By now, it probably comes as no shock to most people that processed foods are bad for your overall health (here’s a list of some of the worst ones). These foods have been stripped of most of their nutrients which means that, rather than offering you the things your body needs to thrive, they pack in additives that can throw a wrench in your health goals. And while there are tons of processed foods out there (from sugary snacks to refined grains) that you should consider cutting back on if you want to live your best life, some of the worst options include processed meats.
But what are some examples of the worst processed meats you should avoid at all costs? To answer that question, we spoke to registered dietitian Catherine Gervacio from Living.Fit. She pointed out deli meats and tube-shaped meats like hot dogs and sausage as some major culprits. Learn more below!
Processed deli meats
Who doesn’t love eating a tasty ham sandwich for lunch or munching on a charcuterie board at a party? Unfortunately, Gervacio tells us that deli meats are some of the worst processed meats you can eat for your overall health–especially if you’re trying to lose weight. "Lunch meats and corned beef also have a high amount of fat in them," she warns. These processed meats have lost most of the nutrients when they were made, so they’re not offering you many benefits in exchange for all that fat. "This jeopardizes healthy weight loss as the needed nutrients for daily function and metabolism can be affected," she says. "It is best to still choose lean meats that are fresh off the market, have no visible fats, and are cooked with little or no fat." Noted!
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Hot dogs and sausages
Whether you’re grilling up hot dogs at a cookout or cooking up some Italian sausage with your pasta, tube-shaped meats like these can make our taste buds extremely happy–but, unfortunately, they won’t have that effect on the rest of your body. In addition to their processed nature, Gervacio explains that these meats "have a mix of fat and meat to make them more flavorful. This means it contributes a lot of calories from fat." And along with all that fat and mystery meat, they could contain another potentially deadly ingredient: nitrates, which she says “are linked to cancer." If you want all the tasty flavor of these processed options without facing the consequences, she suggests “choosing ground, lean meats and cooking them with available seasonings," assuring us tha "a 90% ground beef is just as tasty as a sausage when cooked with a sausage seasoning available in the market." Sounds delicious!
The bottom line
Overall, no processed food is great for you. But, of course, cutting out all of them can be a daunting task. No one is perfect–so don’t beat yourself up if you give into a craving for a hot dog every now and then. Just remember to make consistently healthy decisions whenever possible, and steer clear of these processed meats on a regular basis if you want to help your body thrive.
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