Who Makes A Healthier Classic Italian Sub, Jersey Mike's Or McAlister's Deli?

Italian subs are always a tempting choice when you're grabbing a sandwich for lunch. But if you're checking those nutrition facts, you might be surprised to find that one can be quite a bit healthier than another. Compared to subs featuring lean meats, like turkey, Italian subs that are loaded with fattier cold cuts, like salami, have never really been considered the "healthy" choice. Still, if you're watching your sugar or sodium intake, you'll want to know what you're putting in your body — even when you occasionally indulge. If you are choosing between two of the fastest-growing and most popular national sandwich chains, Jersey Mike's and McAlister's Deli, you'll find the former is the healthier choice.

In general, the nutrients that the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) tells people to limit are saturated fat, trans fat, sodium, and sugar. While the two chains aren't that different when it comes to three of those categories, the Italian sub from McAlister's Deli has a far greater amount of sodium versus that of Jersey Mike's. Comparing a regular-sized Jersey Mike's sub (normally around seven inches) to McAlister's six-inch sub, the latter has a whopping 3,560 milligrams of sodium, which is 148% of your entire day's sodium content, and nearly 1,000 milligrams more than Jersey Mike's 2,571. To put that into perspective, the FDA suggests a maximum limit of 2,300 milligrams per day, based on a 2,000-calorie diet. While either sub is fine to enjoy every now and then, it's not necessarily something you want to get in the habit of eating all the time.

Outside of sodium, the two sandwiches are not that different, which makes McAlister's massive sodium levels all the harder to ignore. From a fat standpoint, the two are basically identical; Jersey Mike's has a little less saturated fat at 14.2 grams compared to McAlister's 16 grams, while having a small amount of trans fat — 0.36 grams — to McAlister's zero. Jersey Mike's also has a little more sugar, at 9.9 grams, while McAlister's has only 8. Given that trans fat is regarded as being worse for you than saturated fat, McAlister's Deli might've actually had the advantage nutritionally, but the sodium difference still overrides the minor win there.

If you are looking at the positive macros, protein and fiber, the two chains are basically identical when it comes to Italian subs. Jersey Mike's has slightly more protein, with 46.8 grams versus McAlister's 45. Considering that Jersey Mike's sub is slightly bigger, and has about 150 more calories because of this, McAlister's Italian sub is maybe a little better, calorie-wise. Jersey Mike's does have about 50% more fiber, assuming you opt for white bread for both, though. However neither is a huge source, with Jersey Mike's boasting about 4.5 grams and McAlister's Deli containing 3 grams. Of course you can bump both of those values to over 6 grams, if you opt for a whole grain option on either menu; although, with an Italian sub, white bread is usually the go-to. Beyond sodium content, none of these numbers exclude these sandwiches from occasionally being part of a balanced diet — just watch that salt intake over the long run.