Subway has built its brand around the idea of serving fresh and nutritious fast food. Its ads feature fit and athletic people enjoying subs made with whole grains, lean meats, and loads of veggies. But is Subway really as healthy as it seems?
What does Subway claim?
Subway proudly advertises its sandwiches as a healthy fast food option. Some of its marketing slogans over the years have included:
- “Eat Fresh”
- “Subway. Eat Fresh.”
- “5 Dollar Footlong. Eat Fresh.”
- “Make it what you want. Just make it fresh.”
- “Get Your Fresh On.”
By emphasizing the freshness of its ingredients, Subway implies its sandwiches are nutritious and good for you. Its menu options also give an aura of healthy eating. Subs can be customized with veggies like spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and onions. Wrap sandwiches and salads provide lighter alternatives to subs on bread. Subway even has a Fit menu featuring subs with lower calories and reduced fat.
Nutritional information
To its credit, Subway does provide detailed nutritional information on its website about calories, sugars, protein, fiber, carbohydrates, and sodium. This allows customers to make informed decisions about what they order. Subway also offers subs in 6-inch and 12-inch sizes, so you control your portion.
That said, the healthiness of any given Subway meal varies widely depending on the exact ingredients and portion size. Some subs with lots of veggies and lean protein can be reasonably nutritious. But subs heavy on high-fat meats, cheese, sauces, and dressings quickly tip into unhealthy territory.
Calories
One of the most important factors in determining how healthy a Subway sandwich is calories. Subway’s 6-inch subs generally range from 220 to 550 calories, while 12-inch subs go from 440 to 1050 calories. For comparison, here are calories for sandwiches from other popular chains:
| Sandwich | Calories |
|---|---|
| Subway 6-inch turkey sub | 230 |
| Subway 12-inch steak and cheese | 1050 |
| McDonald’s Big Mac | 540 |
| Burger King Whopper | 670 |
| Wendy’s Baconator | 910 |
Based on calories alone, Subway subs are not necessarily healthier than burgers from McDonald’s, Burger King or Wendy’s. A foot-long sub can easily match or exceed the calorie count of those burgers. However, subs with lots of veggies tend to have fewer calories than burgers piled with fatty meat and cheese.
Fat
Along with calories, the amount of fat is important when judging a sandwich’s healthiness. Lean meats like chicken and turkey contain relatively little fat compared to beef and pork. Skipping cheese and sauce is another way to reduce fat.
Here’s how some popular Subway subs stack up in terms of fat content:
| Sub | Total Fat (grams) |
|---|---|
| 6-inch turkey breast | 3.5 |
| 6-inch sweet onion chicken teriyaki | 13.5 |
| 12-inch steak and cheese | 38 |
| 12-inch meatball marinara | 43 |
For comparison, here are fat contents for some burgers:
| Burger | Total Fat (grams) |
|---|---|
| McDonald’s Big Mac | 28 |
| Burger King Whopper | 40 |
| Wendy’s Baconator | 63 |
Once again, lean subs can compare decently to burgers in terms of fat content, but subs with lots of meat, cheese and sauce often end up just as fatty as a burger.
Sodium
High sodium levels are another concern when it comes to the healthiness of Subway sandwiches:
| Sub | Sodium (mg) |
|---|---|
| 6-inch turkey breast | 480 |
| 6-inch sweet onion chicken teriyaki | 1280 |
| 12-inch steak and cheese | 1460 |
| 12-inch meatball marinara | 1800 |
For burgers:
| Burger | Sodium (mg) |
|---|---|
| McDonald’s Big Mac | 980 |
| Burger King Whopper | 1020 |
| Wendy’s Baconator | 1410 |
Sodium content really varies depending on ingredients. Lean subs and burgers don’t differ too wildly in sodium, but subs with sauce or cheese quickly spike higher than burgers.
Healthy sub choices
While Subway sandwiches aren’t necessarily healthier across the board compared to burgers, you can certainly make nutritious choices at Subway. Here are some tips for keeping your Subway meal on the healthier side:
- Opt for 6-inch subs over 12-inch.
- Choose lean meats like chicken, turkey, ham or roast beef.
- Load up on veggies like spinach, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, peppers and cucumbers.
- Use mustard, vinegar or oil for sauces rather than mayo or cheese sauce.
- Skip heavy cheeses like American or mozzarella.
- Ask for wheat or multigrain bread over white bread.
- Pair your sub with salads, apple slices or yogurt.
- Drink water or unsweetened tea rather than soda.
Making unhealthy choices
While Subway offers healthy sandwich options, it’s also very easy to make nutrition-poor choices. Here are some ways to turn your sub into an unhealthy gut bomb:
- Choose high-fat meats like bacon, pepperoni, salami, or steak.
- Smother your sub in mayo, ranch or other heavy sauces.
- Pile on cheese, especially American or mozzarella.
- Opt for white bread or cheese-filled bread like garlic bread.
- Load up with fatty vegetables like avocado or olives.
- Pair your sub with oily sides like potato chips, cookies or a soda.
- Eat 12-inch portions or multiple subs in one sitting.
With choices like this, a Subway meal could end up just as unhealthy as a Big Mac or Whopper. Portion control is key.
Healthier or not?
In the end, is Subway actually healthier than traditional burger chains? The answer is…it depends.
Subway markets itself as a healthier, fresher alternative to places like McDonald’s. In many cases, this claim holds up. Subs made with lean protein, tons of vegetables, whole grain breads, and light sauces do fit the profile of a lighter, more nutritious meal.
However, Subway’s menu also includes plenty of fatty ingredients and indulgent options. Piling cheese, sauce, processed meats and sodium onto a sub can make it just as calorie-laden as a greasy burger and fries.
The health factor really comes down to ingredient choices and portion control. Choosing a 6-inch sub on wheat with lots of veggies and skipping heavy sauces is generally a healthier bet. But a foot-long steak and cheese on white bread with bacon, extra cheese and mayo could be worse for you than a Big Mac.
The fresher choice?
Subway also advertises its sandwiches as fresh. Is this true when compared to a burger and fries?
In some aspects, Subway does use fresh ingredients. Its subs are assembled to order in front of you with vegetables sliced daily. The chain bakes its bread in store multiple times per day. Meats and cheeses are typically sliced as needed rather than sitting around pre-portioned.
Of course, this varies by location and how busy each store is. Ingredients won’t be as fresh in a deserted Subway at the end of the night. But in general, assembly-line style allows Subway to deliver fresher ingredients than a burger place where food sits under heat lamps.
That said, burgers, buns and fries don’t necessarily sit long before being served either. Freshness ultimately comes down to each restaurant’s individual food turnover. But Subway’s customizable assembly line gives it an advantage for freshness in many cases.
Making healthy choices at Subway
You can definitely eat healthy at Subway. To make the most nutritious choices:
- Opt for wheat or multigrain breads over white.
- Choose lean meats like turkey, chicken or ham.
- Load up on veggies but limit fatty options like avocado.
- Use mustard, vinegar, oil or sweet onion sauce instead of mayo.
- Ask for less cheese or skip it altogether.
- Stick to 6-inch portions or share a footlong.
- Pair your sub with yogurt, fruit cups, salads or water.
- Customize your meal to control calories, fat and sodium.
With smart ingredient choices, portion control, and sides like salads or fruit, you can easily eat healthy at Subway while enjoying a fresher, more custom meal than burgers and fries provide.
The bottom line
Can Subway be a healthier fast food choice than burgers and fries? Definitely. With its fresh vegetables, lean meats, whole grain breads, and customizable options, Subway provides a lot of flexibility to make nutritious choices.
That said, unhealthy subs loaded with fatty ingredients abound on the menu too. Eating healthy at Subway requires smart, selective choices. Portion control is also key when comparing to single-patty burgers.
In the end, Subway can be just as unhealthy as a greasy burger joint depending on your exact sandwich choices. But the option for fresh, made-to-order subs with veggies and lean meats gives it an advantage as a healthier fast food choice IF you choose well.