The sandwich chain may boast of being heart healthy, but the most unhealthy item on the Subway menu contains a whopping 1220 calories.
The unhealthy honor belongs to the footlong Chicken Bacon Ranch Sub.
The sandwich accounts for almost a full day’s worth of sodium and accounts for more than half of the recommended 2,000 calorie limit. In fact, it exceeds the daily recommended limit in some areas.
These values are based off a sandwich made on 9-grain wheat bread and topped with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, green peppers and cucumbers. Additional toppings such as cheese and mayonnaise will pack on more fat and calories.
If you take footlong subs off the menu and stick with 6-inch varieties, the 8-inch sausage pizza becomes the most unhealthy item on the Subway menu. The personal pie comes loaded with 820 calories and 34 grams of fat.
Keep in mind the figures don’t include the chips and drink that come with a combo meal. Nor do they include the tempting cookies that have been carefully placed at registers.
Here’s the full tale of the tape for the Chicken Bacon Ranch Sub.
Most Unhealthy Item On The Subway Menu
Chicken Bacon Ranch Sub
Value: Total – % Daily Recommended Intake
Calories: 1220 — 61%
Calories from fat: 540 — n/a
Total fat (g): 60 — 92%
Sat fat (g): 20 — 100%
Trans fat (g): 1 — n/a
Cholesterol (mg): 190 — 63%
Sodium (mg): 1580 — 69%
Total carbs (g): 94 — 31%
Fiber (g): 10 — 40%
Sugar (g): 16 — 64%
Protein (g): 76 — 152%
My Diet At 420 Pounds vs. 155 Pounds
Healthier Option
Eating healthy at a fast food restaurant is almost always an impossible feat, but Subway isn’t your typical artery clogging food hole. Healthy options are plentiful here. That’s the foundation for the chain’s heart healthy reputation.
Many of the 6-inch sandwiches are 350 calories or less and provide a solid dose of lean protein and veggies. Just make sure to avoid calorie traps such as mayonnaise and cheese.
Your best bet is the 6-inch Turkey Breast sub, which has just 280 calories and 3.5 grams of fat. Going the vegetarian route, the 6-inch Veggie Delite has only 230 calories and 2.5 grams of fat. You can also tack on healthier fats such as avocado without too much guilt.
Select locations also offer sourdough bread, which has 20 fewer calories than wheat. However, the bread has lower nutritional values overall.
As for the pizza, eliminating sausage and sticking with plain cheese will save you 140 calories, 12 grams of fat and almost 400 milligrams of sodium.
Daily Nutrition Guidelines
Calories: 2000
Total fat (g): 65
Sat fat (g): 20
Cholesterol (mg): 300
Sodium (mg): 2300
Total carbs (g): 300
Fiber (g): 25
Sugar (g)*: 25
Protein (g): 50
Most Unhealthy Items On The Menu
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* Based on World Health Organization’s recommendation for added sugar. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends limiting sugar intake to 10% of daily calories.