Study: Subway Sandwiches Are Worse Than We Think

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Replies

  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    So the study shows that people under estimate their caloric intake. The headline is misleading in that Subway is not the problem,it's the stupidity of consumers that is. (Subway publishes nutritional data as do most of the other fast food rstaurants)
  • lathenson
    lathenson Posts: 1
    exactly.
  • jeansuza
    jeansuza Posts: 148 Member
    At least, at Subway or McDo, you can ask for nutritional comtent which cannot be done in most other restaurants which are supposedly better for you!
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    At least, at Subway or McDo, you can ask for nutritional comtent which cannot be done in most other restaurants which are supposedly better for you!

    That's the crazy thing. Fast food places like McD's are demonized, but pretty much anything you order at any table-service restaurant is going to be significantly more calories than an average McD's meal.
  • saxmaniac
    saxmaniac Posts: 1,133 Member
    forget the upset stomach. You won't even realize that your stomach is upset when your in a diabetic coma from all those sugars and carbs.

    Carbs can't put you into an actual coma.

    A *complete* lack of insulin, if you're type 1 or a type 2 that has worn out your beta cells, yes. This is called DKA and can put you into a coma. It takes a few days.

    Or, a huge over-injection of insulin, can clean the bloodstream out of glucose and cause your brain to shut down. That's likely just to kill you, though.
  • rocket_ace
    rocket_ace Posts: 380 Member
    its crazy how little food it can be to add up to 4000 calories. I'm thinking 1 burrito from Chipotle, a large coke, a bag of tortilla chips, and a slice of cheesecake and you are there. And frankly, that's alot of food for me now, but I remember when it could have been just 1 serving.
  • melindasuefritz
    melindasuefritz Posts: 3,509 Member
    tell that to Jared
    u simply pick the healthy options
  • paintlisapurple
    paintlisapurple Posts: 982 Member
    So it's not that Subway, McDonald's or other fast food restaurants are worse than we think, it's that people suck at estimating calories? Oh, that's why I usually look up nutrition information prior to going places like that. :ohwell:

    Agreed - all those places have the calorie counts on the menu. Not hard to work it out before you buy. :noway:

    I absolutely agree with both of you...Subway should not be held accountable for other peoples' ignorance.
  • DeeDiddyGee
    DeeDiddyGee Posts: 601 Member
    I just had Subway for lunch today. In fact, I have Subway quite often. Before I leave the office and walk to the local Subway restaurant, I ALWAYS calculate my calories before leaving. I used to use the Subway website. But, as of late I have been using a website where you can get the nutritional info on customized sandwiches. It is great.

    http://www.nutritionix.com/subway/nutrition-calculator

    Of course, this is just my opinion. I find that a 6" sub, which is approximately 350 cals is very satisfying.'

    :drinker:
  • hungryhobbit1
    hungryhobbit1 Posts: 259 Member
    The one thing I will criticize Subway for is the way they slather on the mayo. The website assumes 1 tablespoon of mayo. They put on at least 3 or 4, in my experience. That's the difference between 60 cals and 240 cals. Even if you're carefully checking the website, if you don't pay attention there you could be consuming almost 200 more calories than you think.

    I always ask for a single 'line' of mayo, which is about a TBSP on a six inch sub.

    BTW, I understand from a pretty good source that most of the mayo they use is the low fat variety as it's cheaper. In many places, you have to request the full fat stuff to get it.

    True, but at 50 calories per tablespoon it's still really easy to walk out with 200 more calories than you had planned for on your sandwich. I used to request vinegar no oil (because they go nuts with that one too, and it looks like cheap soy based oil) but the extra sodium is a killer. I've had to pretty much give up on Subway, on account of when I hit 38 or so the thought of salt started to make me bloat up and float away.

    Other places I have lived the Subway folks seem to understand that no, I really mean I don't want too much mayo, but here they just think I'm kidding or something. The obesity rate is sky high.
  • Timshel_
    Timshel_ Posts: 22,834 Member
    How does people sucking at estimating calories make Subway worse?

    I go to Subway and have a sub 400 calorie sub quite often, which fits nicely into my macros, calorie needs, and provides a heap of veg.

    And the use the word insidious, like they are purposely making people underestimate. If anything, Subway has been at the fore front of posting nutritional information and giving healthier choices. Blaming people's lack of concisouness when eating on Subway is just stupid.

    Probably a study done by McD's.
  • I go to Subway and order a Veggie Delight Sandwich or Veggie Delight Salad.

    Just figure up your calories and you will be fine, there is nothing wrong about Subway.

    Yup same here! I work at a Mr. Sub so I'm a bit of a freak when it comes to the calorie count on sandwiches but I can do a 12" veggie on 9 grain, no cheese and with yellow mustard and all the veggies for just under 500 calories.
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
    The only thing that surprises me about this thread is the amount of people surprised at other people's inability to estimate calories.

    *Clapping*
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
    I seriously have my doubts that people who eat at fast food restarurants once a week are counting calories. I guess they are trying to be healthy after all when they order a Big Mac, large fries and then get a diet coke they are trying to save a few calories (Sarcasm intended).

    :noway:
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
    1934236577_im_not_listening_answer_3_xlarge.jpeg

    I eat here nearly daily. I can't hear this blasphemy OP!
  • nickheidke
    nickheidke Posts: 6 Member
    So it's not that Subway, McDonald's or other fast food restaurants are worse than we think, it's that people suck at estimating calories? Oh, that's why I usually look up nutrition information prior to going places like that. :ohwell:

    Precisely this!
  • LifeWithPie
    LifeWithPie Posts: 552 Member
    The only thing that surprises me about this thread is the amount of people surprised at other people's inability to estimate calories.

    Exactly. Amazing how so many former fatties here on MFP just can't believe that the average person can't estimate calories or doesn't know that you can get calorie info online. So, ...none of you ended up here cuase you were fat and underestimated how many calories it took to maintain a healthy weight?

    We're all informed now. But most of us weren't before. Which is why we got FAT.
    Lighten up on the back patting people.
  • Timshel_
    Timshel_ Posts: 22,834 Member
    So it's not that Subway, McDonald's or other fast food restaurants are worse than we think, it's that people suck at estimating calories? Oh, that's why I usually look up nutrition information prior to going places like that. :ohwell:

    Precisely this!

    Exactly.
  • bokodasu
    bokodasu Posts: 629 Member
    Subway is one of the places where I teach my daughter about math and nutrition, because they have those handy fliers with all the calories on them. We play "find the cheese that is higest in protein" and "how many cookies could I have for the same calories as this sub?" (That one was her idea. The answer is "not quite two, but that doesn't mean I'm buying you two cookies for lunch.")
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    I seriously have my doubts that people who eat at fast food restarurants once a week are counting calories. I guess they are trying to be healthy after all when they order a Big Mac, large fries and then get a diet coke they are trying to save a few calories (Sarcasm intended).

    Orly?
  • stumblinthrulife
    stumblinthrulife Posts: 2,558 Member
    Exactly. Amazing how so many former fatties here on MFP just can't believe that the average person can't estimate calories or doesn't know that you can get calorie info online. So, ...none of you ended up here cuase you were fat and underestimated how many calories it took to maintain a healthy weight?

    We're all informed now. But most of us weren't before. Which is why we got FAT.
    Lighten up on the back patting people.

    I don't think people are saying that they can't believe it, or that they are in someway better people. I certainly didn't.

    When I said "people suck at estimating calories", I rather included myself in the group known as 'people'. I still suck at estimating calories, which is why I use MFP. Sure, I'm a lot better than I was, but give me a month without MFP and I'm pretty sure my average daily calories would gradually increase. Especially if you threw a bunch of new foods into my dietary mix.
  • da_bears10089
    da_bears10089 Posts: 1,791 Member
    A 4,000 calorie meal seems impossible.

    Jared would like us to think that. :devil: Start with a footlong sub with added cheese, bacon, and mayo. Make it a meal deal with a drink and chips. Then satisfy your sweet tooth with a 6 cookies (because you just gotta get one of each flavor). That should take care of the 4,000 calories or come damn close to it.

    1 of each flavor??? helll no. 6 white chocolate macadamia nut cookies.
  • ThickMcRunFast
    ThickMcRunFast Posts: 22,511 Member
    I seriously have my doubts that people who eat at fast food restarurants once a week are counting calories. I guess they are trying to be healthy after all when they order a Big Mac, large fries and then get a diet coke they are trying to save a few calories (Sarcasm intended).

    Ate at Subway yesterday. My meal came to 930 calories. It was well within my calories for the day. Didn't order a diet coke though.
  • da_bears10089
    da_bears10089 Posts: 1,791 Member
    I seriously have my doubts that people who eat at fast food restarurants once a week are counting calories. I guess they are trying to be healthy after all when they order a Big Mac, large fries and then get a diet coke they are trying to save a few calories (Sarcasm intended).

    Orly?

    i haven't had mcdonalds for a long time without it messing up my stomach, BUT i will shove a five guys burger and cajun fries in my face so fast, that i'm not entirely sure if i really tasted it.

    ETA: if it fits in my goals, then why not live a little?
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    I seriously have my doubts that people who eat at fast food restarurants once a week are counting calories. I guess they are trying to be healthy after all when they order a Big Mac, large fries and then get a diet coke they are trying to save a few calories (Sarcasm intended).

    Yeah. People who are counting calories like me eat fast food way more than just once a week. I aim for once a day.
  • stumblinthrulife
    stumblinthrulife Posts: 2,558 Member
    I seriously have my doubts that people who eat at fast food restarurants once a week are counting calories. I guess they are trying to be healthy after all when they order a Big Mac, large fries and then get a diet coke they are trying to save a few calories (Sarcasm intended).

    Every time someone makes a diet snob remark, I head to McDonald's and eat a combo fit perfectly to my macro and calorie needs.

    Then next weigh in I log another pound and another inch lost.
  • BobbyDaniel
    BobbyDaniel Posts: 1,459 Member
    So it's not that Subway, McDonald's or other fast food restaurants are worse than we think, it's that people suck at estimating calories? Oh, that's why I usually look up nutrition information prior to going places like that. :ohwell:
    YES!
  • keem88
    keem88 Posts: 1,689 Member
    i think people generally underestimate the calories and other nutriotional information in general, wether they are eating out or making their own food. secret eaters points that out well, where people are baffled as to why they cannot lose weight, report they think they are eating say 1500 to almost 2000 cals a day and gaining, then find out once their food throughout the week is tracked that a lot of times they eat almost twice that. you just gotta know smart choices to make, and plan ahead. i can go to subway and get a veggie delite for not a lot of cals, because i don't have them add mass cheese and dressing. plus the sodium in the lunch meat has to be outragious, which can cause water retention/weight gain. as long as you have a good idea of what you are eating and look at the menu ahead, then none of these places should be a problem.
  • keem88
    keem88 Posts: 1,689 Member
    I seriously have my doubts that people who eat at fast food restarurants once a week are counting calories. I guess they are trying to be healthy after all when they order a Big Mac, large fries and then get a diet coke they are trying to save a few calories (Sarcasm intended).

    Every time someone makes a diet snob remark, I head to McDonald's and eat a combo fit perfectly to my macro and calorie needs.

    Then next weigh in I log another pound and another inch lost.

    prolly lost a pound after taking a huge dump from that combo meal :laugh:
    but seriously, if it fits in your macros then go ahead and eat it. as long as you are conscious of what you are taking in, then there shouldn't be a problem (unless you have concern for the quality of your food)
  • auteurfille22
    auteurfille22 Posts: 251 Member
    My favorite subway sandwich is 330 calories. I love subway and I'm happy with it. If you are conscious about the choices you make, you can be fine eating there.