Looking at the overall meal, the Subway meal in terms of protein and sugar was slightly healthier than McDonald's and provided more vegetables, however it was higher in sodium. Remember both meals contributed the same total number of calories but on top of that, it was a large amount of calories.
The bottom line. Subway offers a better variety of healthy meal options than many other fast food restaurants. In general, Subway's meals are low in sugar and a decent source of fiber and protein, however, many are also loaded with fat and sodium. Part of Subway's appeal is that you can customize your meal.
Subway. Subway has established themselves as the go-to place for healthier fast food options. They have many lower calorie sub options available and their nutritional information is readily available. Customers can pile on as many veggies on their subs as they want.
The researchers found that the sandwiches at Subway, on average, contained more calories than those at McDonald's: 784 calories at Subway and 572 calories at McDonald's. The average sodium content of the Subway meals was also higher, with 2,149 mg at Subway and 1,829 mg at McDonald's.
Subway markets its whole menu as healthy and more specifically a “healthy” alternative fast food. However, while it might be better than most fast food, nutritionally it can vary a lot depending on your choice of bread, fillings, toppings and sauces.
Thanks to a commitment to quality and transparency, Subway absolutely can be healthy—especially if you're conscious about how you order and your portion sizes, says nutritionist Lisa Young, Ph. D., author of Finally Full, Finally Slim.
Looking at the overall meal, the Subway meal in terms of protein and sugar was slightly healthier than McDonald's and provided more vegetables, however it was higher in sodium. Remember both meals contributed the same total number of calories but on top of that, it was a large amount of calories.
KFC was the most calorific the fast-food chain on the list, with an average of 987 calories per meal offered. Burger King, McDonald's and Subway were around 700kcal.
Subway meals contain nearly as many calories and more salt than those from McDonald's, according to new research. The chain may promote itself as the 'healthy' fast food restaurant but the new study suggests that it is not much healthier than McDonald's, and in terms of salt it is worse.
With a variety of meals, sides, and drink options to choose from, McDonald's knocks KFC off the top with a calorie average per 'Happy Meal' of 381.71 KCALs. Falling 5.04 KCALs behind McDonald's, the fried chicken chain KFC reaches 376.67 KCALS per serving.
McDonald's offers several meals that can be included in many different diet patterns, including vegetarian, ketogenic, low calorie, or low sodium diets. However, keep in mind that most items available from this fast-food chain are still high in sodium, saturated fat, added sugar, or cholesterol.
Well, the subway is not very healthy for weight loss, but you can eat it as your cheat meal. Also, as subway serves everything as per your choice, you can, however, choose to make it healthy with fewer calories and fat or amongst their Fresh Fit Menu.
There are some sugary and calorie-packed sauces and dressings to avoid at Subway too. Skip the ranch, mayo and sweet onion sauce (it packs in a surprising 7 grams of sugar per serving).
Although it might be best to steer clear of certain fast-food restaurants, there are others that can really help you on whichever health journey you're taking. According to Amy Shapiro MS, RD, and member of our Medical Expert Board, the healthiest fast-food restaurant you can visit is Chipotle Mexican Grill.
Subway's challenges are well documented. The company overexpanded, often forcing franchisees to build stores near existing locations. The sheer number of restaurants—nearly 27,000 at its peak in the U.S.—meant that each individual store generated less revenue per unit.
5 THINGS YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT SUBWAY
In the tests, most of the meat from Subway's competitors was shown to contain 85 to 90 percent chicken DNA, but Subway's oven roasted chicken registered at just 53.6 percent.
The sliced turkey and ham may not have been frozen like hockey pucks before they serve it to you, but it's loaded down with artificial ingredients -- bulking agents, fillers, processing aids, preservatives and the like.
"According to the label, most of the ingredients are relatively harmless, especially when consumed in smaller doses." However, she does caution that as with any product that contains more than 5 grams of fiber, the bread can be harder on your digestion.
You may have an increased risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. "Subway does offer some healthier options, but many of their footlong subs are quite high in sodium," nutritionist Sarah Garone, NDTR explains.