The worst deli meats are loaded with unhealthy additives, harmful preservatives, and have high levels of sodium. These meats found in the deli section can pose significant health risks and have a negative impact on your well-being. It is crucial to be aware of these factors when selecting deli meats for your diet.
10 Unhealthy Deli Meats to Avoid
1. Pepperoni
Pepperoni is terrible for your health and absolutely the worst deli meat choice due to its high levels of saturated fat and sodium, holding one-fourth of your daily sodium—in just a few slices. This calorie-dense deli meat packs 145 calories in a one-ounce portion, and when consumed in excess can contribute to weight gain and obesity.
The consumption of this tasty lunch meat has been found in several studies to be a direct cause for heart disease as well as several colon cancers. So, it’s best to leave pepperoni on the shelf and choose something less processed.
2. Salami
Salami is the broader group of lunch meats that includes pepperoni and is also heavily processed, containing high fat and sodium levels, as well as preservatives like nitrates and nitrites which have been linked to increased risk of certain cancers.
This deli meat contains very little protein, and just a three-slice serving can cost 110 calories, meaning you can get your daily calorie intake in just a lunch sandwich.
3. Bologna
Bologna is often promoted as a cholesterol-free lunch meat, but the good things about these meaty slices end there. Bologna is just a fancy name for highly processed ham slices, though it can often have other unhealthy additives and filler meats mixed in. One slice of this meat packs 200-300 grams of salt, meaning just three slices are half of your daily salt intake.
Not only that, but bologna is low in protein and almost double the calories of most other types of lunch meat—so avoid this lunch meat or prepare to pack on the pounds.
4. Ham
Anything made of pork in the deli section is bad for you, especially the sliced ham. Like salami, deli ham is packed with salt and calories. But to make matters worse for this popular meat, it is also high in nitrates.
Ham products, in general, are especially high in nitrates as they help give the meat its pink color. Without it, the pork would look similar to chicken. Nitrates raise the risk of both diabetes and heart disease, so pass on the ham and look for fresh and nitrate-free shredded pork for your sandwiches instead.
5. Mortadella
Mortadella is a fancy type of bologna with added pork fat, and as you can imagine, adding more fat to an already high calorie and high salt lunch meat does little to improve its health benefits.
The only good thing about mortadella is that it has more protein than bologna and salami, but it still isn’t worth the 500 milligrams of salt per serving or the number of nitrates you are putting in your body.
6. Anything Smoked
Smoked lunch meats are a favorite in delis everywhere, but they are terrible for your body no matter the type of meat. These meats are high in phosphorus and potassium, which can damage your kidneys and have been shown in studies to have a carcinogenic (cancer-causing) effect.
Many of these deli meats aren’t really smoked over a fire. Instead, the smoke flavor is added as a liquid after preparation. Fake smoke flavor has been banned in Europe due to the damage it causes to human DNA, which is a prime indication that you shouldn’t be eating smoked meats for lunch every day.
7. Pastrami
Pastrami, the Italian version of beef brisket, is the worst of the beef options on the deli shelves. With 600 milligrams of sodium per serving and lots of sodium nitrate to give the meat its pink color, this tasty meat is terrible for you. Consuming this deli meat in excess can increase blood pressure and lead to a higher risk of heart disease.
Additionally, most of the brands available are packed with loads of preservatives to keep them tasting nice for the long term. Instead of buying prepacked pastrami, it is much healthier to make a roast at home on your own and save a few slices for lunch.
8. Roast Beef
Although it is toward the bottom of the list, not even roast beef is a safe option to choose in the deli. The main concern with processed beef is the hormones or antibiotics that may have been fed to the cow during its life.
For best results, choose organic and grass-fed roast beef, checking the sodium content to keep it as low as possible. If there aren’t any good options in your area, it’s better to use leftover pot roast or steak for your beef sandwich rather than choosing deli meat.
9. Roasted Turkey
Roasted turkey is another culprit in the deli section, though it isn’t as bad as some other on this list, as long as you choose a brand without nitrates or preservatives. The budget containers of deli turkey meat suffer from the same problems as salami and ham—as they are packed with sodium and often use nitrates to maintain color and freshness.
For those who don’t want to worry about picking the right brand of roasted turkey, consider instead making a whole turkey and saving the leftovers for sandwiches.
10. Chicken Breast
Notably, chicken breast is the healthiest deli meat, but that isn’t saying much, as many of the ones sold in the store contain preservatives and high levels of salt, and some even contain nitrates, just like the pork products. Similar to turkey, grabbing a rotisserie chicken and shredding it for sandwiches is always a better option. Those who don’t have time, however, can scour the shelf for all-natural and organic deli chicken slices; just be sure to check the label for nitrate content before buying and skip anything with “smoked” in the title.
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