Cooked ham is a practical food, a classic for filling sandwiches and preparing quick meals in just a few minutes. Behind an apparently simple product, however, important differences can hide in the composition, in the ingredients used for preservation and in the nutritional values.
The point is made by a French test 60 Millions of consumers, which analyzed 15 packaged cooked hams marketed in France, examining the presence of nitrites and nitrates, the amount of salt and fat, the protein intake and the number of ingredients.
The results show very low nitrite levels, but also some aspects to be carefully evaluated.
What does packaged cooked ham contain?
When we talk about cooked ham we immediately think of nitrites, used to preserve the meat, control the proliferation of certain microorganisms and maintain its characteristic pink colour. From this point of view, the test was surprising: in the 15 products analyzed these substances were found to be absent or present in very small quantities, with a maximum of 6 mg/kg. Low levels, therefore, even in hams that reported nitrites among the ingredients.
This does not mean that the nitrite issue can be ignored. These substances may contribute to the formation of N-nitrosated compounds, including some nitrosamines classified as carcinogenic or probably carcinogenic. This is also why health authorities recommend limiting the consumption of cured meats and paying attention to exposure to nitrites and nitrates through diet.
But the real surprise is another: almost half of the samples contained nitrates in quantities between 8.8 and 12.9 mg/kg. These substances can be naturally present in the meat or derive from the ingredients used in the preparation. The magazine specifically highlights some hams marketed as “without added nitrites”, such as those from Fleury Michon and Herta, which contain vegetable broth, potentially rich in nitrates.
Nitrites and nitrates are different substances, although nitrates can turn into nitrites under certain conditions. For this reason, the wording “without added nitrites” does not necessarily mean that there are no ingredients capable of providing nitrates. To better understand how a product was made, it is therefore useful to also read the list of ingredients.
The test also evaluated what happens during cooking. The researchers subjected the hams to a heat treatment that simulated a normal domestic preparation, such as that of a pizza. Under the test conditions, nitrosamines, acrylamide or 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF), the substances searched for during this phase of the analysis, were not detected. A result to be read in the context of the test, without extending it to all possible cooking methods or to other substances not examined.
Ingredients and nutritional values
The recipes of the various hams analyzed change a lot: they go from just 5 ingredients up to 13, including sugars, flavourings, herbs, fats, rind and additives. Seven out of 15 hams contain only one additive, generally sodium nitrite or an antioxidant such as ascorbic acid. The Pouce product sold by Auchan, placed last in the evaluation, contains four: two stabilizers, an antioxidant and sodium nitrite.
On a nutritional level, cooked ham is a good source of proteins and all the products analyzed, except Monoprix Bio and Pouce, provide between 20 and 22 grams per 100 grams. The average caloric intake is approximately 114 kcal per 100 grams and saturated fats are generally low.
The weak point is above all the salt. As many as 12 out of 15 products received an insufficient rating for this parameter, with values reaching 1.9-2 grams per 100 grams in several cases. Considering that the World Health Organization recommends that adults consume less than 5 grams of salt per day, a 50-gram serving can provide approximately one gram, a significant portion of the recommended daily amount.
The test therefore suggests not to stop at the indications on the packaging or at the words that highlight the absence of certain additives. Checking the salt content, reading the list of ingredients and comparing the nutritional values remains important even when a product has a relatively simple composition.
Are plant-based alternatives to ham better?
The French experts also examined 6 plant-based alternatives to cooked ham. The comparison highlighted that a plant-based product is not necessarily better from a nutritional point of view.
Four of the six plant-based products obtained a significantly lower rating than meat-based products. In some cases, high values of calories and fat emerged, also due to the presence of coconut fat, while the salt content was between 1.3 and 1.8 grams per 100 grams.
Even the ingredient lists can be long: some reach 12-16 components, including vegetable proteins, starches, fibres, preservatives and colourings. This does not mean that all plant products are the same, but it demonstrates that the origin of the ingredients alone is not enough to establish the nutritional quality of a food.
Among the references analyzed, La Vie Jambon nature was the only plant-based alternative to obtain a positive opinion. Even for this product, however, the salt content was too high.
The conclusion is that, both for traditional cooked ham and for plant-based alternatives, it is worth evaluating the entire label, looking carefully at the quantity of salt, ingredients and nutritional values.
