When you’re craving a sandwich from your favorite fast food chain, you might think that a sub or hoagie is healthier than a burger or fried chicken sandwich. But some subs are higher in calories than you’d expect, sometimes more than most people consume in a day. To help you be aware of which options to avoid, we’ve compiled a list of the 15 most calorie-dense sub sandwiches from popular chains like Subway, Jimmy John’s, Firehouse, and Quiznos.
While we don’t encourage everyone to count calories or focus solely on a calorie deficit, it’s important to keep in mind that fast food is very high in calories, fat, and sodium, and low in essential nutrients like dietary fiber. Research suggests Regular consumption of fast food has been linked to several health risks, including diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers.
In looking at these extremely high-calorie fast food sandwiches, we’re looking at the bigger picture: These sandwiches aren’t just high in calories — they’re also often high in total fat, saturated fat, trans fat and sodium, making them a potentially harmful choice.
Here are the 15 most calorie-dense fast food sandwiches, ranked from lowest to highest. Then check out the 25 healthiest fast food orders.
Subway Footlong Monster
Nutrition Facts (per 12 inch sub):
calorie: 1,080
fat: 58 g (Saturated Fatty Acids: 22 g, Trans Fatty Acids: 2 g)
sodium: 2,500mg
carbohydrates: 78 g (dietary fiber: 2 g, carbohydrates: 8 g)
protein: 70 grams
Just because it’s the lowest calorie sandwich doesn’t mean it’s the healthiest choice. Monster Sub Subway’s sandwich is loaded with bacon, steak, peppers, two slices of cheese and a generous dollop of creamy ranch dressing, all sandwiched between a 12-inch slice of toasted Italian bread.
Subway Footlong Spicy Italian
Nutrition Facts (per 12 inch sub):
calorie: 1,180
fat: 70 g (Saturated fatty acids: 32 g, Trans fatty acids: 1 g)
sodium: 3,880 mg
carbohydrates: 92 g (dietary fiber: 4 g, carbohydrates: 10 g)
protein: 50 grams
As with the Monster Sub, Subway Footlong Spicy Italian This sandwich is extremely high in calories, so we recommend sharing it with a friend. In addition to having over 1,100 calories, this sandwich also has 3,880 milligrams of sodium, which is FDA Recommended Daily Limits 2,300 milligrams.
Quiznos Large Veggie Guacamole
Nutrition facts (per large sub):
calorie: 1,240
fat: 69 g (Saturated Fat: 21 g)
sodium: 2,640 mg
carbohydrates: 119 g (dietary fiber: 9 g, carbohydrates: 8 g)
protein: 43 grams
name”Veggie GuacamolePutting “avocado” on a sandwich makes it seem like a nutritious option — who doesn’t want to get some fiber and healthy fats from avocado and veggies? Unfortunately, the name is misleading, because this sandwich is one of Quiznos’ most calorie-dense menu items.
Quiznos Large Turkey Bacon Guacamole
Nutrition facts (per large sub):
calorie: 1,260
fat: 55 g (Saturated Fat: 15 g)
sodium: 3,610 mg
carbohydrates: 117 g (dietary fiber: 7 g, carbohydrates: 8 g)
protein: 75 grams
Another high-calorie Quiznos menu item is Turkey Bacon Guacamole Sandwichthat’s far more calories than most people want to consume in one meal. Even though you’re getting some lean protein from the turkey and some healthy fats and fiber from the guacamole, you’re probably much better off skipping the sandwich, or at least ordering the smaller size.
Subway Tuna Sub
Nutrition Facts (per 12 inch sub):
calorie: 1,360
fat: 95 g (Saturated fatty acids: 17 g, Trans fatty acids: 2 g)
sodium: 1,970 mg
carbohydrates: 75 g (dietary fiber: 3 g, carbohydrates: 8 g)
protein: 63 grams
Tuna is one of the healthiest fish you can eat when you want to top up on nutritious protein, but if you’re watching your calorie intake, you might be better off getting it from elsewhere. Footlong Tuna Sub This sandwich from Subway has a whopping 1,360 calories and nearly 2,000 milligrams of sodium. Even the 63 grams of protein just isn’t worth it.
Jersey Mike’s Big Kahuna Cheesesteak
Nutritional Information (Giant Size):
calorie: 1,380
fat: 52 g (Saturated Fat: 23 g)
sodium: 4,754 mg
carbohydrates: 126 g (dietary fiber: 7 g, carbohydrates: 19 g)
protein: 99 grams
Jersey Mike’s Big Kahuna Cheesesteak Sandwich It’s loaded with veggies, cheese, and meat, and while it’s flavorful and will satisfy a strong cheesesteak craving, at 1,380 calories it’s just not worth it. Plus, it has about 5,000 milligrams of sodium, more than double the recommended daily intake.
Quiznos Large Classic Italian
Nutrition facts (per large sub):
calorie: 1,430
fat: 82 g (Saturated Fat: 25 g)
sodium: 5,140 mg
carbohydrates: 117 g (dietary fiber: 6 g, carbohydrates: 11 g)
protein: 61 grams
Large Classic Italian Sub The Quiznos sandwich has nearly 1,500 calories, enough for at least two meals, and the sandwich also contains 25 grams of saturated fat, nearly double the daily limit of 13 grams. American Heart Association Although small amounts of saturated fatty acids are not a problem, excessive intake Increased risk of heart disease.
Subway The Beast
Nutrition Facts (per 12 inch sub):
calorie: 1,460
fat: 88 g (Saturated fatty acids: 28 g, Trans fatty acids: 2 g)
sodium: 4,160 mg
carbohydrates: 90 g (dietary fiber: 6 g, carbohydrates: 14 g)
protein: 80 grams
“Beast“, it’s no surprise that this Subway sandwich makes the list. The sub is topped with a half-pound of meat, including turkey, salami, pepperoni, ham and roast beef, plus double the portions of mayonnaise, vinaigrette and provolone cheese.
Jimmy John’s Beach Club
Nutritional Information (per 16 inch sub):
calorie: 1,710
fat: 78 g (Saturated fatty acids: 28 g, Trans fatty acids: 1.5 g)
sodium: 4,090 mg
carbohydrates: 149 g (dietary fiber: 13 g, carbohydrates: 6 g)
protein: 91 grams
At Jimmy John’s, you can order any sandwich on 16-inch French bread (longer than a Subway footlong), but it’s fair to say that this sandwich is a little on the larger side for the average person. Beach ClubFor example, the has over 1,700 calories, 28 grams of saturated fat, 4,090 milligrams of sodium, and nearly 150 grams of carbohydrates. The good news is that you don’t have to order the extra large to enjoy this sandwich. Try the lettuce-wrapped “Unwich” option instead, which is just 500 calories.
Jersey Mike’s Giant Original Italian
Nutritional Information (Giant Size):
calorie: 1,730
fat: 103 g (Saturated fatty acids: 27 g, Trans fatty acids: 1 g)
sodium: 4,470 mg
carbohydrates: 120 g (dietary fiber: 8 g, carbohydrates: 18 g)
protein: 80 grams
of Classic Italian Sub Jersey Mike’s sandwich is even worse than Quiznos’ version in terms of calories and nutrition: With 1,730 calories, 103 grams of fat, 4,470 milligrams of sodium, and 120 grams of carbohydrates, it’s one of the worst sandwiches you can order. On top of that, the sandwich contains 1 gram of trans fat, a type of fat that’s linked to clogged arteries, heart disease, and heart attacks. World Health Organization We recommend avoiding it whenever possible.
Jimmy John’s Italian Nightclub
Nutritional Information (per 16 inch sub):
calorie: 1,860
fat: 91 g (Saturated Fat: 27 g)
sodium: 5,700 mg
carbohydrates: 153 g (dietary fiber: 12 g, carbohydrates: 10 g)
protein: 96 grams
of Jimmy John’s Italian Nightclub If you order it as an unwich, it’s not too bad (580 calories), and if you order it on an 8-inch pan, it’s not as high in calories as other menu options (930 calories). But if you order it on a 16-inch pan, this sub clocks in at 1,860 calories and nearly 6,000 milligrams of sodium.
Jimmy John’s Giant Sandwich
Nutritional Information (per 16 inch sub):
calorie: 2,160
fat: 98 g (Saturated fatty acids: 30 g, Trans fatty acids: 0.5 g)
sodium: 7,850 mg
carbohydrates: 156 g (dietary fiber: 13 g, carbohydrates: 11 g)
protein: 156 grams
This sub Jimmy John’s is called The Gargantuan—Need I say more? If you order the extra large, the sandwich has over 2,160 calories, which is more than most people should consume in a day. Plus, it’s got a staggeringly high sodium content, at 7,850 milligrams, nearly 3.5 times the recommended daily intake.
Firehouse Large Italian Sub
Nutrition facts (per large sub):
calorie: 2,600
fat: 135 g (saturated fat: 33.5 g)
sodium: 7,050 mg
carbohydrates: 215 g (dietary fiber: 11 g, carbohydrates: 56 g)
protein: 132 grams
The final three sandwiches are all from Firehouse and each have more than 2,500 calories. Firehouse Large Italian Sub It might not seem so bad at first. It has all the toppings you’d expect on an Italian sandwich: salami, pepperoni, cheese, lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise, and Italian dressing. But the large size means it’s overloaded with 2,600 calories and over 7,000 milligrams of sodium. Plus, the sandwich contains 215 grams of carbohydrates and 56 grams of sugar, a combination that’s sure to spike your blood sugar.
Firehouse Large Meatball Sub
Nutrition facts (per large sub):
calorie: 2,635
fat: 158 g (Saturated fat: 61.5 g)
sodium: 6,335 mg
carbohydrates: 194 g (dietary fiber: 12 g, carbohydrates: 29 g)
protein: 117 grams
classic Meatball Sub A large Firehouse sandwich topped with melted cheese contains 2,635 calories, nearly three times the recommended daily intake of saturated fat. If you want a meatball sandwich, order the small, which is 890 calories. That’s still pretty high, but it’s better than consuming a day’s worth of calories all at once.
Firehouse Large Pepperoni Pizza Meatball Sub
Nutrition facts (per large sub):
calorie: 4,075
fat: 128 g (Saturated fat: 61.5 g)
sodium: 6,335 mg
carbohydrates: 194 g (dietary fiber: 12 g, carbohydrates: 29 g)
protein: 117 grams
Last but not least, the most calorie-dense fast food sandwich on this list is Large Pepperoni Pizza Meatball Sub Firehouse Meatball Sub. This sandwich is similar to a classic meatball sub, but it’s topped with provolone cheese and pepperoni slices. With twice the calories that most people consume in a day, this sub is unhealthy and should be avoided at all costs.
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