How many carbs are in a Subway 6 inch tuna?

Quick Answer

A 6-inch Subway tuna sandwich, without extras or dressings, contains around 37 grams of carbohydrates. This number can vary slightly depending on the specific ingredients and amounts used in each sandwich.

Calculating Subway Tuna Sandwich Carbs

To determine the carbohydrate content of a Subway tuna sandwich, we need to look at the carb count of each individual ingredient that goes into making the sandwich. Here are the typical ingredients and their carb counts:

Bread

The 6-inch sub roll at Subway contains around 23 grams of net carbs (total carbs minus fiber). Subway’s white Italian bread and 9-grain wheat bread have similar carb contents.

Tuna Salad

Subway’s tuna salad is made with flaked tuna, mayonnaise, and a variety of seasonings and spices. Plain tuna is very low in carbs, while mayonnaise contains around 1 gram of carbs per tablespoon. The seasonings likely add minimal carbs. A typical 6-inch tuna salad portion probably contains around 5 grams of carbs.

Cheese

A standard serving of cheese is around 1-2 slices, containing 1-2 grams of carbs depending on type of cheese. So cheese adds a minimal amount to the overall carb count.

Veggies

Veggies like lettuce, tomatoes, onions, pickles, and spinach contain 2-4 grams of carbs per serving. So vegetable toppings add a few extra carbs.

Sauces and Dressings

Subway’s sauces and dressings vary in carb content:

Ranch dressing 2g carbs per sauce packet
Light mayo 0g carbs per sauce packet
Sweet onion sauce 9g carbs per sauce packet
Honey mustard 5g carbs per sauce packet

So sauces and dressings can add anywhere from 0-10 grams of carbs to the sandwich.

Total Carb Count

Accounting for all these ingredients, a 6-inch Subway tuna sandwich typically contains around 37 grams of carbohydrates. This includes:

  • 23g carbs from bread
  • 5g carbs from tuna salad
  • 2g carbs from cheese
  • 4g carbs from veggies
  • 3g carbs from sauce/dressing

The exact total carb count can vary a few grams in either direction based on portion sizes and ingredients. Requesting extra cheese or sauce will increase the carb count, while skipping the sauce or dressing can lower it. Overall though, a plain 6-inch tuna sandwich with standard ingredients contains right around 37g total carbs.

Low Carb Options

Here are some tips for reducing the carb count of your Subway tuna sandwich:

  • Ask for a salad instead of a sandwich.
  • Get it as a wrap using a lower carb tortilla.
  • Load up on veggies but go easy on sauces.
  • Opt for mustard, vinegar, or oil & vinegar dressing.
  • Order a double meat or triple meat tuna salad sandwich.
  • Ask for extra cheese and limit other high carb toppings.

Following one or more of these suggestions can help cut the carbs by 10g or more, for a lower carb tuna sandwich option.

Nutrition Facts

Based on our analysis above, here are the full nutrition facts for a 6-inch Subway tuna sandwich:

Nutrient Amount
Calories 380
Total Fat 12g
Saturated Fat 2.5g
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 45mg
Sodium 730mg
Total Carbohydrates 37g
Dietary Fiber 4g
Sugar 6g
Protein 32g

As you can see, the tuna sandwich provides a significant amount of protein (32g) along with some fiber, vitamins, and minerals. The 37g of carbs come mostly from the bread.

Glycemic Index

The glycemic index (GI) is a measure of how quickly a food causes an increase in blood sugar levels. Foods are ranked on a scale of 0 to 100 based on their GI value.

The GI can vary for submarine sandwiches depending on the type of bread used. White bread tends to have a higher GI around 70-80, while whole wheat bread is lower around 50-60. This means Subway tuna sandwiches made with white bread will cause a faster rise in blood sugar than whole wheat.

Overall, Subway tuna subs without extra sugars or dressings would be considered low to moderate on the glycemic index scale.

Carb Count for 12 inch vs 6 inch

Subway also offers footlong, 12-inch subs in addition to the 6-inch size.

Given that the 12-inch contains about double the bread and filling ingredients, the carb count scales accordingly.

Here are the estimated carb counts:

  • 6-inch tuna sub: 37g carbs
  • 12-inch tuna sub: 74g carbs

As shown, sticking with the 6-inch sub can cut the carb count almost in half, at around 40g less carbs than the footlong. Going for the smaller size is an easy way to reduce carbs if you’re watching your intake.

Carb Count for Sandwich vs Salad

Ordering a Subway tuna salad instead of a sandwich is another simple method to lower carbs.

Here are the estimated carb differences:

  • 6-inch tuna sandwich: 37g carbs
  • Tuna salad with dressing: 25g carbs

Choosing the salad saves you at least 12g of carbs compared to the sandwich. And you can reduce the salad carb count further by skipping croutons, going light on dressing, and loading up on low carb veggies like spinach, cucumbers, tomatoes and more.

Keto Diet Guidelines

For people following a ketogenic or very low carb diet, a Subway tuna sandwich may not fit within their daily carb limits. Here are some tips for ordering keto-friendly options at Subway:

  • Get a salad bowl instead of a sub
  • Ask for extra meat and cheese
  • Load up on veggies like spinach, peppers, cucumbers
  • Avoid croutons, dressings, sauces
  • Use vinegar and oil instead of dressings
  • Opt for a lettuce wrap instead of bread
  • Order double or triple meat and cheese

Following these suggestions can bring the carb count down to around 10g total carbs or less. This allows tuna salad from Subway to fit within a keto diet as long as servings of other higher carb foods are minimized that day.

Subway Tuna Salad vs Store Bought

How does Subway’s tuna salad compare to pre-packaged tuna salads you can buy at the grocery store?

Here is a nutrition comparison of a 6-inch Subway tuna sub versus 1 serving (1/4 cup) of StarKist chunk light tuna salad:

Nutrient Subway Tuna (6-inch) StarKist Tuna Salad (1/4 cup)
Calories 380 90
Fat 12g 3.5g
Carbs 37g 7g
Protein 32g 12g

The pre-made StarKist tuna salad has fewer calories and carbs due to smaller serving size. But when adjusted to equal serving sizes, the nutrition stats are fairly comparable between Subway’s freshly made tuna salad and the pre-packaged kind. Subway does use more fiber-rich whole grain bread, providing a nutritional advantage.

Tuna Salad Uses

In addition to subs and sandwiches, here are some other tasty ways to eat and enjoy tuna salad:

  • Stuffed into tomatoes or avocado halves
  • On top of salads or spinach
  • Inside lettuce wrap rolls
  • As a dip with veggie sticks
  • In stuffed bell peppers
  • On top of zucchini noodles or spiraled veggies
  • As a filling for celery stalks
  • In scooped out cucumbers
  • On low carb crackers or crispbreads
  • In stuffed mushroom caps

Using tuna salad in lettuce wraps, vegetables, or zucchini noodles eliminates the carbs from bread while still letting you enjoy the tasty tuna mixture. This makes it easy to incorporate into low carb and keto diets.

Making Your Own

While buying pre-made tuna salad is convenient, making it yourself at home allows you to control the ingredients and nutrition.

Here is an easy homemade tuna salad recipe:

Ingredients

  • 2 (5 ounce) cans tuna, drained
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp relish
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup chopped celery
  • 1/4 cup diced onion
  • 1 tsp mustard
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, mix together tuna, mayonnaise, relish, lemon juice, celery, onion, mustard, salt and pepper until well blended.
  2. Refrigerate until ready to use.
  3. Enjoy on bread, lettuce wraps, veggies or salads!

Tips:

  • Use Greek yogurt instead of mayo to reduce calories and fat.
  • Add chopped dill pickles, jalapenos, or other vegetables.
  • Use low carb mayo or dressings to decrease carbs.
  • Experiment with different spices like dill, paprika, garlic powder.

Making homemade tuna salad allows for total control over the nutrition profile. You can adjust ingredients as needed to reduce carbs, calories, or fat and customize the flavor.

Storing Leftover Tuna Salad

Here are some tips for storing leftover tuna salad:

  • Fridge: Store tuna salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
  • Freezer: It can also be frozen for longer storage. Freeze in portions in air-tight bags or containers for 1-2 months.
  • Safety: Discard tuna if it has an off smell or appearance.
  • Use: Use leftover tuna salad on sandwiches, salads, veggie boats, or crackers.

Properly stored tuna salad will maintain its safety and quality for several days in the fridge or up to a couple months in the freezer. Use leftovers to quickly prepare delicious and nutritious lunches and snacks.

Conclusion

A 6-inch Subway tuna sandwich contains around 37 grams of carbohydrates, coming mostly from the bread. Asking for salad instead of bread or a wrap can reduce the carbs by about 12g. Further customizations like avoiding sauces and dressings or ordering extra meat and cheese can bring down the carb count substantially for a keto-friendly meal. Tuna salad can also be made at home, allowing full control over nutrition and ingredients. Overall, tuna salad from Subway or homemade can be a protein-packed lower carb option perfect for sandwiches, salads, lettuce wraps, and beyond.

Leave a Comment