When it comes to healthy meals, many turn to Subway in hopes that the fresh-made sandwiches will help them shed some pounds. While it’s true that there are some healthy options on the Subway menu—especially when compared to other fast food chains like McDonald’s and Wendy’s—it’s important to remember that not all sandwiches are created equally. In fact, there are some seriously fattening menu items that health experts say you should steer clear of if you’re trying to slim down.
To learn more about the most fattening sandwich you should never order at Subway, we spoke to Registered Dietitian Trista Best from Balance One Supplements and Nutritionist Lisa Richards, creator of the Candida Diet. They broke down the health risks of the Chicken Bacon Ranch. Find their expert insight below!
Chicken Bacon Ranch
As delicious of a combination as chicken, bacon, and ranch dressing can be, health experts warn that this popular Subway sandwich can be detrimental to your health and should especially be avoided if you're trying to lose weight. "Subway's Chicken Bacon Ranch is one of these sneaky items that appear healthy on the surface but are loaded with calorie dense ingredients," Best warns. "The health quality stops at the chicken and takes a turn with each item after, especially the bacon and ranch."
According to Richards, the main culprit here is the bacon. Although this is a tasty, popular topping for a range of meals, from sandwiches to salads, she notes that it has a high fat content—and most of that fat isn't the healthy kind. "Unfortunately, 50% of the fat in bacon is from saturated (40%) and polyunsaturated fats (10%)," she points out. "The rate of polyunsaturated fat isn't a concern, but the amount of saturated fat and dietary cholesterol in bacon essentially cancels out any potential benefit of the oleic acid and monounsaturated fat." Say it ain't so!
While the "bacon" part of "chicken bacon ranch" is enemy number one, the "ranch" portion doesn't fall far behind. This popular, creamy condiment unfortunately isn't as healthy as it is tasty. "The ranch used as a condiment on this sandwich can also cause the fat content to increase quickly," Richards states.
Okay, but how bad is the calorie and fat content, really? According to Best, pretty bad. "A footlong Chicken Bacon Ranch contains 1150 calories, 56 grams of fat, 94 grams of carbs, and 2160 mg of sodium," she tells us. "Each of these nutrients are either at or above the recommended daily amount."
Overall, the Chicken Bacon Ranch should be avoided if you're trying to shed some pounds or just keep your overall health in check. Of course, you could omit the bacon and ranch—but in that case, you're better off just ordering a chicken sandwich to start with.
