of added sugar per day for men and 25 g for women.

It's perfectly OK to enjoy a sweet treat every now and then. Pick special occasions to add a cookie to your meal as a dessert.

Grilled Chicken

Checking the ingredients allows you to be fully aware of what you're consuming. Subway's grilled chicken is not simply cooked chicken breast. Some of the ingredients below, like modified potato starch and soy protein concentrate, are not necessarily unhealthy. You may just want to be aware they're in the chicken in case you have an allergy or intolerance.

Subway's grilled chicken ingredients include:

• Boneless skinless chicken breast with rib meat
• Caramelized sugar
• Dextrose
• Maltodextrin
• Modified potato starch
• Potassium chloride
• Sodium phosphate
• Soy protein concentrate

Foods with multiple additives are not necessarily less healthy, but you may want to limit your intake of some added ingredients. For example, dextrose (a type of sugar) and caramelized sugar in Subway's grilled chicken could increase the risk of some chronic conditions like obesity, high blood pressure, and heart disease.

Soda

A 16-ounce (oz) fountain soda without ice can have over 30 g of added sugar, which is more than 7 teaspoons (tsp). That 16-oz soda alone exceeds the American Heart Association's (AHA) recommended limit of 6 tsp per day for women.

Toasted Artisan Italian Bread

One foot-long sandwich on toasted Italian artisan bread has as much as 80 g of carbs. Nearly six standard slices of white bread have the same amount of carbs.

Essential nutrients are stripped from refined grains, including Italian artesian. Opt for a six-inch sandwich on hearty multigrain bread, which packs whole grains. Whole grains are a source of fiber, which adds bulk to your meal and keeps you full for long periods.

Healthy Items To Choose at Subway

Several options with pre-selected ingredients exist, but you can also build your own sandwich. Subway even calculates the calories in your selections if you order online, which allows you to see your meal's total calories. Here's a look at some healthy options to add to your meal.

Applesauce

As a side item, opt for a squeeze pouch of unsweetened applesauce. The applesauce provides 70 calories, 16 g of carbs, and no added sugar.

Avocado

A scan of the nutrition facts shows that the only ingredients in Subway's smashedavocadoare Hass avocados and sea salt. Add avocado to any order to increase your intake of anti-inflammatory compounds and healthy fat. Avocado also provides essential nutrients like potassium, which regulates blood pressure and supports heart, muscle, and nerve function.

Avocados contain nutrients and bioactive compounds that help reduce the risk of obesity. Some evidence suggests that regularly consuming avocados may help you manage your weight.

Rotisserie-Style Chicken

If you eat meat, consider trying the rotisserie-style chicken, made from chicken, water, and 2% or less additional ingredients. Those ingredients include salt, soybean oil, dextrose, and seasonings.

Vegetable Patty

Subway only offers one non-animal protein option: a vegetable patty made from vegetables and soy. You might opt for the vegetable patty, even if you are not a plant-based eater. Research has shown a high intake of plant protein helps lower the risk of death from all causes.

Vegetables

Two pros of Subway include the ability to customize your order and the availability of fresh vegetables. You can pick from a wide variety of vegetables, including:

• Cucumbers
• Green peppers
• Red onions
• Spinach
• Tomatoes

The best way to incorporate the most vegetables into your meal is to order a salad or one of the chain's No Bready Bowls. This menu item offers the ingredients of a sandwich (minus the bread) served in a bowl. Bowls and salads are one way to avoid surplus carbs.

Subway offers nutrition facts that list ingredients for its bread, proteins, vegetables, condiments, and other items like pizzas, cookies, and soups. You can also use this function to quickly identify allergens, such as dairy, soy, sulfites, and wheat.

Other tips for ordering take-out include:

• Ask for dressing on the side if you order a salad
• Choose lean meats, such as chicken and turkey, over red meat
• Opt for low-fat milk or unsweetened tea if you do not enjoy the taste of water
• Order a vegetable on the side if your sandwich does not come with one
• Pick olive oil and vinegar instead of high-calorie condiments
• Replace extra meat with extra vegetables
• Split a foot-long sandwich with a friend, or save half of it for leftovers

A Quick Review

Subway may be better than fried foods as a convenient take-out option. The nutrition of Subway varies depending on the item you order. You can make your Subway order more well-balanced by choosing lean meats, asking for dressing on the side, replacing extra meat with extra veggies, and opting for unsweetened iced tea.

Nutrition goes beyond cooking and includes ingredients, processing, and nutrients.Take the time to review any chain's ingredients, including those of Subway, especially if you eat there frequently. Opt for fresh, minimally processed foods as often as possible.