An Italian hoagie, also known as an Italian sub, is a sandwich made with Italian meats, cheeses, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, oil and vinegar. It is a very popular sandwich that can be found in many delis, sandwich shops and pizzerias. But with all those delicious ingredients packed into one hearty sandwich, many wonder just how many calories are in an Italian hoagie. In this comprehensive guide, we will break down the typical calorie count of a 10 inch Italian hoagie and the factors that affect the calories.
Calories in a 10 Inch Italian Hoagie
The total calories in a 10 inch Italian hoagie can range quite a bit depending on the specific ingredients used. According to MyFitnessPal, a 10 inch Italian hoagie or sub without cheese contains around 800 calories. When cheese is added, the calorie count goes up to about 1,000 calories. Here is a breakdown of the typical calorie count based on common ingredients:
- Hoagie roll: 350 calories
- 3 ounces deli meat (salami, ham, pepperoni): 150 calories
- Cheese (provolone or mozzarella): 80 calories
- Lettuce, tomato, onion, peppers: 50 calories
- Oil and vinegar dressing: 150 calories
- Total: Around 800 calories without cheese, 1,000 calories with cheese
The hoagie roll accounts for a large portion of the calories. Most 10 inch rolls provide between 300-400 calories. The deli meats also add a significant amount of calories, with most providing around 50 calories per ounce. The vegetable toppings provide very minimal calories. The oil and vinegar dressing can have quite a varying calorie count. Some light vinaigrettes may have just 50 calories whereas thicker, oil-based dressings could have 200+ calories.
Factors Affecting Calories
There are several factors that account for the range of calories in a 10 inch Italian hoagie:
- Bread type: Italians hoagies can be served on sub rolls, ciabatta, French bread or other hearty breads. Denser, larger rolls add more calories.
- Meat portions: More meats mean more calories. A heavily stacked sandwich will be higher in calories.
- Meat types: Higher fat meats like salami, pepperoni and capicola add more fat and calories than leaner meats like turkey and ham.
- Cheese: Adding cheese increases the calorie count by about 200 calories.
- Condiments: Mayo, oil and thicker salad dressings add more calories than mustard or a light vinegar dressing.
- Vegetable additions: More vegetables can slightly increase calories but also add more nutrients.
- Portion/chain size: Larger chain sub shops tend to have larger portions with more calories than independent delis.
Nutrition Information
In addition to calories, here is the nutrition information in an average 10 inch Italian hoagie:
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 800-1000 |
| Total Fat | 35-50g |
| Saturated Fat | 10-15g |
| Trans Fat | 0-2g |
| Cholesterol | 60-100mg |
| Sodium | 1500-2000mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 70-110g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2-4g |
| Sugars | 5-10g |
| Protein | 30-50g |
As you can see, the hoagie provides quite a bit of calories, fat and sodium. The hearty bread and fatty deli meats contribute most of these. To make your hoagie healthier, opt for leaner meats like turkey or chicken, load up on vegetable toppings and use oil-free dressings like balsamic vinegar.
Daily Calorie Needs
To determine if a 10 inch Italian hoagie fits into your daily calorie needs, you need to first figure out your recommended calorie intake. This varies based on factors like age, gender, height, weight and activity level. Here are some general daily calorie intake recommendations for adults:
- Women
- Sedentary (little to no exercise): 2000-2200 calories
- Moderately Active (light exercise 3-5 days/week): 2000-2400 calories
- Active (moderate exercise 3-5 days/week): 2400-2800 calories
- Men
- Sedentary (little to no exercise): 2400-2600 calories
- Moderately Active (light exercise 3-5 days/week): 2600-3000 calories
- Active (moderate exercise 3-5 days/week): 3000-3400 calories
As you can see, a 10 inch Italian hoagie with cheese providing around 1,000 calories makes up nearly half or more of your total daily calorie needs. Consuming subs this large and high in calories can easily lead to weight gain if eaten frequently. It is best to save these large subs for an occasional treat and balance it with lighter meals and snacks for the rest of the day.
Tips for Cutting Calories
Here are some tips to reduce the calorie count if you want to enjoy an Italian hoagie without going over your daily calorie budget:
- Choose a 6 inch or 8 inch sub instead of a footlong
- Pick lean deli meats like turkey, chicken or roast beef
- Load up on veggie toppings like lettuce, tomatoes, onions, peppers
- Use mustard instead of mayo-based spreads
- Opt for a lighter oil and vinegar dressing or drizzle balsamic vinegar
- Skip the cheese or just use a sprinkle
- Pick whole grain or multigrain bread instead of white
- Cut the sub in half and save one half for later
Following some of these tips can easily shave off 200-400 calories from your hoagie while still letting you enjoy the delicious Italian flavors.
Healthier Substitute Options
If you want a sandwich with a similar flavor profile but way less calories, here are some healthier Italian-style sub options:
- Turkey hoagie – A turkey breast sub has about half the calories of an Italian hoagie, providing around 400 calories for a footlong.
- Vegetable hoagie – Load your sub up with veggies instead of fatty meats for around 300 calories.
- Grilled chicken hoagie – Grilled chicken breast provides lean protein at just 100 calories for 3 ounces.
- Veggie wrap – Wrap all those sandwich fillings in a lower carb high fiber tortilla instead.
- Open faced sandwich – Cut those carbs and calories by using just one slice of bread.
- DIY sub salad – Toss all the hoagie fillings over a bed of greens instead of using bread.
High Calorie Sides to Avoid
Italian hoagies are often accompanied by very high calorie side dishes that can easily cause your meal to go over your calorie limits. Here are some common high calorie sides that are best to skip, limit or swap for healthier options:
- French fries – A large serving of fries can add 400-500+ calories
- Onion rings – Around 450 calories per serving
- Baked ziti – One cup provides about 430 calories
- Garlic bread – A 2 oz slice of cheesy garlic bread has 200+ calories
- Meatballs – Three large meatballs is 350 calories
- Chips – Average 150-200 calories per ounce of chips
Instead, pair your Italian hoagie with lower calorie sides like a side salad, steamed broccoli, air-popped popcorn or fresh fruit to keep calories in check.
Healthy Side Options Under 200 Calories
- Side salad with light dressing – 100 calories
- Steamed veggies – Around 100 calories per cup
- Minestrone soup – 150 calories per cup
- Fresh fruit salad – 100-150 calories
- Air-popped popcorn – About 100 calories per 3 cups
- Hummus and veggies – 186 calories per serving
Burning off the Calories from a Hoagie
If you indulged in a 1,000+ calorie footlong Italian hoagie, here is how long you would need to exercise to burn it off:
- Walking – 2 hours of brisk walking
- Running – 55 minutes of running at 6mph
- Jogging – 1 hour and 10 minutes of jogging at 4mph
- Swimming – 1 hour of swimming laps
- Hiking – 2 hours of hiking
- Cycling – 1 hour of bicycling at 12-14mph
As you can see, it takes a significant amount of exercise to negate the high calorie intake from large subs like hoagies. This shows why it is best to make hoagies an occasional indulgence balanced with healthier eating habits for your day-to-day meals.
Conclusion
An Italian hoagie can provide between 800-1000 calories depending on size and ingredients. Cheese, fatty meats, large bread portions and high calorie condiments drive up the calories quickly. Limiting portion size, choosing healthy fillings and avoiding high calorie sides can help keep calories of your hoagie in check. Enjoy this flavorful sub in moderation as part of an overall balanced diet.
