PSA: Subway's nutritional info is underestimated

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  • missprincessgina
    missprincessgina Posts: 446 Member
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    For me, calories are just an estimate. My husband and I eat out approx. 5-6 nights a week and are both a healthy weight. We don't eat fast food but still, eating at restaurants so often is a challenge. A few extra pickles doesn't worry me. I don't even bother to log my fruits & veggies that much anymore. No one got fat by overeating apples & broccoli!
  • ahviendha
    ahviendha Posts: 1,291 Member
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    PSA : Most nutritional info is underestimated.

    Manufacturers are allowed to deviate from their labels by up to 20%. Usually they'll underestimate, ESPECIALLY with "diet" or "lowfat" foods.

    I always overestimate calories, underestimate exercise.
  • junejadesky
    junejadesky Posts: 524 Member
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    It's all relative. Of course it's not 100% accurate.

    Well said
  • slowturtle1
    slowturtle1 Posts: 284 Member
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    Portion size is irrespective, the calories consumed per day is what counts.

    If portion size dictated fat loss or gain why do programmes such as lean gains and carb back loading work? You can eat as much as you want within a certain timeframe, I know that eating up to 1200 kcals during this window, portion size is not important as it won't cause you to store body fat.

    1/2 cup of anything has less calories than 4 cups of the same thing. Portions do matter. Yes, you can eat larger portions or smaller portions, as long as all the calories add up to your goal, but portions do matter.
  • Kellyscupcake
    Kellyscupcake Posts: 30 Member
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    I didn't read all the posts but after running a subway for 9 years and still eating subway pretty reguarly I do know that the bread is universal...it comes in a frozen stick..so the bread is always right count- All of them are pretty dead on the meat and cheese...it will be the dressing that gets you...they over serve the dressing and veggies. Standard is 4 pickles, 3 tomatos, 2 olives, 3 banana peppers, 3 hot peppers. When was the last time any of them gave 2 olives.. doesn't happen. 2 skinny lines of light mayo. yea right. Just be your own judge. Tell them what you want and log accordingly.
  • slowturtle1
    slowturtle1 Posts: 284 Member
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    Not sure about Subway being inaccurate but I can say something about Five Guys.. I ate a burger and a thing of curly fries there about a year ago and I could feel my heart pounding in my chest for hours afterwards.. I will NEVER eat there again. I am to young for a heart attack!

    Even if Subway is off, I imagine it is still a good deal healthier than most any other quick food I can think of at the moment.


    this is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. hamburger and peanut oil doesn't give you an instant heart problem or I would die on a daily basis.......

    Plus fat doesn't make your heart race. Caffeine and speed, however ...

    I wouldn't call it "ridiculous." Fat may not make the heart race, but MSG can make some people have heart palpitations or make the heart race. Can also cause headaches and other physical complaints, especially if one has a sensitivity to it. Same with other food allergies or sensitivities. Many common seasonings ("natural flavor" or "spices") have MSG. My guess is the OP has a sensitivity to some ingredient or spice used at 5 Guys. It's not ridiculous. It does suck though. Burgers and fries are goooood!
  • PetulantOne
    PetulantOne Posts: 2,131 Member
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    I always assume if I'm not making the food myself that the calorie count is going to be off. Even when you are cooking everything is just estimates. You have to use more common sense than wishful thinking.
  • ZoeLifts
    ZoeLifts Posts: 10,347 Member
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    I can't imagine why anyone would be surprised by any of this. Of course it is not accurate, and if someone's big concern is extra calories from a few extra pickle slices, it might be time to reevaluate the relationship with food. The meat and cheese are pre - measured, though probably still not accurate to the tea, but veggies, come on folks!!
  • Be_EmbracE
    Be_EmbracE Posts: 1,472 Member
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    I have subway a few times a week I guess. It is ok with me. My usually honey oats or wheat 6inch with chicken breast without a few vege - chilli, pickles and what I can't remember suddenly hahaha..
    NO OIL, MAYO or any dressing just few slight pepper will do. ^.^
    The other is their salad with roasted chicken breast without dressing .. But I love olive. Sometimes I will eat with my multigrain bread instead. I am ok. ;)
  • waldo56
    waldo56 Posts: 1,861 Member
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    Just don't put mayo and it doesn't matter. Pickles have no calories, by the way.

    Since when do pickles have no calories?

    Read labels.

    Even king size full pickles have like 5 calories each. The amount of calories in pickle slices is totally irrelevant. A large jar of pickles has like 50 calories.

    All dieters should know the power of pickles, if you have to give in to a snack attack, eat a few pickles. Not only will it kill a sweet tooth, it will add virtually nothing to your daily calorie count.
  • waldo56
    waldo56 Posts: 1,861 Member
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    PSA : Most nutritional info is underestimated.

    Manufacturers are allowed to deviate from their labels by up to 20%. Usually they'll underestimate, ESPECIALLY with "diet" or "lowfat" foods.

    I always overestimate calories, underestimate exercise.

    Calorie goals are based on a world where calorie counts are overestimated.

    Adjust for this by overestimating calories, you also will have to increase your calorie goals to account for the removal of this error.

    Accuracy-wise you are barking up the wrong tree. The error in food calorie counts is neutral to the bottom line of weight loss, it is already accounted for in your goals.

    If you aren't losing at the rate you expect, adjust your goals, don't purposely alter your estimated values. That is a horrible estimating practice.
  • waldo56
    waldo56 Posts: 1,861 Member
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    Subway protip - 6" sub with double meat and cheese = slightly cheaper and lower cal footlong (plus a higher protein to calorie ratio).
  • Madholm
    Madholm Posts: 167
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    You had me scared at first. Then I was like LOL, I don't give a **** if I'm eating extra veggies.

    If you eat at 5 guys and cold stone often enough that you are concerned about the serving size then I'd say you have much bigger problems. If I'm eating at one of those places I obviously don't care about my calories for that day.
  • Pedal_Pusher
    Pedal_Pusher Posts: 1,166 Member
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    crazy shlt
  • Madholm
    Madholm Posts: 167
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    No one got fat by overeating apples & broccoli!

    CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!!!!!!!!!
  • skinnyitaliannn
    skinnyitaliannn Posts: 187
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    I'll still eat there if there isn't a better place nearby lol
  • JustANumber85
    JustANumber85 Posts: 644 Member
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    No one got fat by overeating apples & broccoli!

    CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!!!!!!!!!

    But theyd sure have the ****s though!
  • now_or_never12
    now_or_never12 Posts: 849 Member
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    Every subway I have been to has bread that is all the same size and meat that is pre-portioned out for either the 6 inch subs or the footlong subs. The cheese is also portioned as they only put two half slices on each 6inch sub unless you ask for and pay for more.

    The veggies don't add a ton of calories. I always get a veggie sub, no cheese, tons of veggies and a bit of sauce. For the sauce I usually ask for it on the side as I know the little containers they use here can hold 2.5 tbsp of sauce.

    Why worry about the extra calories from a pickle or two? It barely makes a difference. The real calorie amounts are in the meats, cheese and breads which are portioned out.

    Every restaurant estimates things. Do you think if you go into a restuaurant and order fries they actually weight the fries before you get them? No... they just eyeball it based on what amout a serving should be. If you get toppings on a burger I bet they aren't measuring out the mayo to meet the amount the nutritional information says.
  • calimoma
    calimoma Posts: 64
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    the subway here that i go to only uses light mayo anyway. the turkey on wheat no cheese is only around 300 cals i think. and now blimpie has light mayo!!
  • c4ssandra
    c4ssandra Posts: 11
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    I worked at Subway for 5 years between two different stores. It's been about 5 years since I quit, though, so some things have changed in their practices but I'm sure some things are the same. My mom was a manager at several Subways for about 8 years. Here is what I know based on my experience of working and eating there. I'm not going to comment on whether or not Subway is healthy or how healthy it is. I'm just gonna tell you what I know.


    First of all, YOU CAN BE PICKY. If you want 4 slices of cucumber in quarters and arranged the bread evenly, tell them. You can ask for pretty much any customization you want. You can even ask them to scoop out the extra bread in the middle (this cuts a bit of calories and was frequently requested in one of my stores).

    YOU are the customer. YOU are paying for it. TELL THEM what you want. If you are so concerned about calories, find out what exactly is supposed to go on the sandwich and the serving sizes (veggies vary by sandwich in the calorie count).

    Instead of saying, "honey mustard", say "I want two very light lines of honey mustard" and stress the 'very light' part. Or if you don't trust the person, just say one light line and go from there. If you want only 1 tomato instead of 3, say that you only want one tomato (and hey, get them to cut that in half for you too so it's even throughout the sandwich).

    I used to be able to make my own sandwiches so I'm very picky. You can be too! Unless they take your sandwich to the back room (and why would they?), they probably cannot spit on it. (But, you probably don't want to push people who look like they're on the verge of losing it. There was a guy who worked before me who threw a knife at a customer because he had had it with customers. But he was crazy.)

    Second of all, TALK LOUD AND CLEAR. It's really hard to hear back there with all of the machines going.

    So on to my review....

    BREAD
    The bread should be accurate 99% of the time unless the 'sandwich artist' didn't cut the piece of bread equally in half (which happens in a rush). The bread with toppings will probably vary in calories because I know my store didn't measure out the cheese, honey oat, or Italian herbs w/cheese toppings.

    MEATS
    The sliced deli meats are probably going to be accurate as long as they put the correct amount of slices on the sandwich. If you get double meat, of course the calorie count will increase. The roasted chicken breast patty will be accurate as long on the food supplier got the portion size correct.

    All of the other meats, like anything they use a scoop for, is probably going to vary. Back when I worked there, we measured everything and put each portion in a little tray before it went out on the line. We had to be exact. All my bosses were very picky about that probably because of cost control. But nowadays I noticed that Subways just throw all the chicken strips, chicken teriyaki, buffalo chicken, steak, tuna, etc. into a big cambro pan and use the scoop. With this method I always get varying amounts of meat--usually way too much. So unless this type of loose meat comes pre-measured in trays, I wouldn't trust the calories.

    Tuna is probably accurate as long as they give you the correct 2 level scoops. It's one bag of mayo per can of tuna, so unless they are incompetent, it should be correct.

    CHEESES
    Sliced cheeses should be fine as long as they give you the appropriate amount. The shredded cheese is obviously going to be off unless they weigh or measure it accurately.

    VEGGIES
    Hahahahahahaha! Please. We were supposed to put something like 3 olives on a 6" and 5 on a 12". Unless the person is a stickler for rules or very new, the person making your sandwich will probably put the normal amount of veggies that most people ask for, which is more than what corporate uses to calculate calories. So if you want something different, ask for it BEFORE they put it on your sandwich. Also note that each sandwich is calculated using specific veggies. The sandwich artists are probably not trained to know what those veggies are, oddly enough. So if you're a stickler about calories, you need to do your homework. The subway website has all that info.

    COOKIES
    Should be right on mark with their calories unless the food supplier messed up the portions.

    SOUP
    Probably not accurate. When I worked there, we just filled the bowl/cup up almost to the top and who knows if it was exactly the correct portion.

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