If processed meat products are part of your diet, you can take steps to reduce or eliminate them.
- Read the label. Check the ingredient list for words like nitrate, nitrite, cured or salted. If you spot these words, it’s a processed meat and should be avoided.
- Be an educated buyer. Even meats labeled “uncured” still can have nitrates and nitrites in them.
- Skip nitrate-free meats. These meats may have less nitrates and nitrites, but they’re not nitrate-free. When you eat these foods labeled nitrate-free, your stomach actually turns some nitrates into nitrites. And some of these nitrites can then form cancer-causing substances in your body.
- Reduce portion sizes of processed meats and eat less frequently.
- Choose a plant-based diet most often and have some meatless days.
Think outside the box. Eating less processed meat is easier than you think. Here are some healthy swap tips to get you started.
- Add grilled chicken, hard-boiled egg, beans, tofu or flaked tuna to your salad instead of cubed deli meat.
- Order a grilled chicken or fish sandwich instead of a deli sandwich.
- Add vegetables to your omelet instead of bacon, ham or sausage.
Keeping a food log can help you be more mindful of just how much processed meat you are eating. Be sure to carry healthy substitutions like hummus and vegetables that can replace that deli sandwich. Once you become of aware of your eating habits and start choosing healthier foods, reducing and even eliminating processed meats from your diet will become easier.
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