What is the lowest sodium option at Subway?

October 19, 2025 •

2 min read

According to the CDC, over 70% of the sodium Americans consume comes from processed and restaurant foods, making fast-food choices a major concern for those watching their intake. So, what is the lowest sodium option at Subway when you want a quick, convenient meal without the high salt content?

Quick Summary

The lowest sodium option at Subway is the Veggie Delite sub or salad, which can be customized further for an even lower sodium count. Key modifications include choosing the right bread, opting for low-sodium cheese and sauces, and loading up on fresh vegetables.

Key Points

Lowest Sodium Base: The Veggie Delite sandwich or salad is the lowest-sodium starting point on the Subway menu, providing a fresh vegetable base with minimal salt content.
Choose Your Bread Wisely: Stick to the low-sodium bread options like Artisan Italian, Multigrain, or Artisan Flatbread, and avoid high-sodium wraps and flavored breads.
Opt for Low-Sodium Fillings: Stick to fresh vegetables, low-sodium Swiss cheese or Parmesan, and lean grilled chicken to keep sodium levels down.
Control Condiments and Toppings: Sauces can hide a lot of sodium; use oil and vinegar for a 0 mg sodium dressing, or choose regular mayonnaise for a lower sodium creamy option.
Be Mindful of High-Sodium Items: Avoid processed deli meats, brined vegetables, high-sodium sauces like Buffalo, and all soups to minimize sodium intake.
Customize Your Order: The key to a low-sodium meal at Subway is customization; always request less or no cheese, and ask for oil and vinegar as your dressing.

Navigating Subway's Menu for Low Sodium Choices

Finding low-sodium options at Subway can be challenging due to high sodium content in processed meats, breads, and sauces. Customization is essential for minimizing sodium intake.

The Lowest Sodium Foundation: The Veggie Delite

The Veggie Delite sandwich is the lowest-sodium base on the menu. Ordering it as a salad further reduces sodium by eliminating the bread. A 6-inch Veggie Delite on Hearty Multigrain bread with standard vegetables has approximately 370 mg of sodium. A Veggie Delite salad is an even lower sodium choice.

Comparing Common Subway Options (6-inch sub)

Here is a comparison of the approximate base sodium content of popular 6-inch subs with default ingredients:


Sandwich	Base Sodium (mg)	Notes
Veggie Delite	370	Significantly lower than meat options.
Grilled Chicken	580	A good lean protein choice when customized.
Roast Beef	670	Lean meat but higher sodium than chicken.
Tuna Salad	690	High fat, moderately high sodium.
Oven Roasted Turkey	760	The processing of deli meat increases sodium.

Note: These values are approximate and can vary based on regional ingredients and exact customization.

How to Build a Low-Sodium Subway Sandwich or Salad

To minimize sodium, follow these guidelines:

Start with a Low-Sodium Base: The Veggie Delite is best. For meat, choose Grilled Chicken or Rotisserie-Style Chicken. A salad base is lower in sodium than bread.
Choose the Right Bread: Opt for Artisan Italian, Multigrain, or Artisan Flatbread. Avoid high-sodium flavored breads and wraps.
Pick Low-Sodium Cheese: Swiss (30 mg), Fresh Mozzarella (55 mg), and Parmesan (25 mg) are lower sodium options. Skipping cheese reduces sodium further.
Embrace the Veggies: Load up on fresh vegetables, which are low in sodium. Limit brined vegetables like pickles and olives, which are higher in sodium.
Select Low-Sodium Sauces and Dressings: Oil and red wine vinegar have 0 mg sodium. Regular mayonnaise has 65 mg for a 6-inch sub. Fat-Free Sweet Onion and Honey Mustard are also relatively low in sodium.
Mind Your Sides: Avoid high-sodium soups. Choose apple slices over chips or cookies.

Summary of Low-Sodium Ordering Strategy

Customizing your order is key to a lower sodium meal at Subway. The Veggie Delite provides the lowest sodium starting point, but smart choices with meat, bread, cheese, and sauces can help reduce sodium in other options as well.

Additional Low-Sodium Considerations

Consulting Subway's official nutritional information is recommended for the most accurate and up-to-date details.

Conclusion

While fast food can be high in sodium, you can find a lower sodium option at Subway. The Veggie Delite, particularly as a salad, is the lowest sodium choice. Strategic customization of bread, cheese, sauces, and vegetables is crucial for managing sodium intake on any order.

Authoritative Outbound Link

For the most up-to-date nutritional information, including allergen warnings and detailed ingredient breakdowns, you can visit the official Subway nutritional site.

Frequently Asked Questions

The lowest sodium bread options at Subway are typically the Artisan Italian, Multigrain, and Artisan Flatbread, all of which contain significantly less sodium than the flavored or wrap options.

Oil and red wine vinegar are the lowest-sodium dressing options at Subway, containing 0 mg of sodium. Regular mayonnaise is also a decent option, with 65 mg of sodium for a 6-inch portion.

Yes, many cheeses can add a significant amount of sodium. However, Swiss and Parmesan cheese are the lowest-sodium choices, or you can opt to go without cheese entirely to keep the sodium count down.

To reduce sodium in a meat sandwich, start with lean, non-processed meats like Grilled Chicken or Rotisserie-Style Chicken, choose a low-sodium bread, skip the cheese, and add low-sodium sauces and fresh vegetables.

A salad is typically the lowest-sodium option because it eliminates the bread, which contributes a significant amount of salt. Building a Veggie Delite salad with oil and vinegar is an excellent choice.

You should be cautious with brined toppings like pickles and olives, which are higher in sodium. Additionally, many pre-made and creamy sauces contain high sodium levels and are best limited or avoided.

No, the soups at Subway are generally very high in sodium and should be avoided if you are trying to keep your sodium intake low.