Think Twice Before Ordering The Italian Sub At Jersey Mike's
If you're watching your sodium intake and looking to get lunch from Jersey Mike's, you may want to reconsider. In our rundown of the unhealthiest sandwiches you can order from Jersey Mike's, a common problem we found was the amount of salt used by the chain. One example is the #13 Original Italian with around 2,570 mg of sodium in a regular-sized sandwich. The majority of the sodium comes from the many salty Italian meats contained in the sandwich.
Earlier this year, a version of this sandwich with hot pepper relish and chipotle mayo on the deli's rosemary Parmesan bread went viral on TikTok. This supposed "life-changing" version of the sandwich upped the sodium to around 3,429 mg. To put this number in context, the American Heart Association suggests most people consume around 1,500 mg of sodium per day, with the upper limit being around 2,300 mg per day. Even if this is just a once-in-a-while lunch, it's fair to wonder if this amount of salt is worth it.
The best ways to avoid all this sodium
If you want the #13 Original Italian sub from Jersey Mike's and are watching your sodium, the only way to get it close to the suggested daily intake from the American Heart Association is to order a mini. This is still just over 1,500 mg, leaving you 700-800 mg for the rest of your day before you go over the recommended maximum.
If you're too hungry for a mini, they do have other sandwiches that, while still having a lot, don't break the salt bank. The #12 Cranco Special, with pepperoni and roast beef, is one option with around 1,500 mg for a regular size. We may not be fans of the sandwich, but it's not as bad for you as the other options! The Chicken Salad Sub gets you even lower with a respectable 1,129 mg for a regular.
Unfortunately, while the Jersey Mike's hot steak sandwiches may be delicious, they are not good options for those lowering their salt intake. A regular-sized Buffalo Chicken Cheese steak with no modifications sits at 3,588 mg of sodium, blowing the suggested upper limit out of the water!