Sodium in Subway Subs: How Much is There and What Are the Alternatives?
Subway has often advertised its foods as being extremely healthy, especially because of the popularity of the Subway diet. Because the essence of a Subway sub is the meat, however, almost no Subway sub is truly low in sodium. The type of meat definitely impacts the amount of sodium in the sub. In addition to the meat, however, toppings like cheese, bacon, mayonnaise and mustard, jalapeno peppers, olives, and pickles all add to the sodium levels of the sub. The type of dressing chosen also affects the sodium content of the finished sub.
Subs to Choose
The sub that is lowest in sodium by far is the Veggie Delight, with a mere 510 grams of sodium. Roast beef, chicken breast, and turkey breast are also low-sodium options, but they still have about twice the amount of sodium as the Veggie Delight sub. Another way to avoid high levels of sodium is to order a deli sandwich or a breakfast sandwich (except for the ham and cheese sandwich) rather than a sub.
Subs to Avoid
The Subway BMT (bacon, mayonnaise, and tomato) has the highest levels of sodium by far, with a whopping 1900 grams. The Subway Melt, the Coldcut Trio, and the Dijon Horseradish Melt all come in just behind the BMT, with between 1600 and 1800 grams. The average sodium in a Subway sub ranges from 1200-1500 grams, which is still quite a lot for one meal. To make sure not to increase these levels any more than necessary, opt for regular subs rather than “double the meat,” since much of the sodium in a sub is found in the meat, and stick with a 6-inch sub rather than a footlong one.
Choosing Toppings and Dressings
Although some types of subs naturally contain more sodium than others, you can do your part to limit the amount of sodium in your specific sub choice. Limit any of the items in the first section (Sources of Sodium in Subway Subs), or avoid them completely when ordering your sub. Substitute them with other low-sodium toppings instead. For example, add fresh vegetables to your sub, such as lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and green peppers rather than loading up on olives and pickles. Replace mayonnaise, mustard, and dressings with Olive Oil Blend. In addition, choose Swiss cheese (relatively very low in sodium) over American (incredibly high in sodium), or at least try cheddar instead.
One of the least-known tricks to limit your sodium intake is to stay away from foods labeled “low-fat.” Fat and salt are two ingredients that make food taste good; if one is decreased, the other is probably increased to make up for the loss in taste. Therefore, avoid the low-fat dressings and similar options. Specifically, avoid the Fat Free Red Wine Vinaigrette, which has the highest sodium content of all of the dressings. Instead, choose the Fat Free Honey Mustard Sauce or the Fat Free Sweet Onion Sauce, both of which have a third less sodium than the Red Wine Vinaigrette.
Resources
https://world.subway.com/Countries/frmNutrition.aspx?CC=AUS&LC=ENG&Mode
https://www.weightcommander.com/Subway.html
https://www.personal-nutrition-guide.com/subway-nutrition-guide.html