Processed meats include deli meats like ham, turkey, roast beef, pastrami, hot dogs, and bacon. Red meats and poultry are made into these products by salting, curing, fermenting, smoking, or adding chemical preservatives.
Processed meats are often high in sodium and saturated fat and may increase the risk of cancer and heart disease. Less-processed, nitrate-free, low-fat, and low-sodium alternatives may be better options.
Oven-roasted turkey breast is the leanest deli meat. About 2 slices or 57 grams (g) of low-salt turkey breast deli meat contains:
- Calories: 62 kcal
- Protein: 12.4 g
- Total fat: 0.5 g
- Saturated fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 2 g
- Total sugars: 2 g
- Sodium: 440 milligrams (mg)
Chicken breast deli is a low-fat option. It also provides a good amount of protein. Choose reduced-salt varieties to get the least sodium.
About 2 slices (56 g) of reduced-sodium chicken deli meat contains:
- Calories: 55 kcal
- Protein: 9.7 g
- Total fat: 1 g
- Saturated fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 1.6 g
- Total sugars: 0.4 g
- Sodium: 433 mg
Roasted beef deli has more fat compared to chicken and turkey breast deli. It also contains higher amounts of minerals like iron and zinc. Reduced-sodium varieties are better alternatives.
About 2 slices (56 g) of reduced-sodium beef deli meat contains:
- Calories: 64.4 kcal
- Protein: 10.4 g
- Total fat: 2 g
- Saturated fat: 0.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 0.3 g
- Total sugars: 0.1 g
- Sodium: 358 mg
- Iron: 1 mg, 6% of the Daily Value (DV)
- Zinc: 1.7 mg, 16 % of the DV
Ham is a popular deli meat, but you need to choose carefully. It can be high in fat and salt. Canned ham generally has more sodium.
Choose lean ham with the lowest sodium. About 4 slices (52 g) of lean (96% fat-free) ham deli meat contains:
- Calories: 55.6 kcal
- Protein: 18.7 g
- Total fat: 2.1 g
- Saturated fat: 0.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 0.3 g
- Total sugars: 0 g
- Sodium: 492 mg
Pastrami is on the higher end of the sodium scale but still lower than other deli meats like pepperoni, bologna, and prosciutto. Choose lean varieties for less fat.
About 6 slices (57 g) of lean (96% fat-free) beef pastrami contains:
- Calories: 54.2 kcal
- Protein: 11.2 g
- Total fat: 0.6 g
- Saturated fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 0.8 g
- Total sugars: 0 g
- Sodium: 576 mg
You can choose lower-fat, lower-sodium, nitrate-free deli meats with a few simple tips:
- Look for lean cuts: Most deli meats are high in fat. For example, salami has 5.7 g of fat in one slice (about 26 g). Other high-fat deli meats include pepperoni, bologna, prosciutto, and hot dogs. Look for lean deli meats such as turkey breast, chicken breast, roast beef, and low-fat ham.
- Choose whole cuts: Choose whole cuts, such as oven-roasted turkey breast, over turkey ham. Whole cuts are generally less processed. For example, turkey ham is usually cured and flavored to imitate traditional ham. It may also contain different parts of the turkey, not just the breast.
- Look for low-sodium options: You can look for labels like “low sodium” or “reduced sodium.” Always read the nutrition facts label to check the sodium content. Choose the options with the lowest amount of sodium.
- Opt for nitrate-free alternatives: Nitrate helps improve the color, flavor, and shelf-life of deli meat and prevents microbial growth. Some deli meats are nitrate-free and are generally preserved by other methods like salting, smoking, and vacuum packaging. However, smoking and salting also have disadvantages. Choose minimally processed, nitrate-free options such as fresh, oven-roasted turkey or chicken breast from the deli.
- Choose certified organic options: Organic deli meats can’t contain chemical preservatives, synthetic nitrate or nitrite, antibiotics, and hormones.
- Buy the ones with fewer additives: Deli meats commonly contain additives such as colorings, flavor enhancers, preservatives, and sugar. Read the ingredient list and choose the ones with fewer additives.
- Check the serving size: Some deli meats have higher calories and fat, so their serving size may be smaller.
- Read the nutritional information: Deli meats vary in protein, fat, carbohydrate, and sugar content. Read the nutrition facts label to choose the best option for your diet. Lean cuts are better for those with higher protein goals.
Deli meats come in a wide variety. Avoid these when shopping:
- High-sodium options: Deli meats like salami, bologna, and pepperoni have much higher sodium than roasted chicken, turkey, or beef. Read the nutrition facts label and avoid those with more than 600 mg of sodium per serving.
- Deli meats cured with nitrate: Nitrate is naturally found in some foods, including vegetables. In these low levels in foods, nitrate is beneficial for heart health. But at high levels, it can cause health risks. Manufacturers use synthetic nitrate (nitrite) to cure deli meats. Nitrates in deli meats create nitrosamines, which are considered carcinogenic. Some studies show eating too much deli meat might increase the risk of colon cancer and heart disease.
- Deli meats with too many ingredients: Deli meats can contain colorings, flavorings, and added sugars. Choose those with simple ingredients like 100% meat, salt, and water.
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends limiting processed meats to fewer than two servings a week.
