It is one of the most consumed foods but it is not good either for health or for the figure
The sausage is one of the handiest options when lunch or dinner. It is also one of the favorite tapas in bars, and the truth is that it combines wonderfully with beers and wines.
However, and despite the fact that bread goes alone, cold cuts are not as healthy as we think. In fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) advises against its consumption, as it relates to cancer. Also, what we buy in the supermarket has too many mixtures and too little meat. We tell you everything.
Sausage, linked to cancer
The International Center for Research on Cancer (CRIC) warned in 2015 of the carcinogenic risk involved in eating processed red meat, especially smoked, cured or salted products. The report from the CRIC, the WHO agency specializing in cancer, concluded that people who consume sausages on a daily basis run a "proven" danger of suffering a colon tumor.
The best and worst cold cuts
Most cold cuts and sausages are high in saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium. However, there are better and worse.
Those that have the most fat are chorizo, sausages, salami, choped, salami and mortadella; and the least are the Serrano ham, the cooked ham or 'York', and the chicken and turkey breasts, since they are the leanest meats.
Most cold cuts and sausages are rich in saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium
However, all that glitters with cooked ham and turkey is not gold: if we read the fine print of the cold cuts that we buy in the supermarket of well-known and not so well-known brands, we will realize that most of this sausage does not have hardly any meat.
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The deli turkey deception
Many of us eat turkey breast sausage because it is low in fat. Brands relate it to healthy living in their ads. However, healthy has rather little ...
Both El Pozo and CampofrÃo or turkey from private brands such as Auchan (Alcampo) or Hacendado (Mercadona) barely contain 50-60% real meat. The rest of the product is made up of additives such as sugars, salt and potato starch.
Both El Pozo and CampofrÃo or the private label turkey such as Auchan or Hacendado barely contain 50-60% of real meat
There are brands, however, that are what they promise, such as Frial or El Corte Inglés, whose cold cuts of turkey are 94% meat. Of course, they are quite expensive: a pack of four slices costs more than 3 euros, while the aforementioned do not reach 2 euros and contain much more.
And what about the turkey sausage we buy at the butcher shop? Well, more of the same: it is neither healthier nor contains more meat than the packaging. Of course, it depends on the brands, but the general trend is that.
So can we keep eating cold cuts?
As a clear conclusion: if you are going to choose a sausage, opt for Serrano ham, as it is the healthiest and the one with the best fats. Of course, try not to eat the fat part, which you will distinguish by being white.
If you are going to choose a sausage, opt for Serrano ham, as it is the healthiest and the one with the best fats.
As for the rest of the options, it is best to limit your consumption to the maximum. If you eat a balanced diet and eat enough vegetables, fruits, and protein, it's okay to eat cold cuts from time to time. However, reader, you should be aware that it is not healthy and that the WHO has linked it to cancer.
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