Are Cold Cuts Healthy? Here's What a Dietitian Has to Say

Deli turkey, ham and roast beef are some of the most commonly eaten cold cuts in the U.S. Adding these sliced deli meats to your sandwich can make for a tasty lunch. Eating cold cuts is also convenient—no cutting or cooking is required. Simply buy the meat, slap it between two slices of bread or in a wrap, and head out the door. They are also high in protein and beneficial vitamins and minerals such as iron, zinc and vitamin B12. You might be wondering if processed deli meat is healthy or not. Here, we break down the science and what you need to know to shop for healthy cold cuts.

Increased Risk of Foodborne Illness During Pregnancy

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) list cold cuts as a risky food choice during pregnancy. Cold cuts have been known to be contaminated with Listeria, which can cause gastrointestinal illness and is particularly harmful to a developing fetus. Listeria is killed when heated, so if you are pregnant and want to eat cold cuts, heat them to 165 degrees or until steaming, according to the CDC.

Increased Risk Factors for Heart Health

Most cold cuts are considered processed meats. The American Institute for Cancer Research defines processed meat as "meat preserved by smoking, curing or salting, or addition of chemical preservatives." Eating high amounts of processed meats can increase the risk of heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Regarding heart health, this is related to many factors, but two culprits are sodium and saturated fat.

Sodium in Cold Cuts

Processed meats typically have an exponentially higher amount of sodium than fresh meats. For example, according to the USDA, 100 grams of deli chicken has 1,032 mg of sodium, while an equal amount of plain cooked chicken breast has just 47 mg.

"Too much sodium stiffens our blood vessels and stresses our heart and kidneys," says Sam Teece, M.P.H., RD, a chef and registered dietitian.

The American Heart Association recommends eating no more than 2,300 mg of sodium per day—and ideally no more than 1,500 mg per day for most adults. Unfortunately, we're taking in much more.

The CDC estimates that Americans eat an average of 3,300 mg of sodium each day. With cold cuts, the sodium adds up quickly, given that just one ounce of deli turkey can have more than 500 mg of sodium. Add 150 mg from a slice of cheese and 140 mg in each slice of bread, and a sandwich may be close to 1,000 mg of sodium—not including any extra sodium-containing condiments like mustard or mayo and assuming you're sticking with one serving of the deli meat.

According to the FDA, more than 70% of the sodium Americans ingest is from processed, packaged and prepared foods—including deli meats. For this reason, they have issued voluntary sodium reduction initiatives for food manufacturers, encouraging them to reduce the amount of sodium in their products. But it will take time to reformulate the recipes. Until then, look for deli meat with labels that say "salt-free" or "sodium-free"—defined as having 5 mg of sodium per serving—or "very low sodium"—which means it's got 35 mg or less per serving. "Low sodium" has 140 mg or less of sodium per serving and "reduced sodium" has 25% less sodium than its original version.

Saturated Fat in Cold Cuts

Some cold cuts are high in saturated fat, which is also linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Research, like a 2024 study in The Lancet, suggests that higher overall intakes of ultra-processed foods, including deli meat, were associated with up to 23% higher risk of coronary heart disease and a 9% higher risk of stroke compared to people who eat the least amount of ultra-processed foods. And the saturated fat is not necessarily all to blame. Some of it goes to the additives, including sodium, and chemicals in the packaging.

If you're trying to keep your heart healthy, consider other sandwich options like tuna, salmon or even hummus, and try to keep your cold-cut intake moderate.

Increased Risk for Cancer

The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified processed meats as "carcinogenic to humans" and red meat as "probably carcinogenic." Red meat is any meat from a mammal (e.g., beef, veal, pork, goat, lamb and bison).

Research is ongoing to determine why processed and red meats are associated with cancer, but it could be related to carcinogenic compounds that form during meat processing or cooking. "We know that when nitrites combine with the amines in meat, they create nitrosamines, which some studies have found to be carcinogenic," says Frances Largeman-Roth, RDN, nutrition expert and author of Eating in Color. "And according to WHO, eating processed meat is associated with small increases in the risk of cancer—and the more you eat, the greater the risk."

Cold Cuts Contain Nitrates/Nitrites

Sodium nitrates and sodium nitrites are salt compounds that naturally occur in the soil and are in many fruits and vegetables, such as celery, leafy greens and cabbage. In fact, most of the nitrates we eat come from vegetables and drinking water. When nitrates come in contact with saliva in the mouth, they convert to nitrites.

Sodium nitrate is added to cold cuts for preservation and to inhibit bacteria growth. Nitrate is converted to sodium nitrite when it comes in contact with bacteria in the meat. Most manufacturers now directly add nitrite to the meat.

Nitrates and nitrites themselves do not cause cancer, but there is concern that they may produce carcinogenic compounds in the body or during processing or cooking. Because consumers are wary, some manufacturers now cure meats with celery powder since celery is naturally high in nitrate. These meats are labeled "uncured" and "celery powder" is in the ingredients list instead of "sodium nitrite."

"It's also interesting to note the potentially beneficial effects that have been found from eating nitrate-rich vegetables, such as beets," says Largeman-Roth. "I would say the jury is still out, but it's still smart to keep your intake of processed meats moderate."

Pictured Recipe: Turkey Apple Cheddar Sandwich

Shopping Tips for Healthy Lunches

While there is convincing evidence that cold cuts can up your risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer, this doesn't mean you have to nix them from your diet altogether. They are an easy and convenient way to get protein, iron and vitamin B12. So how often should you eat them? "I would recommend eating cold cuts no more than a couple of times a week," says Largeman-Roth.

Here are a few more tips for healthfully incorporating cold cuts into your diet:

• Buy reduced- or low-sodium: This will reduce your daily sodium intake. In addition, Largeman-Roth says, "Ham and turkey are both very lean. Look for brands that don't use antibiotics. Also, opt for ones with no added sugar."
• Go nitrate/nitrite free: The jury is still out on nitrates and nitrites, but if you want to play it safe, purchase nitrate-free meats, which are usually labeled "uncured."
• Purchase unprocessed meats: Next time you are food shopping, bypass the deli counter and head to the meat and seafood departments. Buy lean, fresh proteins like chicken, turkey or fish. Unprocessed meats are not as strongly linked to chronic diseases as processed meats. "As a chef and dietitian, I prefer to slice baked or grilled chicken and add it to a sandwich, or make a hummus and avocado spread sandwich loaded with veggies because it looks and tastes better," says Teece. "There are so many options that are superior in flavor as well as better for your body than processed cold cuts, so it's a no-brainer to ditch cold cuts in my house."
• Switch up your lunch: If you eat sandwiches every day, mix it up. Bring your dinner leftovers for lunch, make a salad or make a "snack plate" by assembling carrot sticks, hummus, tuna salad, cherry tomatoes and grapes. You will increase your fruit and veggie intake while slashing the sodium, saturated fat and preservatives.
• Think about your overall diet: Do you enjoy a few slices of bacon on the weekends at brunch? Then perhaps you could live without the daily deli meats at lunch. Think about your diet as a whole. How frequently are you consuming other foods high in sodium (e.g., frozen dinners, cheese, pizza)? Make swaps accordingly to decrease your consumption of cold cuts.

The Bottom Line

While cold cuts can be loaded with salt and artificial additives that may disrupt health, many people can still include them in a healthy, varied diet if they choose wisely. Reduced-sodium "uncured" deli meats may be healthier than traditional deli meats. Switch your lunches up throughout the week and include heart-healthy options, like tuna, salmon, turkey and chicken—or go an all-veggie route. And if you decide to forego deli meat altogether, we've got lots of tasty lunch options to choose from.