In the age of convenience food, subs and sandwiches are ever popular and are often far healthier than competing fast-food items. However, it is important to calculate the calories of even healthy convenience foods to ensure that your diet stays within its allotted caloric range.
Calories in a White Sub Roll
According to Subway, a popular American sub shop, a six-inch Italian sub roll contains 200 calories. Compared to other sub rolls, this white roll is low in calories but contains little fiber, only one gram per serving. The six-inch, 9-grain wheat roll contains 210 calories and 4 grams of fiber. A six-inch serving of Parmesan oregano bread contains 220 calories and only 2 grams of fiber, and the same serving of Monterey cheddar bread contains 240 calories and 2 grams of fiber. The white Italian sub roll contains the fewest calories, but also the lowest amount of fiber, a nutrient that keeps you full much longer.
Protein, Sugar and Fat in White Sub Rolls
The Subway white sub roll contains only 7 grams of protein. This amount is less than other varieties Subway offers, including the honey oat bread, which has 9 grams of protein, and the Monterey cheddar, which has 10 grams of protein. If you are increasing protein and lowering carbs, choosing a sandwich with lean meats and vegetables and whole grains such as 9-grain wheat or honey oat is a better choice and will fuel you longer than the white sub roll.
Additionally, the white sub roll contains 2 grams of fat, total, with 0.5 grams of saturated fat. It contains 38 total grams of carbohydrates and 1 gram of dietary fiber. The white sub roll has 5 grams of sugar and 290 milligrams of sodium per serving.
Whole Grains vs. White Breads
You might wonder whether to choose a white sub roll over a whole-wheat sub roll at the sandwich shop. At first glance, the white sub roll is often lower in calories. However, it lacks many of the health benefits of the wheat sub roll. According to MayoClinic.com, the healthiest grains are in whole form. Whole grains are the actual seeds of the grasses used to make foods. They are unrefined, meaning that their bran and germ have not been extracted in the milling process. Whole grains, which still contain the germ and bran, contain more fiber than refined grains used to make white flour, white rice and white bread. Fiber aids digestion and leads to lasting fullness, helping a dieter trim calories and stay energized longer. Therefore, a whole-grain sub roll is more nutritious than a white sub roll.
Enriched Grains in White Sub Rolls
Most white sub rolls contain enriched wheat flour. Enriched flour has been milled, and the germ and bran have been removed from the grain. However, processors add back in the lost B vitamins and fortify the wheat with iron, folic acid and other minerals. While this does lead to a more nutritious bread, the enriched white flour still lacks the healthy fiber that whole-wheat and whole-grain breads and rolls contain. Therefore, when choosing the healthiest option, go for a bread containing whole grains to reap the healthy benefits of fiber and other vitamins and minerals.
The white sub roll does contain certain vitamins and minerals, however, and contains no cholesterol. According to Subway's nutritional data, the white sub roll has 30 percent of your daily recommended calcium and 15 percent of your daily recommended iron. The white roll, however, contains no vitamin A or vitamin C.
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