What to look for in lunch meat

By ANNA WALLNER and KRISTINA MATISIC
Fine Living Network
Tuesday, August 14, 2007

If your kids are heading off to day camp this summer it may mean you're packing them a lunch, just like during the school year. Of course you want to ensure you're giving your child the healthiest possible sustenance. And your kids aren't the only ones who need lunch. The mighty sandwich is the lunchtime choice for many of us. So when shopping for luncheon meats, keeping the following tips in mind:

Most luncheon meats contain high levels of salt -- some contain more than 400 milligrams in one slice alone --- and that's not good for anyone watching their blood pressure. Plus, high amounts of sodium can cause bloating, and who needs that? A heart-healthy or low-sodium diet limits daily salt intake to 2,000 milligrams. Keep that range in mind as you compare labels.

"Mechanically separated meats" means the meat was removed from the bones by machine. These meats can have a gritty quality due to small bone particles.

"By-products" or "variety meats" means the product may contain heart, lips, tongue and so forth.

Sodium nitrate is a salt that's added to enhance the meat's color and flavor. During curing, nitrate can turn into nitrite, which can then react with amines in the stomach to produce cancer-causing nitrosamines. However, nitrites are very effective anti-bacterial agents that can prevent botulism. For this reason, food scientists say the benefits of nitrites outweigh the risks.

You can reduce the risk of nitrite conversion by eating vitamin C with your lunch. Add a slice of tomato to your sandwich or eat a piece of fruit afterward. Some lunchmeat manufacturers now add vitamin C to meats for this reason.

Deli meats may seem healthier, but remember that they too were packaged at one point and probably contain nitrates and nitrites.

For the healthiest choice, experts recommend going with deli meats that are cooked fresh on the premises.

(Anna Wallner and Kristina Matisic host The Shopping Bags on Fine Living TV Network. Contact them at www.fineliving.com. For more columns visit www.scrippsnews.com)