Deli turkey, ham and roast beef are some of the most commonly eaten cold cuts in the U.S.
Adding these sliced deli meats to your sandwich can make for a tasty lunchand they’re convenient, too.
But you might be wondering if processed deli meat is healthy or not.
Here, we break down the science and what you oughta know to shop for healthy cold cuts.
Benefits of Cold Cuts
Eating cold cuts is convenientno cutting or cooking is required.
They are also high in protein and beneficial vitamins and minerals such as iron, zinc and vitamin B12.
This is related to many factors, butone culprit is sodium.
Processed meatsincluding deli meatstypically have an exponentially higher amount of sodium than fresh meats.
Unfortunately, we’re taking in much more.
But it will take time to reformulate the recipes.
And the saturated fat is not necessarily all to blame.
Some of it goes to the additives, including sodium, and chemicals in the packaging.
Along with cold cuts, other processed meats include bacon, salami, bologna, hot dogs and sausages.
Fresh chicken, turkey, beef, pork and fish that have not been modified are considered unprocessed meats.
In fact, most of the nitrates we eat come from vegetables and drinking water.
When nitrates come in contact with saliva in the mouth, they convert to nitrites.
Sodium nitrate is added to cold cuts for preservation and to inhibit bacteria growth.
Nitrate is converted to sodium nitrite when it comes in contact with bacteria in the meat.
Most manufacturers now directly add nitrite to the meat.
They are an easy and convenient way to get protein, iron and vitamin B12.
So how often should you eat them?
Reduced-sodium “uncured” deli meats may be healthier than traditional deli meats.
And if you decide to forego deli meat altogether, we’ve gotlots of tasty lunch optionsto choose from.
