Surprised at unhealthy Subway!

Midnightsun04
Midnightsun04 Posts: 33
edited October 1 in Food and Nutrition
I have always chosen Subway over other fast food restaurants because I thought I was being so much healthier. Today I logged a 6' ham sandwich on italian with American cheese and some veggies (my diary entry isn't exactly what had veggie wise) and light mayo, I also ate a bag of Harvest cheddar chips. I have always considered this "healthy". When I looked at what came up in my diary I was completely surprised! My sodium for the day had already been exceeded (2,000ish) and the calories from just that added up around 900!!! Thats crazy! Anyone else misleaded by Subways 'fit' reputation? Or did I order the wrong thing?
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Replies

  • SergeantSunshine_reused
    SergeantSunshine_reused Posts: 5,382 Member
    900 for that? D:

    I get a veggie delight on flat bread with now cheese and load on the veggies! 230 delicious calories :]
  • Lauren38570
    Lauren38570 Posts: 239
    the big philly is my favirote but if I Don't have room for it in my limit I don't eat it
  • lstnlondry
    lstnlondry Posts: 1,794 Member
    I hear you loud & clear!! Sodium is the worst w/Subway!! And to think Biggest Loser promotes them!! I am so glad to see you post this.
  • jbretz
    jbretz Posts: 43
    If you look closely at the Subway commercials, the fine print states that in order to "lose" with Subway, you need the bare minimum on the sub. I don't remember the exact details, but it was far less than what most people order on their sub.
  • t_rog
    t_rog Posts: 363 Member
    900 for that?? that doesn't sound right. i would say you ordered the wrong thing. maybe it's the chips? not sure, but my 6' sandwiches are usually around 4-500.
  • phnx72
    phnx72 Posts: 47 Member
    The sodium is high when I make sandwiches at home as well, it's the meat.
  • taso42_DELETED
    taso42_DELETED Posts: 3,394 Member
    Subway had a big marketing and branded themselves as "Healthy". That doesn't mean it isn't still pretty low-grade food.
  • TheJesterKing
    TheJesterKing Posts: 22
    I tend to avoid Subway these days in exchange for either home made or a lcoal sub shop(Thundercloud Subs). Their veggies taste much fresher. I only found out about Subways seceret when I first started to log and noticed how quickly a sandwhich could add many calories to your log(depending on your toppings)
  • PhoenyxRising
    PhoenyxRising Posts: 68 Member
    To be honest it really depends on what you get... you can order the same items on a salad, skip the bread and save some calories and carbs, or make sure you order it on the whole grain wheat bread. The guide right by the area where you order will tell you what to use and what not to use depending on what you are trying to limit (calories, carbs, fat, etc) A lot of people don't realize that simple adding cheese, light mayo, and your choice of bread can make all the difference. I usually get a turkey or ham on whole grain wheat, skip the cheese, load it up with all the veggies and a little bit of pepper and mustard.. or vinegar if you like that. It stays around 250-290 calories doing it that way which isn't too bad.
  • fitzie63
    fitzie63 Posts: 508 Member
    Please consider this: The low cal Subway 6" sandwich is with only those items listed on the menu. The condiments and other toppings you request are additional calories. It's not Subway's fault when YOU choose what goes on the order. Did you actually look at the nutrient values on the back of that bag of chips before you grabbed it and ate it? I ate in the local Subway place yesterday for a late lunch and considered it my main meal of the day (had just a snack at dinner time). You're the only one in control of your portions and what goes in your mouth. I've been fighting this battle for 55 of my 73 years and have finally admitted that to myself. Because of that acceptance of my former lifestyle choices, I'm much more successful in achieving toward the ultimate goal. The name of this "game" is PORTION CONTROL.

    GL :)
  • goron59
    goron59 Posts: 890 Member
    You can eat healthily at Subway, but you have to avoid the processed meats, processed cheese, dressings and bread.

    Otherwise, it's just like injecting salt into your veins.
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    Well considering ham is made by curing pork in salt, what would you expect the sodium to be? Pretty much all deli meats, either at a restaurant, or grocery store, are loaded with sodium. As for calories, with the chips and everything, sounds normal.
  • sarahsmom1
    sarahsmom1 Posts: 1,501 Member
    I have always chosen Subway over other fast food restaurants because I thought I was being so much healthier. Today I logged a 6' ham sandwich on italian with American cheese and some veggies (my diary entry isn't exactly what had veggie wise) and light mayo, I also ate a bag of Harvest cheddar chips. I have always considered this "healthy". When I looked at what came up in my diary I was completely surprised! My sodium for the day had already been exceeded (2,000ish) and the calories from just that added up around 900!!! Thats crazy! Anyone else misleaded by Subways 'fit' reputation? Or did I order the wrong thing?
    yes they are very high in sodium some where I heard that the company were looking for meats to be used that have less sodium. I don't think they have done this yet. I'm thinking it will take a while
  • Jade_Butterfly
    Jade_Butterfly Posts: 2,963 Member
    Depends on what you get there. . . I personally have a veggie sandwich. .. . . and either get whole wheat or herb for bread. . .

    On that note lunch meats alone will have a lot of sodium. . as well as the cheese. . . So You might consider less of them when ordering a sandwhich. . .

    Their teryaki chicken is good. not sure about the sodium content. . . Good luck to you.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,990 Member
    For the same calories and sodium, you could have had a large bowl of PHO.
  • CrystalRollings
    CrystalRollings Posts: 1
    Working in a restaurant I know first hand that sodium levels in all restaurants and little sandwhich shops are crazy high. It is highly processed, that will ensure a longer shelf life for the product. I find the healthiest bet is too eat at home or pack a lunch for work....
  • Lyadeia
    Lyadeia Posts: 4,603 Member
    Did you know that there are less calories and less carbs and even less sugar in the Italian (white) bread than the whole grain wheat bread at Subway? And the fiber content is about the same (only like 1 gram different, so what's the point?)

    I literally studied their nutrition facts at one point last year on the internet and quickly became discouraged. Unless you get a stripped down sandwich with nothing on it but a few veggies that you might not even like, the sodium will be astronomical and the calories or carbs will probably be high. If you want to get a sandwich that you LIKE, the calorie/carb/sodium levels will not be that great.

    That being said, there is one sandwich that I can stomach. It's a Club with no condiments on Italian bread. It has provolone cheese (cause I won't eat a sandwich without cheese...) and some veggies like lettuce and tomato. The sodium content is still not where I like it to be, but at least the calories, fat, protein, and carbs are OK for my diary.

    I think Subway is a better choice than other fast food places, but they should never be allowed to call themselves "healthy." IMHO. My favorite 6" sub actually has over 50 grams of fat!
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
    I think you chose the wrong option from the MFP menu, that must be at least a 12". According to Subway a 6" ham sub with veggies is just 221 calories and the cheese and dressing wouldn't add more than 100. Don't panic! But maybe skip the crisps next time :wink:
  • babyblake11
    babyblake11 Posts: 1,107 Member
    well you can make anything unhealthy.
    i get a 6" ham with veggies and cheese, no sauces and its under 400, so those chips must be bad
  • JoelleMonique
    JoelleMonique Posts: 107
    Subway has way too much bread! It's still better than KFC!
  • iamahealthychick
    iamahealthychick Posts: 207 Member
    For the same calories and sodium, you could have had a large bowl of PHO.

    I love Pho! We make 'faux pho' at home a lot!
  • mbeatty10
    mbeatty10 Posts: 2 Member
    You made the right choice of restaurants but a poor menu selection. Ham is the main culprit. They have many very healthy selection and like you I eat there often
  • purple_tux1
    purple_tux1 Posts: 250 Member
    Yep, it's really surprising sometimes when you look at the calories you're actually consuming when you buy something 'healthy'.

    Not just Subway, but I have been shocked to find out the calories in certain salads.

    I hear you on the chips. We used to always buy the wholegrain tortillas too, thinking they were healthy, when I actually stopped to read the number of calories, I was totally shocked!!

    Maybe next time, just pack your own sandwich and bring an apple instead of chips.
  • littlemili
    littlemili Posts: 625 Member
    Why did you get a bag of chips if you were expecting a healthy meal?
  • Midnightsun04
    Midnightsun04 Posts: 33
    Looking more closely I think I diary entry I put in was for a footlong (1 sandwich) not a 6'. After adjusting to the 6', the calories seemed a lot more realistic!
  • KimmyEB
    KimmyEB Posts: 1,208 Member
    I've gotten food poisoning TWICE from Subway (2 different locations). I'll never go there again. It's not just their meats or breads, it's the vegetables, too. No matter what Subway I've been to, their veggies are wilted, the lettuce is brown, and they don't keep their stuff at the right temperatures. Not to mention their habit of re-using the same knife to cut every single sub without washing/wiping it, ugh.

    Boar's Head brand of lunchmeat has significantly less sodium in their lunch meats, and are even gluten free, I believe. Their meats and cheese taste really good. A local deli in my town only uses Boar's Head, and depending on where you live, certain grocery stores might carry it and make subs. I live in Florida, and I LOVE Publix subs. Their half subs are way bigger and more filling than Subway, taste a trillion times better, and even my beloved Cuban sub is healthier than most other subs at Subway.
  • Shelby814
    Shelby814 Posts: 273 Member
    I eat at Subway almost every day, and sometimes twice a day. For breakfast I usually get the western egg & cheese on a light muffin with ham, egg whites, american cheese, extra onions, extra green peppers & honey mustard. It's aout 180 caories. For lunch I typically have a chicken breast salad with veggies, light Italian dressing & croutons whcih is around 350 calories. My other lunch option is a 6" roasted chicken breast sandwich with veggies, no cheese, light mayo & mustard which is 380 calories. I LOVE their seafood sensation, but stay away from it because it is very high in calories. I used to get tuna until I found out it is the ONLY thing on the menu they actualy use real/high calorie mayo in. Ask for a nutrition guide. That should help you make good choices. Keep driving by those other fast food places! :) Shelli
  • xcirce
    xcirce Posts: 20 Member
    Ahem.
    I don't eat meat but I don't like many veggies so I get a simple 6" am/prov cheese sub with lettuce, tomato, and mayo on italian bread. I add all the components separately in my diary & make it a meal for easy access.
    I end up with:
    Calories: 215
    Carbs: 21
    Fat: 11
    Sodium: 376

    This is by far a reasonable amount of everything in my opinion. I'm also a very simple eater.
    I usually add a bag of the Light Lays chips for only 75 calories, no fat, and 200 sodium.
  • that_jen_r
    that_jen_r Posts: 5
    I eat Subway almost daily while working during the week and I find I can get a great sandwich for under 300 calories. The bag of Sun Chips is over 200 calories just in one shot.

    Subway isn't unhealthy but they definitely have choices that can be unhealthy.
  • rowbseat13
    rowbseat13 Posts: 147 Member
    It's still fast food. Compare it to pretty much ANY other fast food, and it's still better on sodium and calories, depending on what you get. The "healthy" thing to get at Wendy's is a grilled chicken sandwich... with 1,100+ grams of sodium. Compare that to 800-something grams in a 6-inch sub, and you're making a much better decision.
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