Hearing about Subway automatically rings the bell “eat fresh”. But how do you transform it into “eat healthy” for your fitness goals?
Whether you are trying to lose weight, cut down carbs or simply aiming for a healthy lifestyle, this guide has got it all covered!
Read on to know the TRUTH in this subway low calorie subs guide.
Subway offers plenty of healthy options as compared to other fast food restaurants that are only advocating junk food.
Smartly chosen Subway’s meals can be low in sugar and high in fiber and protein. However, it’s easy to be swayed away by the tempting menu, and end up gorging on tons fat and sodium!
Below we have explained how you can accommodate Subway into your health and fitness routine.
Is Subway Really Healthy?
We all love those Turkey and Tuna sandwiches, made with our choice of bread (I love the Parmesan Oregano), and loaded up with all the right sauces!
In the world of health and fitness, it’s quite hard to find good food that tastes equally good. So that leaves us with one frequently asked question:
Are subway sandwiches healthy?
You’ll be amazed to know that most of the subway low calorie subs have earned Heart Check Certification status from the American Heart Association (AHA).
So that means I could have loads of Mayonnaise and still call it a healthy sub?
Heart Check Certification is only awarded to a few 6-inch sandwiches, provided that they are made with 9-grain wheat bread, topped with lettuce, tomatoes, green peppers, onions, and cucumbers.
Here is a list of these:
- Black forest ham sandwich
- Turkey breast sandwich
- Roast beef sandwich
- Veggie delite sandwich
- Subway club sandwich
- Chicken teriyaki sandwich (with sweet onion)
- Rotisserie style chicken sandwich
- Oven roasted chicken sandwich
Note: Adding a pack of potato chips to your meal will exceed the healthy sodium amount, throwing it above the certified level.
Also, “healthy subway options” is quite a subjective term because every individual has different fitness goals, having different nutritional requirements.
So if you are someone following a calorie-restricted plan, a good meal for you would be low in calories without any concern for the carbs. On the other hand, if you’re on the Keto diet, your ideal meal would be super low in carbs with average calories.
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Subway Low Calorie Subs
Calories in subway sandwiches (without condiments) start from 230 going all the way up to 680. And if you smother it with enough cheese and dressings, it can easily go upwards of 1,000 calories!
Here is the complete list, starting from Subway healthier options and going all the way to the least healthy:
| Subway Sandwich (6-inch) | Calories | Carbs |
|---|---|---|
| Veggie Delite | 230 | 44 |
| Turkey Breast | 280 | 46 |
| Black Forest Ham | 290 | 46 |
| Subway Club | 310 | 46 |
| Oven Roasted Chicken | 320 | 45 |
| Roast Beef | 320 | 44 |
| Carved Turkey | 330 | 45 |
| Rotisserie-Style Chicken | 350 | 44 |
| Cold Cut Combo | 360 | 46 |
| Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki | 370 | 57 |
| Steak and Cheese | 380 | 48 |
| Italian B.M.T. | 410 | 46 |
| Meatball Marinara | 480 | 59 |
| Spicy Italian | 480 | 46 |
| Tuna | 480 | 44 |
| Turkey Italiano Melt | 490 | 47 |
| Chicken Bacon Ranch | 610 | 47 |
If you skip the mayo (maybe add some sweet onion), limit the cheese and opt for whole-grain bread, you can enjoy a healthy subway meal within 400 calories.
Further, these are some of the healthy subway toppings you can enjoy guilt-free:
- cucumbers
- spinach
- lettuce
- tomatoes
- onions
- bell peppers
- banana peppers
- jalapenos
- avocado
- sweet onion sauce
- vinegar
- mustard sauce
Mustard and vinegar are the lowest calorie condiments.
A 6-inch sub can suffice on normal days. Ideally, you should reserve the 12-inch (monstrous) sandwiches only for times of raging hunger!
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Healthiest Subway Sandwich for Weight Loss
Veggie Delite and Turkey Breast (6-inches) are two of the Lowest Calories subway sandwiches for vegeterians and non-vegetarians respectively.
To keep them light and healthy, stick to whole wheat bread, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, green peppers, and cucumbers. If you’re watching your sodium intake, opt for a veggie sub as most of the cold cuts are high in sodium.
Subway veggie delight calories are so low that it can easily be accommodated as an evening snack (light and yummy!).
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Lowest Calorie Subway Bread
Who doesn’t love the aroma of freshly baked breads? It is one of those heavenly things you notice as soon as you enter a Subway!
Surprisingly the most satisfying part of a Subway sandwich is the bread!
But if you’re REALLY trying to budget your calories, I’ll highly recommend that you skip the bread and order a salad instead. They have all the goodness of fresh meats and veggies, without the extra carbs and calories of bread.
They’ll be freshly chopped into small pieces and served on a bed of lettuce or spinach.
If you’re really hungry and your cravings are insatiable, you should go for a healthy subway bread that is low in carbs as well as calories.
Here is a list of all the Subway breads ranked from best to worst in terms of calories:
(Note: The bold ones are widely available while the others are location specific.)
| Subway Bread (6-inch) | Calories | Carbs |
|---|---|---|
| Sourdough | 190 | 36 |
| Italian White | 200 | 38 |
| 9-Grain Wheat | 210 | 40 |
| Hearty Italian | 210 | 41 |
| Parmesan Oregano | 210 | 40 |
| Multigrain Flatbread | 220 | 37 |
| 9-Grain Honey Oat | 230 | 43 |
| White Flatbread | 230 | 39 |
| Roasted Garlic | 230 | 45 |
| Monterey Cheddar | 240 | 38 |
| Italian Herbs & Cheese | 240 | 41 |
What is the healthiest bread at Subway?
It’s equal competition between the 9-Grain Wheat Bread and the Italian White Bread. A 6 inch serving of either of these bread contains 180 calories.
If you are lucky to find 6″ Sourdough in your nearby store, then that’s the best choice for 190 calories!
Go for the honey oat bread (4 g fiber, 3.5 g fat per 6-inch serving) or the wheat bread (3 g fiber, 2.5 g fat per 6-inch serving) for maximum fiber.
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Subway Flatbread Calories
Anyone who first hears about subway flatbread would imagine that they’re lower in calories, right? Wrong
Our logical minds say that flatbread is quite thinner, and hence it should be healthier. But is that the truth? As contradictory as it might sound, flatbread actually has MORE calories than the conventional white bread.
Then what’s the point of having the flatbread?
Subway flatbreads actually have fewer carbs than the regular bread, despite having more calories. If you want to go low-carb or Keto, then the flatbread is your best bet.
How many calories are in Subway flatbread?
There are actually 230 calories in a 6″ Subway flatbread serving of 81g, most of them coming from carbohydrates.
How many carbs in Subway flatbread?
A 6” white Subway flatbread has 38 grams of net carbs.
Here is a more elaborate overview of the Subway flatbreads:
(Note: Multigrain flatbread from Subway is only available at specific stores.)
| Subway Flatbread | Calories | Fiber | Net Carbs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6″ Multigrain Flatbread | 220 | 6 | 31 |
| 6″ White Flatbread | 230 | 1 | 38 |
| 12″ Multigrain Flatbread | 440 | 12 | 62 |
| 12″ White Flatbread | 460 | 2 | 76 |
The multigrain is the lowest calorie Subway flatbread having 220 calories, but it is location-specific. Your next best option is the 6″ white flatbread with 230 calories.
Subway Dressings Calories
If not careful, added dressings and condiments can ruin all your efforts of curating a healthy meal!
Here is a list of Subway sauce calories:
| Subway Dressings | Calories | Net Carbs |
|---|---|---|
| Chipotle Southwest | 60 | 1 |
| Guacamole | 60 | 2 |
| Oil | 45 | 0 |
| Ranch Dressing | 70 | 1 |
| Caesar Dressing | 80 | 0 |
| Vinaigrette | 35 | 1 |
| Red Wine Vinegar | 0 | 0 |
| Honey Mustard | 20 | 4 |
| Light Mayo | 50 | 1 |
| Regular Mayo | 100 | 0 |
| Spicy Brown Mustard Sauce | 15 | 1 |
| Yellow Mustard | 30 | 8 |
| Sweet Onion | 10 | 1 |
Choose your condiments wisely. Forget the ranch dressing and mayo. Your best choices are honey mustard sauce, yellow or deli brown mustard and sweet onion sauce, which are all fat free.
Vinegar is 0 calories per serving. Yellow and Deli Brown Mustard are 10 calories each. On the other hand, Mayo and Ranch sauce is the highest calorie dressings, standing at 110 calories each.
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Subway Chopped Salads Calories
Subway salads are actually your favorite sandwiches minus the bread.
Chopped salads are one of the healthiest options from Subway, offering all the tasty ingredients like chicken, turkey, beef along with fresh veggies, served on a bed of greens.
Below is a list of Subway salads ranked calorie-wise:
| Subway Salads | Calories | Carbs |
|---|---|---|
| Veggie Delite | 50 | 9 |
| Black Forest Ham Salad | 110 | 11 |
| Turkey Breast | 110 | 11 |
| Oven Roasted Chicken Salad | 130 | 9 |
| Roast Beef Salad | 140 | 10 |
| Subway Club Salad | 140 | 11 |
| Carved Turkey | 160 | 10 |
| Rotisserie-Style Chicken | 170 | 10 |
| Cold Cut Combo Salad | 180 | 11 |
| Steak & Cheese | 210 | 14 |
| Italian B.M.T. | 230 | 11 |
| Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki | 230 | 32 |
| Ensalada Autumn Carved Turkey | 300 | 26 |
| Spicy Italian Salad | 300 | 11 |
| Meatball Marinara | 310 | 25 |
| Tuna Salad | 310 | 9 |
| Chicken & Bacon Ranch Salad | 540 | 13 |
Since most of the calories come from bread, a salad is quite a practical approach when trying to cut calories (watch out for dressings though!)
Going Keto at Subway
Craving for a Sub, but worrying about getting kicked out of ketosis?
Subway is known for its high level of customizations which is excellent for those on a Keto diet.
Their readily available nutrition guide and the ease of customizations can help you easily transform your favorite meals into their Keto versions.
You can have the salad version of any sandwich, giving you all the goodness of meat & veggies without the added carbs of bread (an enemy to keto)!
How to Choose the Right Subway Keto Options
- Always go for the salad.
- Say no to any bread, flatbreads, wraps, cookies, and chips.
- When in doubt, leave dressings and condiments out.
- For beverages, stick to water, unsweetened iced tea, or Diet Coke.
- Check the nutrition guide to avoid any hidden carbs.
Conclusion
Veggie Delite and Turkey Breast (6-inches) are two of the Lowest Calories subway sandwiches for vegetarians and non-vegetarians respectively.
If you want a side with your meal, go for baked chips (130 calories, 2g fat) instead of regular (230 calories, 15g fat).
Satisfy your sweet tooth cravings with apple slices, raisins, or yogurt. Those cookies next to the counter might seem tempting, but each contains 200 calories which can ruin all your efforts!