Ham is the centerpiece of many holiday meals. Is it good for you?
Whether you’re preparing a spiral-cut ham for 10, or serving up an appetizer of prosciutto and jamón serrano on a charcuterie board, ham is a versatile meat that often makes an appearance as the centerpiece of many quintessential holiday dishes.
There are lots of good things about ham: it’s high in protein, generally low in fat, and a good source of vitamins and minerals. Ham delivers on nutrients, but in recent years, experts have voiced concern over the regular consumption of processed meat (including ham).
How do the benefits of eating ham measure up against the potential risks? Here’s what an expert needs you to know.
Is ham considered a processed meat?
Ham is a cut of pork leg that’s been preserved through the process of curing, per the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The American Institute for Cancer Research defines processed meat as meat that’s been cured, salted or smoked for purposes of preservation. Chemical preservatives, including nitrates and nitrites, are often used during the curing process.
The main methods of curing ham are dry-curing and wet-curing, says Sander Kersten, PhD, the director of the Division of Nutritional Sciences and the Schleifer Family Professor at Cornell University. Ham can also undergo an optional process of smoking.
When ham is dry-cured, the meat is rubbed with a mixture of salt and seasoning, and then left to age. When ham is wet-cured, it is immersed in a brine of salt and seasonings, rinsed and then aged, says Kersten.
Artisanal curing methods of ham are deeply connected to the country and region where the ham is being produced. Prosciutto di Parma, for example, is a dry-cured ham that’s processed without nitrates and nitrites, and aged for at least 14 months after its first salting.
Ham that hasn’t been prepared with a cure must be labeled as “fresh” or “uncured.” These types of ham do not contain nitrates or nitrites, per the USDA.
Depending on how the ham has been packaged, storage times will vary. While fresh, raw ham must be cooked within five days of purchase, unopened lunch meat can last in the refrigerator for up to two weeks (or the “use by” date). Some shelf-stable canned hams are processed to the degree that they can be stored at room temperature for up to two years, according to the USDA.
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Is ham healthy?
Similar to most meats, ham is high in protein, says Kersten. Whether the ham is lower or higher in fat will depend on how lean the cut of meat is, he says.
According to Healthline, the average 2-ounce portion of ham contains:
69 calories
11 grams of protein
2 grams of fat
1.5 grams of carbohydrates
While the exact nutritional composition of ham will vary from product to product, ham is known to be an excellent source of selenium and all nine of the essential amino acids, per Healthline. Ham also has iron, zinc and a variety of B vitamins, Kersten says. Vitamin B12, in particular, is a nutrient that's found only in foods of animal origin, he explains.
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What are the risks of eating ham?
Despite ham’s nutritional benefits, serious health conditions have been associated with eating processed meats (including ham). In particular, research over the past decade has revealed regularly eating processed meat may increase your risk of colorectal cancer, says Kersten.
The World Health Organization has classified processed meat as being “carcinogenic to humans.” This classification is based on “sufficient evidence” from epidemiological studies that there is a link between eating processed meat and developing colorectal cancer.
Additionally, ham contains elevated levels of sodium through the methods that it is preserved, Kersten adds. A 2-ounce portion of ham alone makes up 26% of your daily value (DV) of sodium, per Healthline. High sodium diets may increase your risk of developing high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, obesity, gastric cancer, osteoporosis, kidney disease and Meniere’s disease, per the WHO.
For these reasons, it is generally discouraged for people to eat processed meats, says Kersten. Though ham is high in protein, and is a great source of many vitamins and minerals, there are other ways you can acquire those nutrients, he says.
According to guidelines detailed by the American Cancer Society, people who eat processed meat should do so sparingly (or avoid it altogether). So, if you enjoy eating ham, having it now and again probably isn’t going to be the be-all, end-all to your health. However, it’s important to remember that eating a well-rounded, balanced diet with little (to no) processed meat is probably one of the best things you can do to support your long term health.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Is ham healthy? Nutritional benefits and potential risks
