Often referred to as the main protagonists of a diet rich in fat and salt, cold cuts "thin" like bresaola, turkey and chicken, today they have been rehabilitated in our diet; but are they really good?
Index
NUTRITIONAL CHARACTERISTICS
Sodium / sodium chloride:
This mineral has preserving and dehydrating properties; it is one of the main ingredients in the preparation of cold cuts.
Sodium makes it possible to preserve cured meats avoiding the danger of contamination, but the food quality is reduced.
Foods naturally contain sodium and an excess of this macronutrient can lead to high blood pressure.
Cholesterol and saturated fats:
Cured meats are usually rich in saturated fats; these lead to an increase in cholesterol total, especially of bad cholesterol and this involves a cardio-vascular risk factor.
Nitrates and nitrites
These molecules present in cured meats have been associated with the onset of certain types of cancer in the stomach and intestines; luckily, sausages contain them in relatively low quantities (remember that nitrates are naturally present in some foods such as rocket, spinach, beets and celery).
High protein content
All cured meats are a good source of protein with high biological value; some "lean" cured meats such as bresaola, turkey, chicken, raw ham stand out for their greater healthiness.
HOW ARE CURED MEATS PRODUCED?
Meat processing is a delicate and structured process in several stages:
- Cooling: the meat is brought to a lower temperature
- Switching: consists in the separation of the various pieces of meat which will subsequently be transformed into the various products
- brining: is performed on pieces intended to be worked whole; these are covered with salt and placed in cells for storage
- Rest: in this phase the water inside the meat is eliminated so that the salt can penetrate deeply into the meat
- Meat seasoning: this process takes place only for sausages; salt, spices and herbs are added to season and flavor the meats
- Aging: the cured meats are put to rest; this phase varies according to the desired final product (18 months for the ham)
- greasing: manual processing phase in which the meats are covered with pork fat, pepper, salt and rice flour
In the salting and seasoning phases they are also added additives (sodium and potassium nitrites and nitrates); these are fundamental to ensure that the meat does not brown and to avoid the formation of botulinum (bacterium that produces deadly toxins).
In addition, they can also be added ascorbic acid (vitamin C) which limits the intake of iron e polyphosphates which keep the meat more compact.
IN CONCLUSION…
The cured meats are certainly comfortable and practical, you don't need to prepare anything, just open the package to be able to taste them, they are good and delicious and satisfy our palate; some, such as bresaola, chicken and turkey, are also low in fat and sugar and high in protein, so the temptation to abuse these foods is very strong.
We must not forget that these also undergo complex manufacturing processes and are full of additives and salt!
The most important thing is to always check the quality and quantity of the food we bring to the table; if the meats come from companies attentive to all phases of the production cycle, the result will certainly be a better product, but we must still limit their use!
The recommended dose is approx 50/100 gr for maximum two weekly portions.
And you eat bresaola, chicken and turkey? How many times a week? Let us know in the comments and remember to follow us on our dedicated Telegram channel: