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?
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.
This is so full of misinformation, it’s almost entirely untrue.
And how is it misinformed? Sources? Backup statements? Even a basic arguement? Trollll
At least as far as their MSG claims, this is wrong.
Inclusion of the Azocarbowhatever, yes, that is still listed in their current ingredients lists.
Powdered Cellulose is listed but there are multiple sources, not necessarily wood and according to the Wall Street Journal:
“‘Organic Valley uses powdered cellulose made from wood pulp in its shredded-cheese products. The company would prefer not to use a synthetic ingredient, but cellulose is bland, white and repels moisture, making it the favored choice over products such as potato starch’, says Tripp Hughes, director of product marketing for Organic Valley.”
“Only powdered cellulose in its least manipulated form can be used in foods labeled “organic” or “made with organic” ingredients by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.”
Sources: http://www.subway.com/Nutrition/Files/usProdIngredients.pdf
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703834804576300991196803916.html
I personally thought Organic Valley did a great summary of why GMOs can’t feed the world though there are plenty of other sites backing this up. http://www.organicvalley.coop/why-organic/research-library/gmos/the-false-promise-of-gmos/page-1/
Perspectives. Some people (even those with Ph.D. degrees) get lost in their own perspective when it comes to food, organic, natural, etc. To me, it seems obvious that the planet cannot be fed without the use of GMOs. That does not mean that I, as an individual, have to accept it, if I have the financial wherewithal to purchase higher quality foods, and am aware of what are the healthier alternatives.
It also doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t speak out about the issues we are faced with on the planet. Each in our own way must speak to what we know.
Quoting Sonmi-451, a character from the movie, Cloud Atlas, ” Our lives are not our own. From womb to tomb, we are bound to others. Past and present. And by each crime and every kindness, we birth our future.”
Sonmi is a defector of sorts, has been captured and is sentenced, and is now before a type of historian, the one called the Archivist. A brief exchange: Archivist: “Remember, this isn’t an interrogation or trial. Your version of the truth is all that matters.” Sonmi-451’s reply: “Truth is singular. Its “versions” are mistruths.”
Thanks for speaking out, Food Babe!
Steve you are 100% correct. Feeding the people of the world was a problem 100 years ago. The wold’s leaders turned to science for an answer and they found it with Fritz Haber. (He won a Nobel prize for his work, and also is known for creating Zyklon B or the poisonous gas used in the gas chambers to kill the Jews in WWII. Interestingly he was Jewish.) Harber and Bosch created the Harber/Bosch process which is used to produce synthetic fertilizer. If synthetic fertilizer was not in use today one third of the world would die of starvation.
We either need population control or synthetic foods, fertilizers and genetic modified foods or people in world will die of starvation. Which will it be? The latter along with plastics are destroying our environment. In the mean time let’s all be capitalists and profit as much as we can while destroying or food supply.
Really Mr. Ledford? Wikipedia? Laughable. Did you get ou Ph.D from Wikipedia too? They have those now ya know?
Thanks, Food Babe for giving me new information and things to consider. Just because something is difficult or inconvenient doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it. It just means that it is difficult or inconvenient. I’m glad that you are doing what you do, no matter how daunting it could be.
When Jesus multiplied the loaves and fishes were they organic or GMO afterwards? How about changing water into wine without natural grapes? Was it spring water into organic or GMO Bordeaux? Don’t we have livers and kidney’s for processing everything in moderation?
That Jesus story is just that, a story. Possibly consider using sources and references that are not fictional? Just a thought.
Most of what we believe today will be false ten years from now. Vitamin C does nothing for colds when they all swore it did before. But His Word endures… “Everything in Moderation”.
Ummmm, Jesus didn’t say that. But Socrates did “Everything in moderation. Nothing in excess.”
Philippians 4:5 – Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord [is] at hand. Jesus didn’t say it, but The Bible is God’s word. From your comments I would add, pride goes before the fall.
Lol! Getting personal because I don’t base my belief system on a fictional book like you do and then attempt to persuade others to do the same?
Your comments to Mr. Ledford and me show enough about your true character. Good day m’am.
Say what you will naysayers, I will continue to grow my own, from heirloom seeds, raise my own meat, poultry and wild catch the fish we eat. The stuff that the USDA allows to happen for the sake of ‘mass production’ is disgusting. And the chemicals they allow to be added to the food to avoid ‘rot’…well those are even worse. Touting something as ‘fresh’ when it is clearly pre-cut, pre-packaged and mass produced is just plain false advertising. Then again, if you really think that any fast food can be considered ‘healthy’ and ‘fresh’…you’ve probably ingested too many of these chemicals and it’s altered your mental state.
I like turtles
Everything that we can buy, including organic food is genetically modified. For example, agricultural selection changed grass into wheat, rice, barley, etc. Or think about it – when was the last time you saw an apple growing in the wild? Genetic modification is nothing new.
The really bad thing is that corn isn’t even natural, it was genetically modified from 2 plants by humans!!!
Anybody notice the fatty glaze inside meats now compared to 5 years ago? The government is selling us cloned meat and drinks are filled with chemicals and killing agents. man it would be nice if i could afford whole foods or wish i had the land and resources for growing my meals. Does anyone see how we are loosing our farms and basically everything we own well actually trading for government supervised living? Just think if we did rise against then we would be in deep doodoo they would pull out the riot robots and drones retreat underground to their cities and basically exterminate all that oppose or poison with their death chemicals dropped from planes. im kinda in fear for us.
I know someone that worked for Subway years ago, and she told me she no longer eats there because she can tell the quality of the food has declined. She explained to me that when she worked for Subway they sliced the deli meat, and cut up the veggies. Now as you stated, it is all prepackaged. So this former Subway worker won’t even eat there, it disgusts her how the quality has declined.
So with your “holier than thou” attitude because you eat only organic food you might live a few minutes longer than someone who does not. My father ate anything that was put in front of him including lots of beef, pizza,fast food, smoked unfiltered cigarettes and drank a lot of whisky and died at home in his sleep at 94 years old.
Jason, if he died at 94 then he did eat “clean” for a good part of his life. Many of the GMO foods and chemicals are a relatively recent addition to the mass population’s diet.
I have a dehydrator and a lot of apples They are very good if u peel core and spiral them. Then cut them into thirds and set them in the machine any where from 6 to 10 hours………….coat them with brown sugar cinn cloves nutmeg allspice………………….. damn good
“Dr.” Ledford lost his credibility when he quoted that most accurate source of information, Wikipedia, in his post.
It’s funny because most of these facts in the article are taken directly from Wikipedia.So from your logic this whole article has lost it’s credibility.
I suppose this is a big story for some, not really for me.Yes, okay the story makes a general point: if you are looking for a healthy, organic meal then Subway is not the way to go. (Better to go to a local sandwich shop run by a single dedicated staff that sources in the area.)
Just understand that the reason this is called “fast food” is because of the convenience, quickness, and price. People on the go will run by a Subway because it’s close, familiar, and probably among the healthiest of “fast food” options for that time. Most are aware of this. Some still apparently not, somehow think that a world-wide sandwich chain is getting the high quality, organically grown foods surrounding that locality. Dream on.
curious if you did any research on the pesticides/chemicals used to grow the veggies and keep them fresh??? and nothing but whole avacados frozen??? I think someone told a story……
I agree with Thomas. This gotcha article on Subway is useless as it pertains to most people. GMO’s are the inevitable result of an increasingly populated earth. Preservatives are necessary to prevent waste in the form of rotting food which benefits NO ONE. If the entire world tried to live on a 100% preservative free, organic non GMO diet, Mass starvation would result. Maybe thats whats desired here? a reduction of 4 billion or so people would leave plenty of land for reduced yield non GMO grains to feed the rest of us!
The GMO link to solving food shortages are completely baseless, and has been proved time and time again to actually cause more starvation by being more dependent on GMO.
Take a hike.
Excuse me justin? Why are they baseless? Because the studies you believe in are true and Erics are not? You come off arrogant as you offer no proof just your beliefs. So your insulting attitude is unwarranted.
oh please…just simply stop all this non senses about food…if u like it just enjoy it…if dont just find something else…and if its still not enough…stay at home and cook your food…i didnt mean to upset or offend You…its only my opinion
Two of the healthiest sounding salad dressings were actually the worst based on my analysis.
The problem is your analysis is biased and inherently flawed.
oh yea Troll? Where’s your irrefuteable arguement with facts and statistics? Oh right you have none.
Google “Thomas Ledford, Ph.D.” and you will find he doesn’t believe in global warming either. And he has received awards from Merck and duPont. I wish I could be a brain-washed sell-out like Mr. Ledford.
Thanks for posting this. I would have to agree with the False Norseman. Calling people foolish and ignorant is well…foolish and ignorant.
I think we get that there are dangers in natural food as well but the azodicarbonamide ingredient is obviously not well taken in other countries. You use sources other than wikipedia which everyone knows is not all that reliab le.
Trolls, trolls, trolls. I guess there can be trolls with PHD’s as well.
A PHD is certainly no indication of integrity and or the practice of good science. I don’t even think you have to be smart anymore. Who would use wikipedia as a reference anyway?
Once I left university I realized how much I had learned were lies or biased interpretations by bad scientists who were payed to prove a point.
Thank you Food Babe for your great work!
Please continue!
Too bad, Food Babe. You have chosen a foolish cause as your life’s work. GMO foods are everywhere. Doing without them would mean mass starvation, including in the rich countries. Conspiracy theories such as what you advocate for are the product of general ignorance, the massive ignoring of readily available contrary evidence. You and your cronies claim that the world is growing more and more unhealthy, but increasing lifespans are showing the contrary. Please inform yourself by reading the Wikipedia article on “vitalism,” so you can unlearn some of the pernicious doctrines you have swallowed whole. There is nothing magical about “natural” things. Rattlesnake venom is 100% natural. Everything you can possibly put into your body has both healthful and deadly limits. You can kill yourself by drinking too much water too fast. Many common nutrients become toxic at excessive high levels. Our bodies need certain minimum levels of Vitamin D, Vitamin A, selenium, water, and other materials that will become deadly when their safe levels are exceeded.
When rats and mice are fed sub-lethal amounts of what we have come to view as poisons, they actually thrive and do better than control animals who get none of those substances. Google the word “hormesis.”
I agree you will starve as you try to find food that is free of any kind of killing agent, but we are living longer not because we are healthier, but medicines and operations have advanced, so thought we are alive, many are sick and getting sicker.
Were just living to suffer longer and unless we “try” to change the short cut, financial gain world we live in today it is only going to get worse. Of course you probable won’t notice since most will ne 105 with Alzheimer’s.
According to what evidence are we living longer?
People between 70 and 100+ years old probably born before the era of mass consumption, mass usage of plastics, mass usage of preprocessed foods, mass usage of sugars etc.
These people are getting old indeed and looking at their diet, I would rather have their limited options but still full of nutrients than having preprocessed food from dead ingredients to begin with.
“We are living longer” is a lie. Compared to medieval times maybe but still, looking at the circumstances and options we have, we should live longer but we aren’t. Many of us won’t make the lifespan of people who are now between 70 and 100+ years of age.
We are degenerating at a rapid pace and thinking and stating otherwise is logic for foolish people.
“dead ingredients”
Isn’t all food dead by the time it gets through the stomach? The corrosive acids inside a stomach are pretty strong!
Mr. Ledford is a prime example of how ignorant the medical profession truly is. And why people have to STOP trusting their doctors. Of course doctors are only as smart as their pharmacological backed textbooks. So it’s no surprise why he is viciously defending the status quo, when the status quo is leading to the annihilation of our species.
I wonder if Mr. Ledford has children, and if he is feeding his children pesticide laden food, and food made from genetic material from species that have no place in our body. I also wonder if Mr. Ledford realizes the long term effects of consuming food with genetic material that could have drastic health consequences in generations to come? I’m sure his textbooks tell him it is safe, and to just accept ‘progress’.
The fact that GMOs are everywhere is not a reason to give in or give up; it’s a reason to fight harder. CFCs used to be everywhere too, and we got rid of them. Global warming is everywhere, but we ignore it to our peril.
“The notion that hormesis is a widespread or important phenomenon in biological systems is not widely accepted.”
Lifespans might be increasing, but that’s more due to elimination of some communicable diseases. Other illnesses are showing up and those must be dealt with the same way we dealt with bacterial infections. And quality of life is decreasing for many, with the epidemic of obesity, not just in the US, but around the world.
Oh, and here’s what’s said about hormesis: “The notion that hormesis is a widespread or important phenomenon in biological systems is not widely accepted.”
I personally think that Vani has chosen a path to educate those who are ignorant about what they eat. I lived in Malaysia most of my adult life and ate home-cooked meals. I rarely ate processed food because my mum (a housewife) would prepare food from scratch. She would go to the fresh market a few times a week. I never came across an obese person in Malaysia nor in Tokyo (where I lived for 2-3 years). People are generally healthier than those in USA. Elderly people are also more agile and flexible. There are disabled people but not common. Both my parents had diabetes (due to our diet of eating white rice) but cured themselves by taking local herbs. Other than that, they were healthy and died of old age later on.
When I moved to USA, I was so surprised to find so many illnesses that I have never heard of before. Obesity is even a clinical disease?? People take medications for depression?? and I see disabled people everywhere…even those who are pretty young (in their 30s. The root of their problem lies in what they eat, alot of processed food and medications. Although I was a scientist for many years, I am so glad that I have left that profession to pursue alternative healing. At least I can say that even without a health insurance, I don’t have to worry because I am capable of keeping myself healthy (haven’t touch medications for over 12 years including pain-killer). I rely on herbs and natural healing.
Great article. Too bad some people can’t be educated and don’t care about their or their children’s health. We end up paying their healthcare costs.
I wish i lived in a world where i could spend 1000 a month on fresh organic foods for my family. But I can’t so I must be trash right?
David, you tell food babe that her article is “worthless,” lol! Keep on eating the way you’re eating and you will see your health issues increase, it’s inevitable. Maybe this article scared you because you don’t want to know the truth and that’s fine, but don’t drag her through the mud because she’s providing a positive service to people who are actually concerned about their health. Ignorance will only serve to keep you and your family sick, but that’s up to you.
Next you have to look into our local diners,restaurants, and school cafeterias. They are big users of foodstuffs from CISCO. Cisco sure isn’t concerned about additives and GMOs.
As a long time employee of Subway I cannot deny that the majority of our food is frozen and processed but when compared to most other fastfood places we are the wiser choice. We have never claimed to be organic, our bread does come in the form of frozen sticks but is baked fresh multiple times a day and I personally slice fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and green peppers everyday so their claims of fresh are true. Show me a resturant that makes everything fresh and organic! There is no real food anymore. If and when fast food is the only option I would pick Subway over anywhere else.
Here Here Lisa!! I completely agree.
With over 37,000 locations and growing strong, seems like Subway is doing something right.
Sorry Food Babe – you’re article is pretty worthless.
No your comments are worthless. I’m sure a lot of the “food”
in Subway would last quite well without refrigeration due to the amount of preservatives in it. Most “food” in the US is of dubious quality, just look around at the 300 lb teenagers that are more and more visible. This is corporate “frankenfood” and it is out of control, thanks Amerika.
I love these morons that use any excuse to bash the US. “amerika”? clever.
“i am quite sure”
then buy some and make a video of it over a month and tell me if it doesn’t rot. until then shut up.
You’re defining “right” by a companies monetary value? Comical.
I ate Subway meatball sandwiches for many years – I always wondered if there was actual meat in there :)
This is a great post – I love how you talk about cutting out processed food – I started my journey to do the same thing last year and now I am basically free of processed food.
I almost am upset that the AHA is sponsoring Subway now. I figured there was some crap in there but to see that there is MSG is eye opening.
One of the most important parts of this post is your video – one of the things I’ve learned is how to work to eat healthy no matter where you go and you show how even at Subway you have to be careful to get a healthy meal.
“I always wondered if there was actual meat in there ”
If there wasn’t any actual animal product in the meatball then they’d call it a vegan pseudo-meatball and charge extra for it.
Doctors Associates inc.
The probable reason for the American Heart Association endorsement.
Is simply, they purchased it, same as any other processed food manufacturer.
I do not consider the Subway as healthy as the food I would make at home, but on a quick exception night when you don’t have time it seems like the best alternative amongst fast food options. On a night when there is not much choice I am happy that something like the Subway is available and that I don’t have to get fries or something.
I think it is a good striving to have over 2/3 of your food intake coming from healthy sources, but you shouldn’t worry about a single ‘slip’.
Ofcourse it is still a pitfall that people think it is entirely healthy and therefore won’t limit intakes from the Subway. That is why I think this is an valuable article to remind us not to get fooled by the overly-positive health claims.
why is everyone so upset by someone doing her own food experiment and researching what she and her family are consuming? i never understand the people who get angry at ideas of clean food and environmentalism. what is that all about? food babe is not demanding that you give up your twinkies, only letting you know what eating them means. and you don’t even have to read this blog!! and, i think there is something about focusing on subway’s practices that is important as many americans go about their business eating subway and believing that they are actually doing something good for themselves without realizing the extent of processing that goes into what they eat…subway banks on our ignorance and their ability to convince us that their food is healthy. why shouldn’t we be aware of what we are consuming? again, don’t get that attitude.
Hi All: I eat organic every chance I get. My grocery store stocks MANY organic choices, especially in the produce department. It is not that hard to find other organic choices in our neighborhoods. You just have to spend a small amount of time researching the Internet. Farmers markets are springing up all over the place and usually have quite a bit of opportunity to find organic food. One that I went to recently, just outside of Houston, also had fresh organic chicken and free range eggs. If you are interested in organic fast food, check out Chipotle. They have some chicken offerings that are super healthy. Good luck to everyone!
Everything in our world is genetically modified – even poodles don’t look much like wolves. Probably what was meant was “genetically engineered.”
The highest estimate the World Health Organization has published is that antiquated farming methods nicknamed “organic” could sustain at most 2 billion humans. So next time you buy organic look around you and choose which 5 out of 7 people you think should die.
Drew, you should research GMO food. We are not talking about crossing a sweet onion with a juicy one to yield a new variety that is both sweet and juicy. This would be compatible with your dog analogy.
Genetically modified crops are something else. Chemical companies take the DNA from a plant, like corn, and cross it with the DNA of horses to yield a variety of ‘Frankenstein’ corn that is more resilient, et all. This is “proven to be safe,” but yet it has vast unintended consequences. The pollen from GMO corn kills butterflies when they eat it. And what is it doing to us? As a people, Americans are sicker than ever before and average life expectancy is decreasing.
Maybe it isn’t GMO crops, but some of us are terribly sensitive to it. When I eat GMO food, for example, I have a relapse of neurological symptoms – numb legs, etc. This leads me to believe that it, at best, we can’t know the untold consequences, and the safer bet is to avoid this type of food when possible.
http://news.yahoo.com/americans-throw-away-almost-half-food-waste-165-171633605.html
@ Drew
If Americans didn’t throw away 40% of their food, how many people could that feed?
This article showed the ignorance of the author in relation to the claims subway has made, and the rules regarding those claims. Subway is fully complicit in its adherence to the rules and regulations that apply to the health claims they make about their food. I’m all for eating healthy, ridding the diet of chemicals, and avoiding preservatives, but subway isn’t making any unfounded claims. Fact is, even with ALL of the “problems” that the author listed about subway, it is still healthier than most other food chains. If you want 100% organic food, kudos, I enjoy it also, but either make it at home or go somewhere that advertises all organic foods. Stop picking on someone for something they never claimed to be.
I don’t think the author is evaluating subway for making false claims. I think she is evaluating subway in a manner that debunks the popular, cultural belief that it is ‘healthy’. They market themselves in a way that furthers this idea, and it is nice to see someone willing to challenge the assumption.
While it is true that Subway is ‘healthy’ in some senses–low fat–it is not true in every other way. And the misconception is that a diet that is low in fat (but terrible in every other way) is the best chance we have of preventing heart disease. And that is government BS (that Subway is capitalizing on). The body is able to deal with higher fat content very effectively with a nutritionally-dense diet. Few people understand anything about nutrition, and if they did, Subway would not be as successful as it is. Period.
RIGHT??? It’s even evident in the rediculous comments that have been posted – OMGS I EATS THERE LIEK 3 TIMESES A WEEKS its BAD FOR YUOS??! omgs! Forreal people…forreealll?! Cuz of jared and his fake ass subway diet. yuck
Excellent Blog! I support you 100% Keep up the good fight!
I learned a number of things I didn’t know. I am really thankful for this article. I haven’t eaten at Subway in years because I am gluten sensitive. But I thought they would be a reasonable alternative to the likes of McDonald’s and Kentucky Fried Chicken. I didn’t consider what was going into all those “fresh” ingredients. And it is “you’re”. You are = you’re.
Your not really telling us anything that we already didn’t know. All fast food is most likely highly processed and full of GMOs. Unless someone opens an Organic fast food chain this will always be true.
Hmmm…I think the point is that Subway’s slogan “Eat Fresh” is clearly not reflected in their over-processed food.
When there are no other options available and I need to buy food, I usually get a vegetarian sandwich from Subway. I prefer that to eating other fast food chain foods- we don’t all live where there are organic/good food options. I live in a very low-income area and we mostly have fast food chains here.
I am not surprised that the bread has lots of chemicals in it- why would anyone be surprised about that? It is huge food chain.
I just stock my sandwich with avocado and lots of veggies- since I eat it 1-2 times a month, I’m sure I will be fine. We cannot be so overly paranoid about everything. Aware- yes, overly paranoid- no, especially if you eat good wholesome foods at least 85% of the time.
It is sad the way our food industry has chosen greed over our health. The savy person knows to carry their own food with them when traveling under no circumstances will have to eat the garbage the fast foods feeds. If you eat there and dont get sick it is because you eat other garbage food and your system is used to the poisen. But that does not mean you are healthy. My system is pretty sensitive now and i do get sick when i eat food i dont know where it comes from, such as pot lucks….i am very careful now. i hate getting sick!