In addition to its many healthier offerings, Subway has now added calcium and vitamin D fortified bread to its menu, announces Mark Christiano, Subway brand's global baking specialist.
Now, each 6-inch serving of bread in the 24,000-plus U.S. restaurants provides 30 percent of the daily recommended value of calcium and 20 percent of the daily recommended value of vitamin D.
"Now, the calcium included in each 6-inch serving of bread has the nutritional equivalent of one glass of milk," Christiano says. "For years, our fresh baked bread has been a signature item for the Subway brand. It is the perfect vehicle to complete the great tasting sandwiches that people have grown accustomed to when they visit a Subway restaurant. Now, we have raised the bar in providing healthier options to consumers by fortifying our bread to include calcium and vitamin D."
According to the Centers for Disease Control, on average, men and women in the U.S. consume less than the recommended daily amount of calcium they need. In addition, the Institute of Medicine states that less than 1/3 of older people meet the recommended adequate intake for vitamin D based on total intake, including supplements.
Adequate calcium is essential for children as they grow to insure strong bones. It is also important that women get enough calcium to maintain proper bone density and prevent osteoporosis.
"This is certainly exciting for us to now have our bread fortified with bone-building power houses calcium and vitamin D," says Subway Corporate Dietician Lanette Kovachi, MS, RD.
"Already, each sandwich made to standard formula provides two full servings of fresh vegetables, essential nutrients vitamin A and iron, and are free of artificial trans-fat and are rich in complex carbohydrates,” Kovachi says. “When made on 9-Grain Wheat or Honey Oat bread, each sandwich contains at least 20 percent the daily value of fiber."
Lanette and Nutritional Consultant, Jessie Erwin, RD, have co-written a column that can now be found on the Expert Advice section of Subway.com that explains the importance of calcium and vitamin D, as well as how consumers can find the best sources of both.
