As a carnivore devotee who’s had some issues with blood pressure but loves lunch meat, I started to watch out for my sodium intake ever since I discovered lunch meats are abundant in it.
I have thoroughly researched the topic and talked to my dietician until I discovered some excellent options for low-sodium lunch meat that can help satisfy your cravings.
Here is everything you should know about low-sodium lunch meats.
Quick Summary
- Lunch meat is often cured with salt, so finding an utterly salt-free option can be challenging.
- If you're watching your salt intake, you should look for low-sodium lunch meats with no more than 140mg of sodium per serving.
- When in doubt, choose fresh meats like chicken or roasted turkey breast, which have a lower sodium content than their processed counterparts or other meats.
The Purpose of Sodium
Sodium is an essential electrolyte that helps to regulate blood pressure, maintain fluid balance, and support nerve function. It's found in a variety of foods, including lunch meats.
While sodium is necessary for good health, too much in your diet can lead to high blood pressure, a significant risk factor for heart disease and stroke.
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that adults take in no more than 2,300 milligrams (mg) of sodium per day [1].
People with kidney disease should eat a lower sodium diet compared to those without.
"Sodium intake from processed and restaurant foods contributes to high rates of high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke. Because nearly 500,000 deaths each year are related to high blood pressure, reducing sodium intake could prevent thousands of deaths annually."
- U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
However, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Department of Health and Human Services also note that most Americans consume far more sodium than is recommended.
In fact, the average American adult consumes about 3,393 mg of sodium every day [2].
This is mainly because sodium is added to various processed foods, including cured meats.
If you're trying to limit your sodium intake, you must know how much sodium is in your lunch meat.
Understanding Sodium Labels on Lunch Meats
In order to help consumers make informed choices about the sodium in their food, the FDA has developed labeling standards for manufacturers.
These standards require nutrition information labels to include the following:
- The percent daily value (%DV) for sodium
- The number of mg of sodium per serving
The FDA has also created rules about how food manufacturers can label their products regarding sodium. Some labels deal with total sodium per serving, and others with lower sodium compared to the regular version.
Here are the ways products may be labeled and what they mean:
- Reduced Sodium - At least 25% less sodium per serving than the manufacturer's regular product [3].
- Light in Sodium or Lightly Salted - At least 50% less sodium per serving of the manufacturer's standard product.
- No-Salt-Added or Unsalted - No sodium is added during processing – but these products may not be salt/sodium-free.
- Very Low Sodium - 35 mg of sodium or less per serving.
- Low Sodium Deli Meat - 140 mg of sodium or less per serving.
- Salt/Sodium-Free - Less than 5 mg of sodium per serving.
Ways to Reduce Sodium Intake
So, we know that a low-sodium diet is important for our health. But how can we make sure we're eating low-sodium lunch meat?
Here are eight tips on how to reduce your total sodium intake.
- Cook at home more often. When you go out to lunch, it's hard to know how much salt is in your food. Cooking at home gives you more control over the sodium in your meals.
- Use fresh ingredients instead of processed meats. Processed meat and cured meat have sodium nitrate and nitrite as artificial preservatives. Creating your own low-sodium deli meat from natural oven-roasted turkey breast or roast beef is a great way to avoid getting too much salt.
- Get rid of the salt shaker. You probably don't need as much salt as you think you do. Once you get used to eating less salty food, you'll be surprised at how little you miss it.
- Season your chicken breast with herbs and spices instead of salt. There are so many different flavors out there that you're bound to find a combination you like.
- Watch your serving size. Just because something is low in sodium doesn't mean you can eat as much of it as you want. Remember to portion out your turkey breast so that you're not consuming too much sodium.
- Make sure your food doesn't have added MSG (monosodium glutamate). Along with saturated fat, this ingredient is often added to processed foods to make them taste better, but it's also high in sodium [4].
- Be careful about your condiments. Cheese, mustard, and mayo can all add a lot of sodium to your sliced turkey breast. Choose low-sodium versions or use them sparingly.
- Bread can also be a source of sodium. Choose a brand of bread that is low in sodium, or make your own from scratch.
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FAQs
What Deli Meat Is Lowest in Sodium?
The deli meat lowest in sodium is dependent on the brand. Boar’s Head is different from Hillshire farm, which is different from other brands. Each manufacturer has its recipe, so you'll need to check the sodium on each product's label.
What Is the Healthiest Deli Meat?
The healthiest deli meat is one that is lean, low-sodium, and preservative free. This is a chicken breast, turkey, lean roast beef, or Black Forest ham for most brands.
Are There Any Deli Meats Without Sodium?
There aren’t any deli meats that are entirely without sodium. Sodium is a naturally occurring element that will be present in all flesh, even if there is no salt added during the manufacturing process. Fresh and unprocessed deli meat, like oven-roasted turkey breast, has a lower sodium content.
How Do You Avoid Sodium in Food?
To avoid sodium in food, you can buy foods with no added salt
, choose foods that are labeled as "low sodium," "very low sodium," or "salt-free", choose fresh foods rather than cured or processed, and ask your butcher or grocer if they carry low sodium deli meats.
Sodium and Lunch Meat
Sodium is a necessary nutrient that helps to regulate our body's fluid levels.
However, most of us eat way more salt than we need, leading to health problems like high blood pressure and stroke. This is why choosing a brand that offers a reduced sodium option is crucial.
An even better option is to eat fresh, unprocessed meat. This will have the least amount of sodium and will be your healthiest option.
ButcherBox offers a variety of fresh, humanely raised meats that are perfect for a heart-healthy lunch. To learn more about ButcherBox, click here.
References:
- https://www.fda.gov/food/new-nutrition-facts-label/daily-value-new-nutrition-and-supplement-facts-labels
- https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2020-12/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans_2020-2025.pdf
- https://www.fda.gov/food/nutrition-education-resources-materials/sodium-your-diet
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/monosodium-glutamate/faq-20058196
