Uncured Meats Facts & Myths (700 Calorie Meals) DiTuro Productions

Hi, this is Daniel DiTurro. Many diet experts recommend Americans reduce or eliminate cured meats from their diet. Cured meats include bacon, cold meats, also known as cold cuts, whole and sliced hams, hot dogs, and sausages. The American Hot Dog and Sausage Council estimates Americans eat 20 billion hot dogs a year. Add to that billions of sandwiches made using cured meats. Many Americans begin their day with breakfast including some form of cured meat. Curing has been used for thousands of years to preserve meat, fish, and poultry. Curing methods included drying, salting, smoking, or a combination of the above. One way to get around the growing concerns about eating cured meats is by selling uncured meats. Now, a large selection of uncured meats is available in most supermarkets. Technically, uncured meats are cured. They may require cooking or be fully cooked and ready to eat. So, what is the difference between cured and uncured? Uncured means no added nitrites or nitrates. That's all it means, but usually there's that pesky little asterisk. At least in this product, the reason for the asterisk is conveniently located. While there is no added nitrates or nitrites, uncured meats may still have nitrates and nitrites from other sources. In this case, it's Swiss chard and sea salt. Most cured meats have added nitrites. Even foods that use 100% kosher ingredients can have added nitrites. Nitrites are added to help preserve freshness, color, and flavor. Is eating uncured meat safer than eating cured meats? Italian prosciutto and other cured meats have been made without added nitrites for thousands of years. Most imported Italian prosciutto is cured by salting and drying. But as we've seen, salting can add nitrites. Salt cured meats can also be very high in sodium. While this brand claims to have 45% less sodium, the numbers can be deceiving. Serving size is only one ounce, and the amount of sodium per serving ranges from 520 to about 300 milligrams. For this uncured Canadian bacon, the 470 milligrams of sodium per serving may seem high, but the serving size is almost two ounces, or 235 milligrams per ounce. Uncured meats, like cured meats, must be refrigerated or frozen, since nitrites are not added to extend shelf life. In summary, uncured meats are cured, but they have no added nitrites or nitrates. Uncured meats can have the same or more sodium compared to similar cured products. Serving sizes can be deceptively small to reduce calories, saturated fat, and sodium. Uncured meats may also have a shorter shelf life compared to cured meats. There is no scientific evidence that uncured meats are healthier than cured meats, or that eating uncured meats eliminates health risks associated with eating cured meats. Small amounts of nitrites and nitrates from natural sources may still pose a health risk, especially to people allergic to nitrites and nitrates. Please leave a comment if you have any questions about this video. Thank you for watching, and healthy eating!