As one of the most popular sandwich shops in the world, Subway serves up a lot of bacon every day. Bacon has become a beloved topping for adding flavor and crunch to Subway’s sandwiches and breakfast items. But have you ever wondered exactly what their famous bacon is made of?
In this article, we’ll dig into everything you need to know about Subway’s ingredients, processing methods nutrition facts and more. Read on for an in-depth look at the controversial Subway bacon.
Overview of Subway’s Bacon
Subway uses real cured pork belly for their bacon. It arrives at stores pre-cooked and frozen in batches. Here is a quick rundown of how Subway bacon is made:
- Cured using water, salt, sugar, smoke flavor, sodium phosphate, sodium erythorbate, and sodium nitrite
- Smoked for flavor
- Cooked
- Sliced into strips
- Packaged frozen and shipped to Subway locations
The curing process is essential for preservation and adding taste. Once cured, smoked, and cooked, the bacon is ready for slicing and freezing.
Nutrition Facts
Here are the nutrition facts for two slices (28g) of Subway bacon:
- Calories: 45
- Fat: 4g
- Sodium: 190mg
This is pretty standard nutrition content compared to other bacons. Two slices of most brands have around 40-50 calories and 4-5g of fat.
Subway’s bacon is relatively low in fat, sodium, and calories compared to the average 2,000 calorie diet recommendations. However, nutritionists caution that even “healthy” bacon is high in sodium, saturated fat, and cholesterol.
Subway’s Bacon Ingredients
Now let’s examine the ingredients list for Subway’s bacon:
- Pork cured with water, salt, sugar, smoke flavoring, sodium phosphate, sodium erythorbate, sodium nitrite
There are no unusual additives or chemicals. These are all typical meat curing agents used to preserve bacon and add flavor. Here’s what each one does:
- Water and salt cure the pork belly
- Sugar balances saltiness and adds sweetness
- Smoke flavor provides smoky taste
- Sodium phosphate keeps moisture and enhances flavor
- Sodium erythorbate maintains uniform color
- Sodium nitrite prevents bacteria growth
The ingredients prove Subway uses real cured pork belly rather than artificial bacon bits.
Preparation Process
Subway’s preparation process is straightforward:
- Bacon arrives pre-cooked frozen
- Thawed overnight in fridge
- Placed on paper and microwaved until hot
- Crispy reheated bacon assembled into sandwiches
Despite myths, Subway’s bacon is fully pre-cooked to safe temperatures before shipping. The limp look of thawed bacon is cosmetic and not a safety issue.
Is Subway’s Bacon Healthy?
While two slices of Subway bacon seem decent nutritionally, nutritionists caution against making it a regular part of your diet due to the high sodium, saturated fat, and cholesterol.
When added to sandwiches, bacon also significantly increases the fat, sodium, and calorie content. Most experts recommend enjoying Subway’s bacon occasionally as a treat, not a daily habit.
Customization Options
One benefit of Subway is the total sandwich customization. You can spice up bacon sandwiches with veggies, sauces, seasonings, and cheese choices. Subway also offers alternative proteins like turkey, chicken, and plant-based options.
While Subway only has traditional pork bacon, the array of toppings and proteins let you build a customized bacon sandwich suited to your preferences.
The Bottom Line
Is Subway’s Tuna Sandwich Actually Made of Tuna?
Does subway have turkey bacon & avocado?
Turkey, Bacon & Avocado is #40 on the Subway Series menu, and for a nice, round number like 40, this wrap deserves a more cohesive combination of flavors. Perhaps a smoked or honey-glazed turkey would have helped, or crisper and more present strips of bacon would have done the trick.
What’s in a Subway sandwich?
From the classics, like meatball marinara and roast beef, to special sammies you can only find for a limited time or at certain restaurants (because of franchise). Here’s our ranked list of the nation’s Subway sandwiches. 13. Veggie Delite What’s in it: I t’s basically all the toppings: lettuce, spinach, tomato, cucumber, green pepper and red onion
What’s in a subway wrap?
This wrap is filled with lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, red onions, cucumbers, roasted garlic aioli and MVP Parmesan Vinaigrette. “Wraps have become an afterthought on restaurant menus with uninspiring choices and snack-size portions that leave you wanting more,” Paul Fabre, Subway’s SVP of culinary and innovation, said in a press release.
Does subway have a ham sandwich?
Yum. A small number of Subway restaurants offer regional variations to their menu, so this is not to be confused with the All-American Club. That’s a little bit different—it has turkey, ham, hickory-smoked bacon, and American cheese—but it is only available in certain Subway outlets across the country.
What kind of bread does subway eat?
Subway’s new wraps are served on hearty, lavash-style flatbread – its first new bread option in three years. Inspired by Middle Eastern cuisine, Subway’s new lavash-style flatbread has a soft and bubbly texture. It also holds more ingredients than a wheat tortilla, giving Subway’s new wraps a footlong protein portion in a six-inch size.
Does subway have a chicken wrap?
In the Subway Series, it’s bestowed upon the new 670-calorie Homestyle Chicken wrap, which is accompanied by lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions. While the chicken in this salad is a little too pulled and stringy for my liking, it still has a toothsome, salty flavor to it that does evoke a bit of a homey feel.