Looking for low sodium subway menu options? Keep reading to find out which menu items are low in sodium content!
Decreasing sodium intake from fast food is very important as it helps to reduce blood pressure, as well as the risk of cardiovascular disease, strokes, and heart attack (1).
Interestingly, a lot of Americans’ sodium intake comes from sandwiches, with some of the top sources of sodium being breads, cold cuts, and cured meats (2). This may make eating at Subway difficult.
However, Subway is an excellent choice when looking for low sodium options. Subway offers a variety of menu items and toppings that are low in sodium, allowing you to create a meal that can be tailored to your needs and low in sodium.
Subway began in 1965, and still meets the core values of providing high quality and flavorful menu options as it has grown into one of the world’s largest restaurant brands.
Keep reading to find ways to create your own low sodium Subway sandwich!
Top Takeaways
- Reducing sodium intake is crucial for lowering blood pressure and reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Many Americans consume excessive sodium, with sandwiches being a major source of sodium in their diets.
- Subway offers various low sodium menu items and has partnered with the American Heart Association to provide heart-healthy options. They were the first fast-food chain to receive the Heart Check Meal Certification.
- Some of the low sodium Subway menu options include the Veggie Delite Sandwich, Tuna Salad, Veggie Delite Salad, and Rotisserie Style Chicken Sandwich. There are also low sodium bread options available.
- To reduce sodium intake at Subway, you can request no added salt, choose low sodium bread, cheese, and fillings, and avoid high sodium toppings and condiments. Opting for beverages like water, milk, or unsweetened coffee can further reduce sodium intake while making your Subway order.
Subway And The American Heart Association
Subway has partnered with the American Heart Association to provide a heart check symbol for some of their menu items. The goal of the American Heart Association is to help people build healthier free of cardiovascular diseases and help people to find heart healthy options.
First Restaurant To Use Heart Check Certification
In 2012 Subway became the first fast food chain to receive the American Heart Association Heart Check Meal Certification (3). The Heart Check Certification is a certification that is designed to help consumers make informed choices based on healthy dietary recommendations (4). To be certified, products must meet specific nutrient requirements based on different requirements.
The Standard Certification program requirements include (4):
- total fat less than 6.5 g
- saturated fat 1g or less
- trans fat less than 35 g
- cholesterol of 20 mg or less
- limits depend on the food category, including 140mg, 240mg, 360mg, or 480 mg per serving
- food must also contain the beneficial nutrients vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, calcium, protein, and dietary fiber, up to 10% of daily value (4)
Add Color Campaign
In 2017 subway joined the American Heart Association to launch the add color campaign (5). The campaign encouraged consumers to add one more cup of color and empower communities to eat more fruits and vegetables.
Diets rich in fruits and vegetables can decrease the risk of stroke and cardiovascular diseases. This is why Subway partnered with the American Heart Association to encourage everyone to start to add an extra cup of color to their plates!
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Sodium And Fast Food
The sodium content in fast food restaurants is significantly high (6). On average individual items at most fast-food restaurants contain over half the recommended daily value of sodium intake (6).
Keep reading to find ways to reduce sodium intake in fast food and find low sodium subway options you will love!
Sodium And Health
There are many health risks that are caused by increased sodium intake.
Excess sodium intake can lead to (7):
- enlarged heart
- headaches
- kidney disease
- stroke
- cardiovascular diseases
- high blood pressure
- kidney stones
- retention of water which can lead to puffiness, bloating and weight gain
- increased tiredness
How Much Sodium Per Day?
According to the American Heart Association the recommendation is no more than 2,300 mg/day (8). The ideal limit for most adults, especially those with high blood pressure should aim to eat less than 1,500 mg/day (8).
What Is Considered A Low Sodium Choice?
According to the American Heart Association a low sodium choice is considered to contain around 140 mg per serving (8). Check the nutrition facts table on food packages to determine if the choice meets the low sodium category, keep in mind to check the serving size as well.
According to the US Food and Drug Administration, products with 5% daily value of sodium based on a 2,300 calories diet is a low sodium choice (9).
The majority of Subways menu options are above what is considered a low sodium choice, though there are options that will help you to stay below the 2,300 or 1,500 mg daily intake.
Where Can You Find Nutrition Information At Subway?
Nutrition information can be found at Subway’s official website under nutrition information. There are nutrition tables, ingredient guide and allergy and ingredient information for sandwiches, salads, wraps, breakfast, breads, and condiments. Additionally, Subway stores are also including calorie lists on menus.
You can also check out the Subway app to find quick nutrition information on your phone!
Low Sodium Subway Options
| Low Sodium Fast Food Subway | |||
| Menu Option | Sodium Content(mg) | % Daily Value(2300 mg per day) | Other Health Benefits |
| 6” Veggie Delite Sandwich | 380 | 16% | Contains 15% DV for ironLow fat option at 3 g0 g of cholesterol of fiber |
| Tuna Salad | 340 | 15% | High protein option at 10 gLow cholesterol of fiber |
| Veggie Delite Salad | 75 | 3% | Low fat option at 1 g 0 g of cholesterol of fiber |
| 6” Rotisserie Style Chicken Sandwich | 640 | 28% | High in protein 25 g High in iron at 15% DVLow cholesterol of fiber |
Lowest Sodium Bread At Subway
| Lowest Sodium Bread at Subway | ||
| Menu Item | Amount of Sodium (mg) | % Daily Value (based on 2300 mg per day) |
| Potato Bun | 190 | 8% |
| English Muffin | 210 | 9% |
| Mini Multigrain Bread | 240 | 10% |
| Mini Italian Bread | 250 | 11% |
| 6” Flat Bread | 360 | 16% |
| 6” Multigrain | 360 | 16% |
Salads, Soups And Other Low Sodium Options
- Beef and Barley Soup: 350 mg or 15% DV (low in saturated fat and cholesterol)
- Cream of Broccoli Soup: 710 mg or 31% DV (decent amount of protein
- Veggie Delite Salad: 75 mg or 3% DV (low fat and cholesterol)
- Rotisserie Style Chicken Salad: 340 mg or 15% DV (high protein, low fat)
- Tuna Salad (with mayonnaise): 380 mg or 17% DV (high protein, low cholesterol)
Beverages With Low Sodium Content
Some soft drinks can be at the higher end of sodium content and should be avoided when aiming for a low sodium meal. Try options like water, milk, calorie free beverages, or unsweetened coffee.
Breakfast At Subway
- Egg and Cheese Sidekick: 580 mg or 25% DV (high protein)
- Egg and Ham Sidekick: 650 mg or 28% DV (high protein)
- Egg and Bacon Sidekick: 670 mg or 29% DV (high protein)
Kids Menu Choices
- Kids Pack Veggie Delite (on Multigrain): 250 mg or 11% DV (low fat, low cholesterol, decent amount of protein)
- Kids Pack Black Forest Ham (on Multigrain): 460 mg or 20% DV (low cholesterol, low fat, decent amount of protein)
- Kids Pack Turkey Breast (on Multigrain): 540 mg or 23% DV (low fat, low cholesterol, decent amount of protein)
- Crispy Chicken Sidekick (includes Smoky Honey Mustard): 550 mg or 24% DV (high in protein)
Even though these items are on the Kids menu, they are also great low sodium subway options for adults as well!
What You Should Avoid
There are a few Subway options that exceed the recommended 1,500 mg recommended daily intake in just one menu item, as well as items that are close to the 2300 mg daily recommendation.
Check out this list and steer clear of these items when trying to reduce sodium intake.
- 6” Suprimo Sandwich: 2100 mg or 91% DV
- 6” Meatballer Sandwich: 1930 mg or 84% DV
- 6” Stampede Brisket Sandwich: 1840 mg or 80% DV
- Southwest Steak and Avocado Rice Wrap: 1820 mg or 79% DV
- Crispy Chicken Bacon and Peppercorn Ranch Rice Wrap: 1750 mg or 76% DV
Frequently Asked Questions
What Subway sub has the least amount of sodium?
The Subway sub that has the least amount of sodium is the Veggie Delite sub.
How much sodium is in a veggie sub?
The 6-inch veggie sub contains 370 mg of sodium which is only 16% of your daily recommended intake of sodium. This makes the Veggie Delite sub a great low sodium choice at Subway. The foot long veggie sub contains 740 mg of sodium which is 32% of your daily recommended intake.
Which bread at Subway is low in sodium?
The lowest sodium bread at Subway is the potato bun. The potato bun contains 190 mg of sodium which is 8% if your daily recommended sodium intake. This would be a great option if you are looking to reduce sodium intake with your subway sandwich.
Tips On Lowering Sodium At Subway
Check out these tips and tricks to create a low sodium Subway sandwich!
Asking For No Or Less Salt
When creating your subway sandwich make sure to ask for no salt to be added to your sandwich. This will help to lower the sodium content in your subway sandwich.
Choosing Low Sodium Bread
When choosing your bread make sure to choose a low sodium option. The lowest sodium bread option is the potato bun with 8% of your daily recommended sodium intake. Additionally, 6” multigrain and 6” flatbread are also great options at 16% of your recommended daily intake of sodium.
For breakfast options the English muffin is a great option at only 9% of your recommended daily sodium intake.
Choosing Low Sodium Cheese
Check out this list of cheese for great low sodium options!
Choosing Low Sodium Filling
Fresh vegetables are great to add to your subway sandwich as they are low in sodium. Check out this list of great low sodium or no sodium vegetables!
- Lettuce
- Cucumber
- Spinach
- Tomato
- Onions
- Peppers
Choosing Low Sodium Condiments
Check out this list of low sodium condiments to create your own low sodium subway sandwich! All these values are for a 6” sub and can be doubled for a footlong sub.
- Sweet and Smoky BBQ: 75 mg or 3% DV
- Sweet Onion Teriyaki Sauce: 90 mg or 4% DV
- House Sandwich Sauce: 100 mg or 4% DV
Avoiding High Sodium Toppings
There are some toppings at Subway that are high in sodium and should be avoided when trying to create a low sodium sandwich. High sodium toppings that should be avoided include pickles, olives, banana peppers, and smashed avocado.
Additionally, there are a few condiments that also high in sodium and should be avoided:
| Highest Sodium Condiments at Subway | ||
| Condiment | Amount of Sodium for 6” (mg) | % Daily Value |
| Basil Pesto, Sunflower Seed | 350 mg | 15% |
| Chipotle Southwest | 240 mg | 10% |
Subway Low Sodium Menu – Top 3
6” Veggie Delite Sub
The Veggie sub is a great healthy option when paired with multigrain bread.
This sub is low in sodium at 16% DV, has a decent amount of protein, and is low in saturated fat and cholesterol.
This sub also provides you with loads of vegetables to meet your recommended veggie intake!
Rotisserie Style Chicken Salad
The rotisserie style chicken salad is a great healthy option as it is low in sodium at 15% of your daily recommended sodium intake.
Additionally, it is high in protein, low cholesterol, and low saturated fat option. This would be a great heart healthy option at Subway.
6” Rotisserie Style Chicken Sub
This is a great healthy option for a healthy Subway sandwich option. This sub is decent in sodium intake at 28% of your daily value, low in saturated fat and cholesterol, as well as high in protein.
A great tip to improve the subway low sodium menu is to include the lowest sodium bread at subway (See above table) and choose a variety of vegetables on your sub when possible.
The vegetables will increase the fiber content and is a naturally low sodium option as well! Don’t be afraid to ask for more vegetables when creating your sub!
You can also pair your meal with milk, calorie-free beverages, unsweetened coffee, or water!
Final Thoughts
Fast foods are usually very high in sodium, saturated fats and cholesterol which can negatively affect your heart health. Fast foods shouldn’t be enjoyed every day though when you do there are many tips and tricks to lower your sodium intake as mentioned.
If you are looking for other low sodium fast food options check out Low Sodium Burger King Options or these Top 5 Picks On The Tim Hortons Breakfast Menu.
And for Low Sodium Options at home check out these Low Sodium Cookbooks.
This article was written by MacKenzie Bandy, Nutrition Student, and medically reviewed by Veronica Rouse, MAN, RD, CDE.
