Subway Fast Food for Diabetics – What to Eat
Clarissa Aranda is a Senior Copywriter at CopilotIQ. She's been writing in healthcare for the past eight years, focusing on mental health, sexual health, weight loss, dermatology, and chronic conditions. Clarissa is an expert in making complicated health-related topics easier to understand, giving the reader more power and knowledge.
Dr. Alice Greene received her medical degree from University of Pennsylvania and completed residency in Internal Medicine at New York University. Dr. Greene is board-certified in Internal Medicine and completed a Primary Care Psychiatry Fellowship at the University of California at Irvine. She received her B.A. in English from Columbia University.
Dr. Greene has dedicated over twenty years of her career as an Assistant Professor at Stony Brook Medicine. During her tenure, she played a pivotal role in pioneering the field of Lifestyle Medicine, bringing about a transformative shift in the conventional medical approach to disease management. Her work focused on addressing the fundamental underlying causes of illness, paving the way for a more holistic and proactive approach to healthcare.
Eating at Subway With Diabetes
Can you eat at Subway when you have diabetes? The answer is yes if you’re extra careful with your order. While bread and processed meat aren’t ideal for controlling your blood sugar—Subway is one of the better fast food options for people with diabetes. There are plenty of satisfying sandwiches that can be tailored to fit any dietary needs or preference if you do your research beforehand. When it comes to selecting sandwiches, the key is to pick options that are lower in saturated fat, sodium and sugar, while still providing enough protein.
The Best Subway Sandwiches For Diabetics
When it comes to choosing your sandwich, your best route is to focus on customization. But there are a few classic sandwiches Subway offers that you can order to fit your dietary needs. The healthiest sandwich at Subway is the Veggie Delite. This sandwich has a whopping amount of nutrition packed into each bite, making it an ideal fast food breakfast choice for people with diabetes. The Veggie Delite sandwich comes loaded with vegetables including lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, onions, and olives. Some other sandwich options include:
- Oven-roasted turkey
- Rotisserie-style chicken
- Veggie Delight
- Steak & cheese
How to Build Your Diabetic-friendly Subway Sandwich: a Step-by-step Guide
- Bread: always choose toasty hearty multigrain
- Meat: oven-roasted turkey, rotisserie-style chicken, and grilled chicken
- Cheese: skip
- Vegetables: pack your sandwiches with vegetables for extra nutrition
- Condiments: red wine vinegar, olive oil, honey mustard, yellow mustard, buffalo sauce, creamy sriracha, sweet onion teriyaki are all great choices to add some flavor
What to Not Order When Eating at Subway
- Skip the cookies at Subway, they’re loaded with sugar and carbs. It’s important to stay clear from them and fill up on your meal before you’re tempted to reach out for one.
- Processed meat is not the best choice for managing diabetes—if possible, stick with rotisserie style chicken, grilled chicken, steak, or tuna.
- When choosing bread, stay away from white bread and always choose the hearty multigrain.
What to Order Besides Sandwiches at Subway
If you’re open to enjoying something other than a sandwich, the No Bready Bowl™ is a great alternative. Some of the healthier choices are: the rotisserie-style chicken bowl, the buffalo chicken bowl (skip the ranch), the grilled chicken bowl, or the oven-roasted turkey bowl. You can also have a salad with protein (chicken, turkey, tuna) and low-fat dressing.
What to Order for Breakfast at Subway if You Have Diabetes
- Egg and cheese on flatbread
- Egg whites wrap on flatbread
Pro-tip: for balanced nutrition and a little crunch, add all your favorite veggies to your breakfast sandwich (we like lettuce, tomatoes, and green peppers). And add buffalo sauce for extra flavor.
What to Order to Drink
When it comes to drinks, you’ll need to choose a beverage that is low in sugar and carbohydrates. Some options include:
- Unsweetened iced tea or tea with sugar-free sweeteners
- Diet soda or other sugar- beverages
- Black coffee with sugar-free syrup
Please note that sugar-free drinks may still contain artificial sweeteners that can affect blood sugar levels differently for different people. It’s always a good idea to check with a healthcare provider or dietitian to determine which drinks are best for your individual needs and health goals.
It’s important to review nutrition information and ingredient lists on the restaurant’s website or ask your healthcare provider for assistance. Additionally, portion control and balancing the meal with non-starchy vegetables can help manage blood sugar levels.
If you’re looking for more guidance on what to eat with type 2 diabetes, contact CopilotIQ. We provide personalized nutrition plans, unlimited access to a personal nurse, and advanced remote monitoring.
Join the 1000’s of CopilotIQ members reversing their diabetes and blood pressure.
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