The Subway restaurant chain has added calcium and vitamin D fortified bread to its menu.
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.
"The calcium included in each 6-inch serving of bread has the nutritional equivalent of one glass of milk," said Mark Christiano, Subway's global baking specialist. "For years, our high-quality, 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.
"This is certainly exciting for us to now have our bread fortified with bone-building power houses calcium and vitamin D," said Lanette Kovachi, MS, RD, Subway's corporate dietician.
Kovachi and Jessie Erwin, RD, nutritional consultant, have co-written a column in 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.
Fortifying the bread with calcium and vitamin D is only one step in the brand's overall nutrition platform, which includes providing easily accessible nutrition information so consumers can make more informed meal choices.
For those watching their calorie and fat intake, the Subway Fresh Fit menu offers eight 6-inch sandwiches under 400 calories and 6 grams of fat. Additionally, Subway offers apple slices and low-fat yogurt as sides, and fat-free sauces and dressings.
A recent independent study by CustomersDNA researched where quick-service customers chose to eat for healthier food. An overwhelming majority of respondents – 76 percent – chose Subway.
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