Love it or hate it, chances are you have eaten at a Subway restaurant at some point in your life. Perhaps you even worked at a franchise before. It has often been prided by the corporation as well as believed by the general public as a healthier fast food option. However, in recent years, this claim has been challenged by nutritionists as well as health enthusiasts. So what exactly is the deal with Subway?

What Do the Studies Say? 

It’s actually not so bad. Subway’s Fresh Fit menu has the majority of its healthiest options. These foods are high in protein and low in calories and fat. Most have achieved American Heart Association Trusted Source Heart-Check Certification status (AHA). This indicates that the meal has been approved as meeting the AHA’s nutritional standards for a heart-healthy option. According to its website, Subway is the first fast food establishment to receive Heart-Check Certification. You can help yourself by avoiding chipotle ranch dressing or ranch dressing.

Some people claim Subway is not healthy due to the high salt content in some of their sandwiches. However, the ability to customize your order and the accessibility of fresh vegetables like spinach, tomatoes, red onions, green peppers, and cucumbers are two advantages of Subway. A salad or one of the chain’s new protein bowls is the best way to include the most vegetables in your meal. You can create your own while there are many options with pre-selected ingredients. Sadly, other pre-set items cannot be changed in the tool’s nutrition calculator, which lets you see how some additions or omissions affect the meal’s nutrition facts. You only need to click the desired item on the website’s nutrition profile page, followed by the word “nutrition calculator,” to perform your calculations.

Subway has only one non-animal protein option: a veggie patty made of vegetables and soy. If you can tolerate soy, think about trying it even if you don’t follow a plant-based diet. A 2020 study that examined information from over 400,000 US men and women over 16 years did find a link between a higher intake of plant protein and a lower risk of death from all causes. On the other hand, if you are a meat lover (and soy is not an issue for you), you should first try the rotisserie-style chicken, which is made from chicken, water, and no more than 2% of other ingredients, such as salt, soybean oil, dextrose, and seasonings.

The Final Verdict

If you are hungry and in a rush and find yourself at Subway, order the Veggie Delight and pile up on as many vegetables as possible. If you’re especially concerned about calories, we regret to inform you that you’ll have to request no cheese, bringing you down to a total of 230 calories. Should you go to Jersey Mike’s or Jimmy John’s instead? Honestly, go to whichever sub-chain you prefer, but be sure not to make it your go-to for healthy food. Besides, eating a salad or making your own sandwich at home will save you more money!