Healthiest Low Calorie Subway Options for Weight Loss

Fast food is perhaps the last thing your fitness coach, or anyone with basic fitness knowledge, would suggest you eat. Yeah, it is true that most fast foods are nothing better than ‘junk foods’, except when  you are at Subway!

Subway is one such rare fast food chain that, along with offering great taste, also takes care of your health. And different from others, they offer a number of meal options suiting your weight loss, weight gain, bodybuilding, or your fitness journey in general.

But does that mean you can go to your nearest subway and eat what your mind wants? Absolutely not. Like in any other fast food chain, subway too has those ‘unhealthy meal options’ alongside a handful of healthy meal options.

So, it is neither an easy job to pick the right meal at subway!

To help you pick your healthy subway meal, here is an article that will take you through healthy, low calorie meal options available there; including sandwiches, salads, and bread.

So, read along!

Is Subway Healthy?

Yes; if you choose your meal with a little care, subway is definitely healthy. In fact, subway is one of the very few fast food chains that serve healthy meal options.

That being said, whether it is healthy for you or not depends on your diet goals.

They offer meals of different kinds of nutrition; they have low calorie, low fat, high protein meal options if you are looking for weight loss.

And if you are into keto, you can definitely consider Subway your go-to destination as they also offer very low carb, moderate calorie options.

Later in this article, we will introduce to you some of Subway’s healthy meal options.

Some of their meal options have even earned the Heart Check Certificate from American Heart Association (AHA). That means, these meals have just the optimum level of macros and most importantly, macronutrients.

Therefore, you can have them without any fear.

That being said, keep in mind that the certification we mentioned above is given for just the exact meal kind, and does not consider toppings.

Like in any other fast food chain, subway also has those unhealthy toppings like mayonnaise, ketchup, etc. So, you might also have to avoid them and opt for their healthier alternatives.

By going for healthier toppings like lettuce, tomato, onion, cucumber, etc., you can take great control of your calorie intake. 

Is Subway OK for Weight Loss?

Yeah, as long as you pick your meals correctly, you can have absolutely weight loss-friendly meals at subway.

If you are on weight loss, you can go for their low carb, low fat, high protein meals like the oven chicken sandwich, and a number of other meal options.

They also offer a number of veggie meal options like the veggie delight salad that are even lower on calories and carbs.

But a catch here is that you need to put some care into avoiding some of their high calorie food options. While subway does offer excellent meal choices for weight loss, they, as a fast food chain, also serve some high calorie foods.

In addition, you need to take control of how much you take your toppings. Go for tomatoes, cucumber, lettuce, or other healthy toppings instead of unhealthy ones like mayonnaise.

Low calorie Subway Sandwiches

Sandwiches are often considered among the worst meal options when you are aiming for better fitness. However, subway has some of the healthiest sandwiches that bring down your calorie intake while ensuring that you are not missing out on any key macros or micro nutrients.

Given below is a table of subway low calorie subs options ranked from low calorie to high calorie.

These healthy sandwiches at Subway have also earned the Heart Check certification, and are proven to be completely safe for weight loss diets.

And we don’t think even their calorie rich sandwich we discussed above, the chicken teriyaki sandwich, belongs to the ‘junk food’ classification as it has only around 370 calories.

That being said, we are insisting once again that you pick the right toppings that won’t contribute too many calories.

What is The Lowest Calorie Subway Sandwich?

Six inch veggie delight sandwich is perhaps the lowest calorie subway sandwich that you can get in most of their locations. This sandwich has just around 230 calories.

Without any doubt, 230 is very much on the lower side of calories when it comes to sandwiches. But keep in mind that it is a veggie sandwich and has only around 8 grams of protein in it!

If you are looking for a protein rich one, go for the Six inch rotisserie style chicken sandwich that comes with 247 calories (which is just 17 calories more), 45 grams of carb (lower than the veggie delight sandwich!), and most importantly, 29 grams of protein.

So, we would say the rotisserie style chicken sandwich is perhaps the healthiest subway sandwich for weight loss!

Low Calorie Subway Salads

Not only in Subway but anywhere, salads are considered a go-to meal option, especially if you are trying to lose weight (sometimes while bulking as well). And, subway does offer even healthier salads enriched with all key macros and major micros.

Go through the below table; it is a table of healthy subway salads ranked based on calories- from lowest to highest.

Besides these salads, you can go for healthy toppings like cucumber, tomato, lettuce, etc. these toppings won’t add much to your calorie intake.

What is The Lowest Calorie Subway Salad?

Subway’s veggie delight salad is the lowest calorie salad you can have there. It has just 50 calories and only 9 grams of carbs.

However, if you care about your protein intake as well, you can go for the black forest ham salad, which, although have 110 calories, comes with 12 grams of protein.

But we think the oven roasted chicken breast salad is even healthier than the ham salad. Although it comes with 140 calories, it has 19 grams of protein and just 9 grams of carbs.

Low Calorie Subway Breads

Breads aren’t what we or any other fitness expert would recommend if you are on a serious diet. But there is nothing wrong with going for breads, as long as you eat healthy ones.

At subway, they offer a wide variety of bread options that are not only delicious but also on the lower calorie side.

Given below are some of the healthiest, low calorie breads available at subway:

 You can try coupling these breads with some of their healthy salads, and make your meal nutritious. And once again, restrain from taking those unhealthy toppings and instead, go for healthier ones; we would recommend salads here as well.

What is The Lowest Calorie Subway Bread?

There are two lowest calorie breads at subway. That is, the 9- grain wheat bread and Italian white. Both, in a 6 inch serving, have around 180 calories.

Speaking of the carbs, both breads have somewhere around 40 grams of it.

Can You Gain Weight Eating Subway?

Yes, although most meals at subway are made for lower calorie intakes, they do have meals for those looking to gain weight.

For instance, if you are into bulking or want to increase your weight, you can go for the 12 inch oven roasted subway sandwich that has as much as 1000 calories when combined with some toppings; that may include cheddar cheese, veg salad, and guacamole.

Their 12 inch sandwiches are great for weight gaining, regardless of whether or not you are into dirty bulking or clean bulking. .

However, keep in mind that sometimes, if you don’t watch what you’re eating, you may also end up gaining weight even if you have weight loss goals.

Sometimes, you may go for a 6-inch sandwich but end up adding up a lot of mayonnaise or other toppings and as a result, your weight loss effort may become futile.

In short, subway has meals for both weight loss and weight gain. And it is up to you to choose a meal that suits your fitness goals.

Are Subway Meatball Subs Healthy?

Yes, subway meatball subs are healthy. Their meatballs are covered in healthy brown bread and just enough ingredients within.

One such option is their meatball marinara which comes with a total of 430 calories, 46 grams of carb, 20 grams of protein, and 18 gram of fat. It, like most other subway breads, comes with low amounts of sodium and other not-so-preferred micronutrients.

What to Eat at Subway for Weight Loss?

It is quite an irony that most likely, you will already be addicted to fast foods, when it’s time for you to start shedding some pounds. The pain is real, but don’t feel hopeless yet!

If you are into weight loss but can’t avoid fast food, then Subway may be heaven for you! They offer a number of sandwiches, salads, and other meals that can satisfy your taste buds, and fill in your stomach while controlling your calorie intake.

Here are some of the best healthy subway options, especially when you are into weight loss.

Veggie Delight Salad

If you are strictly into a calorie deficit diet and aiming for weight loss, then salads may be better options than sandwiches. The veggie delight salad at subway has all it takes to fill your stomach without adding much calories.

So how many calories does the subway veggie delight salad has? Just 50 Kcals! Yeah, it has only around 50 calories and only 9 grams of carbs.

Oven Roasted Chicken Salad

This is one of the most preferred subway meals for weight loss. It comes with 130 calories, just 9 grams of carbs, and impressively, 18 grams of protein!

Keep in mind that while trying to lose weight, eating enough protein is also crucial. So, we say there is nothing wrong with going for a meal with a few dozens of more calories, but has multiple times of protein.

Also, if you want, add some toppings like honey mustard dressings or spinach. Because you will still be well within your calorie budget!

Six inch Veggie Delight Sandwich

It is a veggie sandwich that comes with just 230 calories and 44 grams of carbs. This healthy subway sandwich is an excellent meal option when you are looking for a calorie deficit diet, as it will also fill your stomach.

Six inch Rotisserie Style Chicken Sandwich

With just around 240 calories, which comes within the range of calories in the veggie delight, the rotisserie style chicken sandwich is an even greater meal option for weight loss.

Speaking of macros, this chicken sandwich at Subway comes with 46 grams of carbs. Also, it can give you 29 grams of protein, which is great for this calorie value and of course, taste!

Black Forest Ham Salad

The black forest ham salad comes with 110 calories and 11 grams of carbs. It also gives you 12 grams of protein! If you are a fan of ham, this subway salad is a great choice for you.

Six inch Turkey Breast Sandwich

The Six inch turkey breast sandwich at subway has 280 calories and 46 grams of carbs. Also, it gives 18 grams of protein.

The six inch sandwich is also one of the popular sandwiches in subway. But they also offer turkey salads.

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The Bottom Line

Whether you are into cutting or bulking, or whether into weight loss or weight gain, subway offers you a handful of healthy meal options. As indicated in their tagline ‘eat fresh’, they also use fresh ingredients, making your meals even healthier.

That being said, you may have to take care of your toppings. You might be tempted to go for cheese, mayonnaise, or something else; but you ought to go instead for healthier ones like mustard and vinegar.

Once you know what to eat and what not to, you are all set to enjoy your subway meal without compromising on your health goals. Happy eating!