Sub sandwiches....not as good as we think...

So, I really like eating subs. However, subs really aren't as good for us as we like to think. I mean, it's just a sandwich, right? What can possibly be so bad for me if it's just a sandwich? I'm better off eating that than a burger and fries!

Well, yes and no. Since we tend to be under the assumption that subs are good for us, we don't often watch what we eat on our subs.

Take a regular Jimmy John's #4 Turkey Tom. Basically- it's about 7inches of french bread, turkey, provolone cheese, lettuce, tomato, sprouts and mayo. That doesn't sound too bad, does it? Well, according to the Nutrition link on the Jimmy John's website, that sub equals 615 calories and almost 30g of fat. According to Dottie's Weight Loss Zone (one of my favorite sites to check WW points value), a Turkey Tom has about 13.5 WW points, but Dottie's doesn't include cheese on that. So, a Turkey Tom actually is closer to about 15 points. Yikes. So much for healthy.

But subs are so good, and with a few adjustments, the same sub with Dijon mustard and no cheese is 335 calories and about 1.5g of fat. Dottie's lists this sub as having 8.5 points instead of 15. The key to eating subs is to eliminate the cheese and mayo. Both of those add tons of calories and fat, and make the sub a lot worse for you than it should be.

Another good rule of thumb for subs is to load up on veggies as they are good additions and make you feel more full. Also, beware of bread. A lot of sub places offer fancy breads, but most likely those fancy breads just add more calories. If there is a wheat bread option, that is usually the best, otherwise a plain white bread is good too.

So, as with everything else, eating sub sandwiches just requires a bit of knowing what to choose and what not to choose. :)