Top Subway Salads According to the U.S. Dietary Guidelines

Hey guys, this is Sam here. Today, we are going to check out the best salad options you can have at Subway. Firstly, I apologize to all my daily readers for the inconsistency caused by my busy routine. All my attention was on making the subway calorie calculator tool more advanced and improved.

Ok, let’s get to the topic. So, we are going to look at the best salad options at Subway according to the latest US dietary guidelines. Why, according to the dietary guidelines, is it because we cannot identify the salad meal solely based on calories or protein; we have to look for other nutrients too?

For example, if a salad has 45 grams of protein but is very high in sodium, then it is not considered to be healthy at all, as it can cause more harm than benefits.

So, what do the latest guidelines say:

1. Take high-protein meals (consume 1.2–1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day).
2. Consume low saturated fats (it should not exceed 10% of total daily calories).
3. Eat fruits and veggies throughout the day.
4. Consume full-fat dairy.
5. Consume low sodium:

• Ages 1–3: less than 1,200 mg per day
• Ages 4–8: less than 1,500 mg per day
• Ages 9–13: less than 1,800 mg per day
• Ages 14 or more: less than 2,300 mg per day

6. No amount of added sugar or non-nutritive sweeteners is considered healthy, and you should not consume more than 10g of added sugar a day.

7. Consume less alcohol.

8. The most important thing is to eat real foods that are rich in vitamins and micronutrients and avoid or limit processed foods.

This is a highlight, so read the full dietary guidelines for more details.

So, let’s select the best salads available at Subway that are high in protein and low in sodium, added sugars, and saturated fats.

1. Subway Club®

It is the best salad that fits and fulfills all the requirements you can look for. In just 240 calories, you will get 24g of lean protein, as it has oven-roasted turkey as the main protein ingredient.

Low in sodium and saturated fats, this salad is perfect for weight loss and balanced nutrition.

2. All-Pro Sweet Onion Chicken

Next on the list is the All-Pro Sweet Onion Chicken salad, and this one is a great example of how a salad can be healthy but still needs smart customization.

This salad provides around 23 g of protein at just 300 calories, mainly coming from chicken, which is considered a lean and high-quality protein according to the U.S. dietary guidelines.

It is low in total fat and saturated fat, which is a big plus. The sodium content is also relatively controlled compared to many other Subway options.

But the sweet onion sauce adds a significant amount of added sugar, which is 19 g, which the latest guidelines clearly recommend limiting as much as possible.

So, if you want to reduce sugar, ask for less sweet onion sauce or replace it with vinegar or mustard. With that small change, this salad easily becomes one of the best Subway salads for a balanced diet.

3. Titan Turkey

If you’re someone who prioritizes protein intake, then the Titan Turkey salad deserves your attention.

With around 26 g of protein, this salad is one of the highest-protein options among Subway salads. Another advantage is that it is very low in added sugars, with only around 5 g, making it more guideline friendly.

4. The Philly

It offers 24g of protein, which is solid, and the added sugar content is very low. However, since it uses steak and cheese, the saturated fat level is higher compared to turkey or chicken-based salads.

According to the dietary guidelines, saturated fat should not exceed 10% of total daily calories, and this salad comes close to that limit for a single meal.

So, these are the best salad choices you can opt for at Subway when you look for protein and other necessary nutrients.

What Salad do I prefer?

Well, I am not a salad guy, but whenever I order a salad, I look for protein, so I ordered the beast salad, which has around 35 grams of protein with 570 calories, which is great, but I don’t recommend this salad at all because it is very high in sodium with around 1780 mg, which almost covers 77% of your daily sodium requirement in just 570 calories, which is not good at all.

I gave it a chance once, but I will not try again. So, I looked in the menu and found the best salad according to my needs, which is the elite chicken & bacon ranch. It is high in protein (30 g) and is also low in sodium content (1020 mg) compared to the beast salad.

But there are some things to look out for, like it is high in saturated fats and cholesterol, so it is an occasional meal for me. As I said, I am not a salad person, so I usually prefer protein bowls (avoid protein bowls if you prefer low sodium meals) as they have footlong-sized meat or protein portions.

I have also tried the subway club salad and believe me; it is the most balanced and healthiest 240-calorie meal for me.