Subway cutting back on sodium!
MissingMinnesota
Posts: 7,486 Member
http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2011-04-15-subway-slashes-salt.htm
The sandwich chain, which with 34,433 units has more locations globally than McDonald’s, todaywill announce plans for a significant reduction in sodium at its U.S. stores that could ultimately nudge much of the fast-food industry to follow.
Beginning today, sodium content in Subway’s “Fresh Fit” sandwich line in the U.S. will be cut 28% vs. 2009, when Subway first began to cut salt. And sodium in its overall sandwich line will be cut by 15%, compared with the same period.
Subway, whose sandwiches have sometimes been ridiculed as virtual sodium bombs, emerges as the first national fast-food chain to publicly announce such a sizable sodium reduction. The move comes at a time foodmakers and restaurant chains globally are facing increased pressure from lawmakers, advocacy groups and consumers to cut back on excess sodium — which is widely regarded as one of the root causes of America’s biggest killers, heart disease.
“It’s a huge deal,” says Lanette Kovachi, corporate dietician at Subway. “We’re the biggest in the industry and we’re saying that sodium reduction can be done.”
The sodium in a Subway Fresh Fit 6-inch sandwich will decline by 287 milligrams to 737 milligrams vs. 1,024 in 2009’s numbers. The sodium in its 6-inch ham sandwich will drop by 430 milligrams to 830 from 1,260 in 2009. These measurements exclude extras such as cheese, pickles, olives and dressing.
Most of Subway’s sandwiches are naturally high in sodium. Bread, cheese and many sliced meats typically have high sodium content. And most of its 12-inch sandwiches exceed the federal government’s recommended daily guideline for adults of no more than 1,500 milligrams of salt per day.
The move by Subway follows previous sodium reductions it’s already has made in Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Later this year, the Food and Drug Administration is expected to announce its plan to push for lower sodium in foods.
Many major foodmakers already have jumped on the lower-sodium train. Over the past two years, Pepsico, ConAgra, Del Monte, General Mills and Campbell all have announced plans to reduce sodium in their foods.
“It’s great to see large companies like Subway reducing sodium levels,” says Michael Jacobson, executive director at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, an advocacy group. “Hopefully, this won’t be the end of the journey for Subway.”
In fact, he chides, “They should try to bring it down by 50%.”
The sandwich chain, which with 34,433 units has more locations globally than McDonald’s, todaywill announce plans for a significant reduction in sodium at its U.S. stores that could ultimately nudge much of the fast-food industry to follow.
Beginning today, sodium content in Subway’s “Fresh Fit” sandwich line in the U.S. will be cut 28% vs. 2009, when Subway first began to cut salt. And sodium in its overall sandwich line will be cut by 15%, compared with the same period.
Subway, whose sandwiches have sometimes been ridiculed as virtual sodium bombs, emerges as the first national fast-food chain to publicly announce such a sizable sodium reduction. The move comes at a time foodmakers and restaurant chains globally are facing increased pressure from lawmakers, advocacy groups and consumers to cut back on excess sodium — which is widely regarded as one of the root causes of America’s biggest killers, heart disease.
“It’s a huge deal,” says Lanette Kovachi, corporate dietician at Subway. “We’re the biggest in the industry and we’re saying that sodium reduction can be done.”
The sodium in a Subway Fresh Fit 6-inch sandwich will decline by 287 milligrams to 737 milligrams vs. 1,024 in 2009’s numbers. The sodium in its 6-inch ham sandwich will drop by 430 milligrams to 830 from 1,260 in 2009. These measurements exclude extras such as cheese, pickles, olives and dressing.
Most of Subway’s sandwiches are naturally high in sodium. Bread, cheese and many sliced meats typically have high sodium content. And most of its 12-inch sandwiches exceed the federal government’s recommended daily guideline for adults of no more than 1,500 milligrams of salt per day.
The move by Subway follows previous sodium reductions it’s already has made in Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Later this year, the Food and Drug Administration is expected to announce its plan to push for lower sodium in foods.
Many major foodmakers already have jumped on the lower-sodium train. Over the past two years, Pepsico, ConAgra, Del Monte, General Mills and Campbell all have announced plans to reduce sodium in their foods.
“It’s great to see large companies like Subway reducing sodium levels,” says Michael Jacobson, executive director at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, an advocacy group. “Hopefully, this won’t be the end of the journey for Subway.”
In fact, he chides, “They should try to bring it down by 50%.”
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Replies
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Love hearing about this!0
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That's great. I was just looking at their website, trying to decide what kind of sandwich would be best for dinner tonight. They all are relatively high in sodium. Good to know they are going to change that. Thanks for posting!0
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Great news!0
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So glad to hear it....I love Subway! Thanks for the post.0
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That's good news. Could still be better but it's good to see an effort on their part. Now we all have to re-enter the sandwiches into the database with the correct sodium content.0
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Fiiiiiinally! There's a Subway right next to my gym and I've been avoiding it because of the sodium levels!0
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Good News...but still not enough.0
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It's about time! I love Subway but can't eat it b/c of the sodium0
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Great news! Love Subway more and more each day!0
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AWESOME!!!0
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looking at updated nutritional info from subway they have also updated (lowered sodium) in canada as well!
YAY!!!!!!
makes me want to go get a subway sandwich to thank them! *L*0 -
Good News...but still not enough.
I agree, but at least its a start...0 -
That's great, but like a PP stated, it's just not enough. I cannot have excess sodium, and a sandwich that has over 800mg of sodium is WAY too much.0
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