The Protein in a Subway Veggie Patty

Subway restaurants first sold sandwiches in 1965 and now operates more than 34,000 locations around the world. Subway offers a variety of healthy and nutritious foods. The veggie patty is a vegetable burger that contains no meat and is a healthy choice for vegetarians or individuals looking for a meat alternative. It is a good source of protein that is also low in fat and contains no cholesterol.

Subway sandwich. (Image: klenova/iStock/Getty Images)

Veggie Patty Protein

The protein content for a Subway veggie patty for the amount typically found on a 6-inch sub sandwich or salad is 15g of protein. There are 23g of protein in a 6-inch veggie patty nine-grain whole-wheat bread sandwich with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, green peppers and cucumbers. The protein content of an entire sandwich can vary depending on how it is made. The breads at Subway contain between 7 and 10g of protein per 6 inches and adding bacon, pepperoni or cheese can increase total protein with bacon and pepperoni adding 3g and the cheese adding between 2 and 4g.

Function of Protein

Protein is in every cell and is required for the body to function properly. The body digests protein into amino acids. There are 20 different types of amino acid classified as either essential or nonessential. The body can't produce essential amino acids, so they must come from the diet. The body uses amino acids to digest food and to help the body grow. The 20 amino acids are made into various types of protein which are involved in nearly every process or reaction in the body. A diet lacking adequate protein can cause growth failure, muscle loss, increased risk of infection and poor functioning of the heart and respiratory system.

Dietary Reference Intakes

The Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine sets dietary reference intakes or DRIs for vitamins, minerals and macronutrients, such as protein and fat. The recommended daily allowances or RDAs for protein in adults in 46g per day for women and 56g for men. The RDA is the amount needed to meet the needs of 97 to 98 percent of a population. Protein needs increase to 71g per day for pregnant and nursing women while adolescents require 34g and children between 13 and 19g per day. In terms of energy needs, the Institute of Medicine recommends adults get 10 to 35 percent of their calories from protein with 1g of protein having 4 calories. A Subway veggie patty makes a significant contribution to daily protein needs.

Considerations

The veggie patty at Subway is a healthy option as the amount on a typical 6-inch sandwich has 160 calories and is low in cholesterol, fat and saturated fat. However it does contain 520mg of sodium and when combined with the nine-grain whole-wheat bread and vegetable condiments the sodium increases to 930mg. In general, you should consume less than 1,500mg of sodium per day, as too much sodium in the diet raises blood pressure, which can increase the risk of heart and kidney disease and stroke.