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Food Babe Investigates: Is Subway Real Food?

This is a guest post from Vani Hari (a.k.a. The Food Babe) and New York Times Best Selling author. You can read more about her take on the food industry in her second book, Feeding You Lies!

Subway is the single largest chain restaurant in the world. That means you've probably eaten there at some point in your lifetime and if you are like me could possibly have 10 of these restaurants within a 1 mile radius of your house.

But is eating at America's favorite fast food chain really eating real food?


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Subway would certainly like you to think so. With their slogan “Eat Fresh,” marketing with avocados and a guy who lost hundreds of pounds eating their famous sub sandwiches, it's easy to get duped.

You may also feel tricked when you see a little heart logo, indicating a menu item at Subway is “heart healthy.” Just last week it was announced that the American Heart Association (AHA) has endorsed several menu items at Subway and added the heart logo to indicate which ones.

At every Subway on the “sneeze guard” glass they display one version of their nutritional information – the infamous “6 grams of fat or less” menu. This menu includes calories, fat grams, and that new little heart logo, but doesn't display anything about the ingredients.

Doubting that Subway or the AHA would actually ever create a real food information guide for you, I decided it was time to do this myself. Below are the “6 grams or less” menu items and critical real food information you should know about each choice.

Let's take a closer look.

  • Subway definitely keeps it fresh and I figured out how. Every single one of their items on the “6 grams or less” menu has preservatives to keep it ...well...fresh! Sure Subway makes your meal right in front of you, but what is really happening behind the scenes? Boxes of already cut up and prepackaged processed foods and chemical additives are being shipped from Big Food industry factories to each location.
  • The 9 grain wheat bread might look and smell freshly baked but it contains close to 50 ingredients including refined flours, dough conditioners, hidden MSG, refined sugars, etc. Could bread this processed ever be real food? Certainly not, when it includes a chemical ingredient called azodicarbonamide, which is banned as a food additive in the U.K., Europe, and Australia, and if you get caught using it in Singapore you can get up to 15 years in prison and be fined $450,000. Azodicarbonamide is more commonly used in the production of foamed plastics, however, it is allowed in the United States as a food additive, a flour bleaching agent, and a dough conditioner that improves elasticity of bread. The U.K. has recognized this ingredient as a potential cause of asthma if inhaled, and advises against its use in people who have sensitivity to food dye allergies and other common allergies in food, because azodicarbonamide can exacerbate the symptoms. Let's not forget it only takes 4 or 5 simple ingredients to make REAL whole-wheat bread including flour, yeast, salt, water, and maybe honey.
  • Three sandwiches on this menu, along with several other menu items not listed, are comprised of processed meats and filled with nitrates and forms of MSG. The consumption of nitrates need to be taken very seriously. Nitrates are frequently converted into nitrosamines, which have been proven to increase the risk of disease dramatically. The latest research from World Cancer Research Fund declared that "processed meat is too dangerous for human consumption." Studies have shown it may only take 1.8 ounces of processed meat (about half of what is in a typical 6 inch sub) daily to increase the likelihood of cancer by 50%, heart disease by 42% and diabetes by 19%. I still know people who eat Subway for lunch everyday, but I'm glad I don't know anyone on the actual Subway Diet. Sheesh. I can't imagine what their percentage would be, could you?
  • Can you believe the American Heart Association is now putting their seal of approval behind these processed meat based Subway menu items? WOW. After all these studies that show an increase in heart disease? Is this a joke? Even the processed turkey meat that seems harmless because it doesn't contain nitrates is full of preservatives, chemical flavorings, and carrageenan. I wrote about carrageenan last month after the Cornucopia Institute revealed a study that once the food grade version of carrageenan is ingested it turns into a carcinogen in your digestive system.
  • Preservatives and even artificial colors are added to many of their “fresh” vegetable offerings – like the banana peppers and pickles. The ingredients for the black olives unveiled a new additive I learned about, “ferrous gluconate,” which is an iron based preservative that helps keep olives black.
  • While the “6 grams or less” menu says the totals don't include cheese or salad dressings, it is important to know that some of the cheeses offered at subway also have artificial colors, preservatives, and even cellulose that's made from wood pulp.
  • Two of the healthiest sounding salad dressings were actually the worst based on my analysis. Fat free honey mustard and the red vinaigrette both have corn syrup, artificial colors, preservatives, and other chemical additives.

To top it off, the majority of foods at Subway have been conventionally sourced and probably include pesticides, antibiotics, and/or growth hormones. In my research, I didn't find one single organic ingredient or menu item available at over 36,000 stores. Even the lemon juice comes in a pre-packaged squirt pack filled with preservatives. Because of this I haven't consciously ever considered going to a Subway in the last 7 years.

Last weekend, I broke this streak and went into a Subway in search of real food. I have to admit the thought of going into a Subway and ordering off the menu was a little bit daunting, but I decided this was the best way to get the answers to my questions, like whether or not their avocado was really fresh or not.

Could it be possible for me to order something and actually take a bite without squirming? Going against my Eat With Your Dollars philosophy and purchasing something from the "bad guys" went against every bone in my body. But I did it.

Watch it all unfold in the video below. Everything at Subway may not be “fresh” but if you are ever stuck on a deserted island and this was the only place you could eat... now you know what to order.

Special thanks to Nicole Galuski for filming

P.S. You can check out my favorite "fast food" sandwich I am eating now and how to get it here.

Comments have been closed on this article, which was written by Vani Hari. If you have a question or comment you can reach her at http://FoodBabe.com.

More Real Food Defined

About Vani Hari

Named as one of the “Most Influential People on the Internet” by Time magazine, Vani Hari is a food activist, New York Times best-selling author of The Food Babe Way, and co-founder of Truvani. For most of her life, Vani ate whatever she wanted—candy, soda, fast food, processed food—until her typical American diet landed her where that diet typically does, in a hospital. Despite her successful career in corporate consulting, Hari decided that health had to become a priority. Her newfound goal drove her to investigate what is really in our food, how it is grown, and what chemicals are used in its production. The more she learned, the more she changed and the better she felt.

Encouraged by her friends and family, Hari started a blog called foodbabe.com and has led campaigns against food giants like Kraft, Starbucks, Chick-fil-A, Subway, and General Mills that have attracted more than 500,000 signatures and led to the removal of several controversial ingredients used by these companies. Hari’s drive to change the food system inspired the creation of her new company, called Truvani, where she produces real food without added chemicals, products without toxins, and labels without lies. Hari has been profiled in The New York Times and USA Today and has appeared on Good Morning America, CNN, The Dr. Oz Show, The Doctors, and NPR. She lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with her husband, Finley, and daughter, Harley.

Comments

  1. Mark says

    If you'd like to pop over to http://www.wotzinurfood.com and see what the list
    of ingredients and enumbers is doing to your bodies. We in Europe have
    been concerned about these poisons, so now you can see the dangers.
    Also, check out the links on this page: http://www.wotzinurfood.com/news170511.html

    Regards

    Mark

  2. Sabrina says

    Is the subway bread in Canada the same as in the states?

  3. Sarah2 says

    I cannot get my response to post, so am trying yet another way. Apologies if this ends up on here several times!

    In the end, although it might seem like splitting hairs since we agree that processed meat is bad, it all boils down to the fact that I strongly believe that people who write for a fairly wide audience on the web should check their facts very carefully and always quote or link to original sources who are recognized experts – the same as any journalist would (or at least should!) do. It is the responsible thing to do. I am reasonably sure that you can find support for pretty much anything on the internet, and of course not all of it is true. I do not believe that the ‘Natural Health Dossier’ is a reputable source. In any case, even if they are reputable, in this case especially, when the quote is attributed to the World Cancer Research Fund and NOT the Natural Health Dossier, original sources should be checked. I have raised the issue with them as well, and hope they will respond, but whether they do or don’t isn’t the point – it’s that falsehoods should not be perpetuated!

  4. Kim says

    Thanks for all the good info. I agree Subway is not as good as made at home, but in a pickle I think it's better than other fast food options.

    Also had to share Avocado must be different regionally as I live in Southern CA and all Subways have fresh avocado. They actually cut it open and use half a fruit per order. It's my favorite item to get.

  5. Anna says

    Is there any way to make whole wheat sub bread ?

  6. Mrs. B says

    My husband and I were just talking about this the other day. If it's not made by you, you have no control over what goes into it and it's bad for you. We accept that when we go out to eat. We're happy with our 75% whole food approach to life. Sure we could do better, but I really like those chicken tacos our local Mexican restaurant makes.

  7. Sarah @ The Cyclist's Wife says

    Wow! I suppose I should have known better. I don't eat at Subway often, but I always considered it a better choice than the alternatives. Not so much I guess. As far as the American Heart Association is concerned - I believe they have their seal on Diet Coke & Diet Pepsi as well. So apparently a can o' chemicals is good for your heart these days. Thanks for an enlightening post.

  8. Ken Johnson says

    I think you should go to your child's grammar school and join their arithmetic class. Then, you'll actually be able to do the simple math and show the chances of Subway would have to do you harm, you'd also understand how a marginal increase actually means and contextualize this for your readers. But, then you wouldn't be able to light your hair on fire and try to scare people into being a food snob.

    GMO food is not harmful for you. MSG is not harmful for you. GMO food is responsible for billions of people being alive and not facing starvation. We get smuggy white people who dislike these foods, like subway, which is much healthier than traditional fast food joints.

    • tman says

      Ok, you just keep living that lie Kenny, and keep eating that trash. Oh, also, that was a racist remark in case you didn't know.

    • JC says

      this is so ignorant. are you a troll from the processed foods union?

      • Hentai says

        Are you just a troll, or just ignorant?

    • Fit Fathers says

      Why are you reading FoodBabe.com if you are so ignorant to living clean and healthy. GMOs are not bad for you? You must be getting your advice from your primary doctor.

  9. me says

    No where does it say organic in Subway. Its saying its a healthier fast food option than other fast food chains. Of course the turkey and ham is processed. What turkey or ham looks like that in slices with out having anything added to it. And unless everyone is planning on growing all their own veges anything canned or purchased not certified organic its going to contain chemicals and byproducts. Let's be real about this.....it's common sense. It is definitely a healthier option as long as you use common sense when ordering.

    • FoodBabe says

      It's true that Subway doesn't advertise as being organic, but that's not my point. Just because something is labeled with less calories and fat, doesn't make it healthy for you. Wouldn't it be nice if the biggest chain restaurant in the world offered at least one organic option? Just one?! At least Panera Bread and Jason's Deli are doing this.

      • Hentai says

        Yes, just because something is labeled with less calories and fat DOES make it healthIER for you than an alternative product with MORE calories and fat.

        If you perceive a demand for an organic fast food chain that offers a cost-competitive product to Subway, why don't you start your OWN chain, instead of writing a "hit piece" on a quintessential American success story like Subway?

        You might want to start by reading "Start Small, Finish Big" by Fred DeLuca (co-founder of Subway)

      • Jeff says

        Hentai - um, no. Less calories and fat does not necessarily make it healthier for you than something with more. It is MUCH healthier to eat, say:
        - a 500-calorie meal w/ 10 grams of fat, free of processed foods and free of vegetables grown from GMO seeds than it is to eat (in other words, NATURAL NUTRITIOUS food)
        - a 300-calorie meal w/ 0 grams of fat full of processed foods and full of veggies grown GMO seeds/or veggies sprayed down w/ pesticides (in other words, FAKE and NUTRIENT-DEFICIENT FOOD)

        Also, there is a such thing as GOOD fat. Your body needs fat to survive. This is why "low-fat" diets are not necessarily the best way to go - you just have to make sure you're eating the right kinds of fat.

      • Jeff says

        Foodbabe - are those vegetables organic? My guess (based on no research but strong probably-correct suspicion) is that the veggies you're eating from Subway are either from GMOs or they were lathered in pesticides. And that they were planted in a field that is nutrient-deficient b/c it's been planted the past 10 years in a row instead of being allowed to lie fallow and regenerate the nutrients in its soil.

        Thoughts?

  10. bummed out says

    wow, this is really EYE OPENING for me, and super disappointing :( , thanks for the article tho!! we eat there everyday for breakfast, i get the eggwhite and english muffin, makes me wonder what is in it too :( will have to go look that up.. it is very sad how the world is going, we are all going to be full of cancer if they keep it up :((

  11. Steven says

    My son used to work at Subway. He was ordered by his boss if any (so called food) tomatoes, lettuce etc. had any mold on it,or rotten spots on it he was to cut it off and to use the remaining portions on the sandwiches. This upset him so much he had to quit.
    He also worked at Taco Bell and had many horror stories about that place too.

    • Linda says

      "tomatoes, lettuce etc. had any mold on it,or rotten spots on it "

      In other words, if the tomatoes, lettuce etc. was real instead of preservative-laced?

  12. Noel says

    There's no such thing as "nitrate free" bacon. There is a loophole in USDA regs that allow bacon cured with celery juice or celery salt (which is almost pure nitrate) to be marketed as having no nitrates. While you're avoiding the nitrate filled bacon and filling up on the veggies, remember that all plants have nitrates. Nitrogen is what makes plants leafy. There's as much nitrate in a leaf of romaine lettuce as a slice of bacon.

    Also, one of the cooking mags (I think it was Fine Cooking) recently tested various brands of bacon for nitrates and found that some of the "nitrate free" ones actually had more nitrates than the regular bacon.

    Having said that, you're a brave soul to have done this experiment - you couldn't pay me enough to eat at Subway.

  13. Karrie Smith says

    All ham has nitrates in it. A lot of food has preservatives in it or it would rot two days after you buy it. You can find anything unhealthy if you pick it apart. MSG doesn't kill anyone. ALL things in EXCESS can be harmful to your health. You make it sound like a subway sub will kill you, when it's still probably better for you than any fast-food hamburger.

    ONE thing does NOT CAUSE CANCER. Any time an article suggests that one thing causes cancer, AND gives a percentage, I think you are full of bullsh*t. Are you telling me that you interviewed a tumor and asked it what made it form? Because THAT is what that statement says to me. Every single person in the world has cancer in their body. Your body usually recognizes and takes care of it before it becomes a problem. I'm not sure about the bread and the chemical that is banned in other countries. I'm sure that formula will probably be changed, and that is probably the only thing in this article that everyone should be concerned about. Too bad you didn't just focus on that, and maybe you could be taken seriously, instead of another sensationalist journalist. Karrie Smith, RN, BSN

    • FoodBabe says

      This post does not suggest MSG is directly killing anyone or one thing causes cancer. The percentage was simply citing the World Cancer Research Fund study and Harvard. It is important to indicate the risks of consuming processed meat.

    • jomomma says

      everybody has cancer?? REALLY? RN, BSN lol please, I'm the President myself and its true because I put words on my screen! Please

  14. Leah says

    Stop ruining the eating-out foods I love! LOL! No, no really. I'm thankful for the information :) But man. There is no inexpensive restaurant left! ;)

  15. susan says

    was it really necessary for you to get a plastic bag?

    • FoodBabe says

      No it wasn't. I was waiting for someone to point that out. I was a bit distracted while I was being filmed, usually I specifically say not to give me a plastic bag (if you run into me at the grocery store, you'll notice I always bring my own). I wish they would have asked if I wanted one, because then I would have been prompted to say no, instead they give one to all customers regardless if they are eating in or taking out.

      • Traceyp says

        I have actually said "I don't need a bag" &, several times, I have received a response of "It's ok I'll give you one". Totally confuses me. Someone mentioned they have veggie patties now...wonder what bounties are in that???

      • Elizabeth says

        I worked at Subway for a while, and supposedly, the veggie patty is mostly mushroom based. However, we were required to warm it up, or toast it before giving it to a customer (if they didn't want it toasted, we would microwave the patty, then put it on the bread). Honestly, I hated it when people ordered it. It smelled absolutely awful, and I wanted to gag just smelling it.

  16. Jennifer says

    Ugh! We are on vacation and will have to eat out in order to get home this weekend. I have a $25 Subway gift card that we were going to use for our lunch on the road. Now I don't ever want to go there again! I love your series, but y'all are ruining all of the "better" fast food options that I would occassionally take my family to.

  17. Jill says

    Thank you for this post! Have you reviewed Jason's Deli? If so can you post the link? Thanks!!

  18. Andrea says

    Chipolte???? Really???? Are you people crazy? It's owned by McDonalds!!! Nuff said!!

    • Kate says

      It looks like it was at one point, but it no longer is owned by McDonald's. Regardless, unless they are outright lying on their ingredient lists, it's still much better food than most other options.

    • Deborah says

      Chipotle was once owned through a small private company. They believed in using fresh local ingredients that helped farmers markets. When they sold their company to McDonalds it was in the contract that McDonalds would adhere to the same quality and keep running the business the same way. Why do you think Chipotle isn't all over the U.S. like McDs is? Since then I believe McDonalds has sold its Chipotle chain to another business.

  19. Joe says

    Food snobbery is really becoming popular! Lighten up, you're not going to die or get sick eating at subway.

    • jesse says

      GMO's have NEVER been proven safe for human consumption.

      • Bob says

        They've also never been proven harmful. The fact is, genetic modification has been going on for centuries, by using selective breeding techniques. Doing it in a lab is simply faster, and offers more control over the results. Genetic material cannot be absorbed by eating it, it can't do you any harm, else we wouldn't be able to eat anything at all. The issues that ARE raised have nothing to do with consuming the food, but with making sure that the plants modified aren't too hardy and too fast growing, because they could spread beyond the farm and start pushing out indigenous species.

      • Reanna says

        For some of us, the use of genetically modified food isn't so much about the "breeding" techniques but about the unethical abuses of power giant corporations like Monsanto inflict upon small farmers over their precious patented seeds. Lisa has referenced the documentary Food, Inc. as something to watch that makes it easy to understand the massive corruption of big business, Big Ag, and politics and politicians. My family is very food conscious and very empathetic.

        We all sat around my during my son's 14th birthday reading out loud Michael Pollan's Food Rules. And we enjoyed the whole wheat chocolate cake from this website, too. But as it was a treat I made my delicious vanilla butter cream frosting, heavy on the butter and cream. Yum!

      • Susan Swain says

        wow, Bob, you can't equate selective breeding with inserting genes from other life forms (viruses, bacteria) into plants. it's simply not the same thing. also, you must not be up on the latest research that shows we do absorb dna particles from the food we eat, which influence our genetic expression. "you are what you eat" isn't just an expression.

      • Marcy says

        There's really less control over the results. They shoot the genetic material into the cell and hope for the desired results. There is massive evidence that proves GMO's are harmful to animals and humans in a myriad of ways. Didn't you hear about the GMO grasses in Texas that started spontaneously producing Cyanide gasses? http://www.foodrenegade.com/mutated-gmo-grass-makes-cyanide-kills-cattle-2/

  20. Patrick Wells says

    Great article. But I happened to notice that you had not one link to any sort of reference. Unless you have a high level laboratory in your house with which you can isolate all these ingredients you must have gotten this info from somewhere. Where might this somewhere be?

  21. Jennifer says

    How can I find deli type meats like ham and turkey for sandwiches= and bacon- with low or NO nitrates? thanks!!

    • Linja says

      Jennifer, There are some in supermarkets. Try Hormel Natural Choice® - 100% natural meat with zero preservatives.

    • Leah says

      Trader Joes!! There's LOTS of options that are nitrate-free.. as well as bacon that is nitrate/nitrate free:)

    • Kristy says

      Trader Joes's has lunchmeat without nitrates, but you have to read the labels to make sure. Some of their brands contain preservatives. Whole Foods is expensive but they have a large variety and it's all preservative free!!

      • John says

        Whole Foods does have some great food but they also carry GMO(s) so be careful.

    • Susan says

      Applegate Farm brand is in most grocery stores around here (Rhode Island); they sell pre-packaged deli meat, cheese, bacon and sausage. If you can find any local farmers, say at a farmer's market, that would be great too! We are really lucky to have many local farmers in little Rhody!

    • Sandy says

      Buy a chicken, put it in the oven, bake it, cut it up and make a sandwich. Freeze and use at will. Save money, use your kitchen. It takes as much time as driving to the store, parking, shopping, buying plastic wrapped food, taking the extra trash out... you get my drift.

    • Marcy says

      There's also Organic Prairie, they sell deli type meats that have no nitrates added. I get them all the time for my family.

  22. Dee Ferguson says

    LOL I cringed too, and I think so did she!..Just knowing people have breathed, and talked, and maybe even coughed or sneezed over my food in a resturant, (esp. buffets') is enought o make me 'ralf'! ..And wash everything I eat at HOME!

  23. Dee Ferguson says

    That salad is still probably filled with not only non-local veggies. but GMO's also, right?

  24. Scothibb says

    I wouldn't eat at subway (or any fast food joint) if you payed me to. I cringed when you took a bite of that salad! There HAS to be something else in that avocado. Even with lime in it, it turned brown within 30minutes, especially after being frozen.

    • Michele F. says

      I'm pretty sure you want your avocado to turn brown. It's a natural thing and probably means it has no preservatives.

    • Deborah says

      Subway is a fast food in my opinion. Did you know that Subways marketing tactics was to follow McDonald's lead? Look around you. Everywhere you see a McDonald's a Subway is within a few blocks away. Yup, they pretty much piggy backed off of the McDonald's marketing research. Pretty clever idea hmmm? If I had the money I would do the same but make sure it was a organic healthy food restaurant that only serves non-processed foods.

  25. Joanne Cannella says

    Thank you for letting us know the real dirt. I thought Subway was mostly safe. I am very disappointed.

  26. Jessica T says

    We don't eat at Subway anymore because their food tastes gross. (I don't like eating at any fast food place, regardless, but I can see how some may think Subway is an exception.)

  27. candy @ mommypalooza says

    such b.s. -- seriously...find something better to do with your time!

    • Kristin says

      Candy - I just read your blog about everything you have going on in your life...why be miserable over hear. FoodBabe is just educating the rest of us...Sorry for all of the events your life has brought to you recently - but no need to tell others to find something better to do.

    • Faye says

      Candy, I went to your blog wondering what type of person would write this and then thought better of reading any of it... why spend precious time reading a writer who would leave an unnecessary and meaningless comment on a helpful article written by someone I admire?

    • Scott says

      Candy,
      Well aren't u a delight. R u just looking for ppl to go to your blog to see what an amazing person would write such a Heatfelt comment (notice the sarcasm) or what? U could of gone all day without saying that.

  28. Nancy says

    The Heart Association logo is misleading. Food companies pay a fee to be included in the testing. And since the foods they approve simply meet federal guidelines, what good does that do us? The government allows all kinds of stuff that's bad for us. Lots of eye-opening revelations in the book Food Politics by Marion Nestle.

  30. Pushbutton says

    Yep! Just confirming why we went vegetarian. I have eaten at Subway - usually a vegetarian wrap with avacardo. Still thank you for all the useful information about the bread etc..At the end of the day it is all about money and preservatives make money.

    Just love to eat my home grown vegies!

  31. AngelCA says

    Don't ever believe that little heart stamp seal of approval from the American Heart Association. Companies must may at a minimum $300,000 per year to have that 'approval' and to continue, they must give additional money and giveaways to the organization. I know, because I worked there....worked & left because of this and several other frauds. There are some great studies and research that come from the AHA, but the 'heart seal' is not one of them!

  32. Kris says

    I managed a subway for awhile. the practices in place when i was there were not at all up to standards for what you would perceive to be "healthy". And absolutely, the bread is baked in store. but first you take it from the freezer, thaw it, proof (allow it to rise), and then you bake it to give that false impression of fresh. Veggies are sliced a week ahead. the same bottle of mayo can sit in the bin for up to a week. people still don't see why they are supposed to WASH THEIR HANDS, so they just don't. As a customer I've seen food handled with gloves, then money, then food again with the same pair of gloves. when subways says eat fresh, they really mean eat fresh@ home.@ least then you KNOW where your food has been.

  33. Lee says

    More bad news :(

  34. Melissa says

    Thank you for posting this!! I ate subway once when I was pregnant w/ my 4th. I was tired, didn't want to cook and finally caved and decided to make an exception from the norm and get some fast food. I was soooo sick because of a severe reaction to MSG (the hidden kind they say isn't there...). It was so awful. I am surprised at how many people (including myself until recently) think it is healthier than other fast food places.

  35. Chanin says

    This is so informative but where is there a real food restaurant within driving distance to most people's lives and everyday activities? I'm so anxious to find one that is convenient to my family of 5's busy schedules since it is absolutely impossible to collect organically grown real food and cook it for 3 meals 7 days a week. Please advise, so excited to eat there instead of these horrible disease infested fake food options. Thanks.

  36. Sandy @ God Speaks Today says

    Thank you for the info. Very thorough. But like many others here, I still think when on the road or in a hurry, Subway (and Panera for that matter) is still one of the best choices for eating out with a family on-the-go. At some point, you've just got to make a choice between good and better. Unless you are prepared to always eat at home or carry food with you.

    We don't eat out often. I cook most all meals from scratch at home with fresh, whole ingredients. We also live in a city that is rich with wonderful local restaurants. So for us, it's great info, but not really surprising, nor will it really change what we already do.

    Don't you think these findings would be true for nearly all restaurants unless they are local and explicitly state on the menu that the food is locally grown without chemicals, additives, etc? Sadly, it seems to me, this is the state of food in our country and our culture.

  37. Karla Porter Archer says

    I have been on a similar journey and always find your posts thoughtful and informative.

    I was reading the comments earlier and saw one from someone who stated that they are a phD level scientist in this area, and I found it interesting. I just refreshed this page to see if any other comments had been left, (or a response to her comment in particular) and can no longer find her comment.

    I'm wondering about the response to her questions - about where the studies are for some of the things she took issue with.

    I try to make the most informative decisions that I can make for my family, and I guess she planted a seed of concern in my mind, that I'd like to shake.

    Fortunately, we already stay away from all lunch meats, fast food and processed foods. I just want to double check on this before I share it with all my friends and family (who already think I'm crazy for eating so differently from them :)

    Thank you! Off to read your Panera post :)

    • Sarah says

      Hi Karla. That commenter was me. Apparently my post is still being moderated, but I do wonder if it will ever show up! Bottom line, I don't like Subway and agree that it isn't as healthy as it pretends to be, but I can't find the processed meat quote attributed to the World Cancer Research Fund (someone else said it, they just say 'avoid processed meat' not that it's unfit for consumption). Anyway, things like that worry me even though I know the post was well-intentioned and the conclusion is probably correct.

      • Sarah says

        Also, I have just had a look at the next link on increasing cancer by 50% and cannot find anywhere in the link provided that as little as 1.8g of processed meat daily increases risk.

        First, the link she chose to highlight mentions only 2 select studies on this topic, when in fact there have been dozens conducted. All of these have to be taken in aggregate, and the caveats and study conditions have to be considered. Also, cancer in particular is not 1 disease, it's hundreds, and certain types of cancer (eg, bowel cancer) have been more strongly linked to processed meat consumption than others in which the link is less clear. I urge people to read the actual report and come to their own conclusions ('Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity and the Prevention of Cancer: a Global Perspective’ 2007 from a reliable source here: http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/4841/). There is also an update on bowel cancer specifically, which can be seen here: http://www.wcrf-uk.org/audience/media/press_release.php?recid=153 Note that it says "eating an extra 100g per day of processed meat increases bowel cancer risk by 36%".

        This aside, there is the issue of risk numbers. 'Increasing the likelihood of cancer' by 50% makes it sound like it's a huge increase, but it all depends on where your risk starts. If you only have a 2% chance of getting a cancer in the first place, an increase in 50% now gives you a 3% chance (50% of 2 is 1, and 2+1=3), which really isn't a massive change. Of course this kind of increase is a bigger deal if you start at 25% chance (which would go up to 37.5%). Basically, people should remember that it doesn't mean you now have a 50% chance of getting cancer!

      • Sarah says

        Sorry! have just realized I was wrong on the 1.8g of meat. You said 1.8 ounces, which is actually about 50 g. But still not the number given in the WCRF report, which was 100 g...

      • FoodBabe says

        Thank you Sarah for adding the additional details about the percentages...It's interesting to view risks this way. To clarify, if you read my source, it's not the WCRF study, but another one that concluded that 50 grams or 1.8 ounces increased the risk of some cancers. Here is the quote for your reference. "A 2005 University of Hawaii study found that processed meats increase the risk of pancreatic cancer by 67 percent. Another study revealed that every 50 grams of processed meat consumed daily increases the risk of colorectal cancer by 50 percent. These are alarming numbers. "

  38. anya says

    Now im not agreeing nor disagreeing ot sifting with anything but if you think about it its all freshness added. if you are avoiding fast food think subway as fast food because its continent food. avocadoes are expensive and oxydize fast so when they are packaged for mass quantities. dough that's frozen is the same as pizza hut dominates etc. if u want fresh make everything from scratch.
    all meats that are sold gave nitrate etc unless specified but still as long as its clean and the Fla and government find no issues then walking into a subway is by far your choice...

  39. Amy says

    Although their website doesn't list them as ingredients, it is common for vegetables that arrive at food-service places or grocery stores pre-prepared (sliced, etc) to have preservatives on them. As this can be part of the packaging or processing of them it is often not labelled. The only way you can know for sure is if the label says "no preservatives" and there is now "may contain traces of wheat" label, or you are buying or can see a whole, fresh fruit or vegetable. I have an allergy to preservatives and food additives and pre-prepared vegetables can be very risky.

  40. Corie says

    this is really disturbing, but glad to know the truth...Just ate there yesterday, turkey sub on wheat bread, and I felt sick afterwards and didn't know why...well, know I know, and will NEVER eat there again...the thing that irritates me the most is the hidden msg, which is bad for my growing fetus...it makes me mad that companies care more about the quantity over quality, they would rather put people's health at risk than to actually sell healthy food. it may be the lesser of evils, but i will just make sure to eat before I leave home