12 Healthiest Deli Meats—and 9 To Avoid

There are few easier home-prepared meals than a deli meat sandwich. Just layer your favorite bread with mayo, lettuce, tomato, cheese, and your choice of cold cuts, and you've got a satisfying lunch that's quick to make and easy to take on the go. But while deli meats are convenient and tasty, some types are potentially harmful to your health. Because of this, we've gathered a helpful list of some of the healthiest deli meats available to buy on the market today.

Studies have shown that processed meats—those that are cured or contain added preservatives—are linked to an increased risk of various cancers. In 2015, the World Health Organization classified processed meats as a "class 1 carcinogen," meaning there is enough evidence that this type of meat can have carcinogenic effects on human beings. These health risks are often tied to additives, preservatives, and higher levels of sodium and saturated fat found in many processed meats.

In this article, we'll review the nutritional factors that set the healthiest deli meats apart and highlight some to avoid, with expert insights from registered dietitians to guide you in making the best choices.

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How To Shop for Healthy Deli Meat

Less than 400 milligrams of sodium

Deli meats are processed to have a longer shelf life, which often involves adding significant amounts of sodium for preservation. Unfortunately, this means that many deli meats are higher in sodium than fresh meat products. While some sodium is essential for muscle function and mineral absorption, excessive intake can lead to health issues like calcium loss, high blood pressure, stroke, and heart disease. If you eat deli meat regularly, opt for options lower in sodium.

On our list, all deli meats have no more than 600 milligrams of sodium per serving, with the healthiest choices containing 400 milligrams or less.

Less than 2 grams of saturated fat

Saturated fat is primarily found in animal products, including deli meats, and varies by type. Red meats like roast beef, ham, or pepperoni tend to have more saturated fat compared to leaner options like turkey or chicken. While saturated fat is fine in moderation, too much can contribute to clogged arteries, high cholesterol, and heart disease. The American Heart Association recommends limiting your consumption to no more than 13 grams per day.

Look for deli meats with less than 2 grams of saturated fat per serving—a standard met by all the healthiest options on our list.

No harmful artificial preservatives

Many deli meats contain preservatives that may pose health risks. For example, sodium phosphate, commonly used in deli meats, has been linked to accelerated aging and vascular damage. Sodium nitrite, another common preservative, has been associated with increased risks of cancers like breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer.

To minimize exposure to these additives, check the ingredients list and choose products with fewer, simpler ingredients.

Uncured vs. cured

Cured meats are preserved with synthetic nitrates and nitrites, which help extend shelf life and maintain color but have been linked to potential health risks, including hypertension and colorectal cancer. Uncured meats, on the other hand, avoid synthetic preservatives and often use natural alternatives like celery powder, which contains naturally occurring nitrates, or rely on salt alone. Although uncured meats still contain nitrates, the absence of synthetic preservatives generally makes them a healthier choice.

When shopping for deli meats, look for "uncured" on the label, and review the ingredients and nutritional information to make the best choice for your health.

12 Healthiest Deli Meats

With the aforementioned factors in mind, our dietitians selected their picks for the best deli meats you can buy at the store, as well as some of the unhealthier cuts you may want to avoid. These next 12 cold cuts keep sodium, fat, and preservatives in check and are dietitian-approved!

Read on, then check out these 8 Healthy Bacon Brands—and 4 to Avoid.

Best: Applegate Oven Roasted Turkey Slices

Ingredients: Organic Turkey Breast, Water. Contains less than 2% of the following: Sea Salt, Organic Potato Starch, Organic Chicken Broth, Rosemary Extract.

Lauren Manaker, MS, RDN, registered dietitian and author of The First Time Mom's Pregnancy Cookbook and Fueling Male Fertility, Applegate Oven Roasted Turkey is one of the best deli meats you can buy for you and the family.

"Made with Applegate humanely raised turkey, these delicious deli slices have no antibiotics, added hormones, anything artificial, chemical nitrates or nitrites, or GMOs, making it the perfect addition to sandwiches, salads, and snack boards."

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Best: 365 Organic Oven Roasted Chicken Breast

Ingredients: Organic Chicken Breast, Water, Organic Distilled White Vinegar, Sea Salt, Natural Flavor, Organic Honey.

If you're a Whole Foods shopper, you can confidently pick up their sliced Oven Roasted Chicken Breast and know that you won't be consuming any scary additives. "Made without fillers or binders, this chicken is made with vegetarian-fed animals and it tastes great," says Manaker.

Best: Boar's Head Organic Turkey Breast

Sydney Greene MS, RDN swears by the Boar's Head Organic Turkey Breast, and we can't blame her. Even though the sodium is a bit higher than some of the other options on our list for best deli meats, only having one gram of saturated fat per serving can significantly help you stick to the AHA's recommendation of eating less than 13 grams per day. And, with 13 grams of protein per serving, this is a lean, high-quality, healthy lunch meat option for meeting your protein goals.

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Best: Applegate Honey Uncured Ham

Ingredients: Pork, Water, Honey, Cane Sugar. Contains less than 2% of the following: Sea Salt, Celery Powder.

This is an example of an uncured product that is safe and healthier to buy than many other sliced cured hams on the market. With only four main ingredients, the Applegate Uncured Honey Ham is a safe choice. 

The only potentially negative trait about this choice is the added cane sugar. However, for a "honey ham," 3 grams per serving isn't all too bad.

Best: Hormel Natural Choice Deli Smoked Ham

Ingredients: Water, Salt, Turbinado Sugar, Cultured Celery Powder, Cherry Powder, Sea Salt.

At first glance, you may not be too thrilled about the 580 milligrams of sodium, and that's understandable. But for a processed ham product, higher sodium alongside lower levels of saturated fat, preservatives, and added sugar can still make for a better product. It won't necessarily be as healthy as eating fresher pork products, but when you're in need of a quick sandwich or snack, this can be a helpful option.

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Best: Good & Gather All Natural Oven Roasted Turkey Breast

Ingredients: Turkey Breast, Turkey Broth, Vinegar, Natural Flavors (Including Celery Powder), Potato Starch, Salt, Sea Salt, Sugar.

This Target brand roasted turkey is one of the healthiest deli meats on our list because it's lower in sodium than many of the other products and has zero grams of saturated fat. Not only that, but these turkey slices avoid the use of sodium phosphates, nitrates, and nitrites and use only celery powder, potato starch, salt, and sugar as preservatives.

Best: Boar's Head 46% Lower Sodium Turkey Breast

Boar's Head offers a variety of nitrite-and-nitrate-free products and even offers a handful of healthy deli meats that are lower in sodium, too. Their Low-Sodium Turkey Breast is 46% lower in salt than what the USDA Food Database has listed for rotisserie turkey slices, and it doesn't use artificial preservatives. Boar's Head also prides itself on its use of animals that are raised without hormones, something that is important for people wanting a more natural meat product.

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Best: Applegate Organic Roast Beef

Ingredients: Organic Grass-Fed Beef, Water, Salt, Organic Black Pepper.

The nutrition label on this Applegate Organic Roast Beef is impressive. Not only are there only four ingredients, but the meat is humanely raised and never fed antibiotics. On top of those benefits, just one gram of saturated fat for a red meat product is certainly on the lower end.

Best: Applegate Uncured Turkey Pepperoni

Ingredients: Turkey, Sea Salt. Contains less than 2% of the following: Turbinado Sugar, Water, Spices, Cultured Celery Powder, Granulated Garlic, Cherry Powder, Lactic Acid Starter Culture (Not From Milk), Rosemary Extract, Oleoresin Of Paprika, Lime Juice Concentrate.

Pepperoni is a delicious addition to pizzas, subs, or with a few bites of cheese, but this processed meat is often made with cured beef and pork products, resulting in higher saturated fat, sodium, and more preservatives. Thankfully, Applegate makes a delicious Uncured Turkey Pepperoni, which has less saturated fat and no scary additives.

Best: Tofurky Oven Roasted Plant-Based Deli Slices

Ingredients: Water, vital wheat gluten, tofu (water, soybeans, magnesium chloride, calcium chloride), soy sauce (water, soybeans, wheat, salt), expeller pressed canola oil, natural flavors, sea salt, contains less than 2% of onion, carrot, celery, garlic, leek, lemon juice concentrate, cornstarch, garbanzo bean flour, white bean flour, rosemary extract, calcium lactate, potassium chloride.

Just because you eat a plant-based diet doesn't mean you won't crave a deli sandwich from time to time. If that's the case, Tofurky Deli Slices are some of the best options for vegetarian deli meat. The ingredients list may be a bit longer than some of the other options on the list, but the ingredients are all safe to consume, and this brand is still considered one of the healthiest deli "meats" to buy. It also uses potassium chloride, which research has found to be a safe replacement for sodium chloride in food products.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

The only potential downside to this choice is that it uses wheat, so you'll have to skip it if you're gluten-free.

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Best: 365 Whole Foods Market Black Forest Uncured Ham

Ingredients: Organic Pork, Water, Organic Distilled White Vinegar, Salt, Organic Evaporated Cane Sugar, Organic Molasses, Celery Powder, Organic Spice Extractives (Organic Cinnamon, Organic Cloves, Organic Capsicum).

Another healthier ham option, Whole Foods' brand Black Forest Uncured Ham has only one gram of fat, less than one gram of sugar, and has a short ingredient list with no additives. If you see the word "capsicum" on the list and don't recognize it, this word is just another way of saying bell pepper.

Best: Gusto Uncured Pepperoni

Ingredients: Pork, Sea Salt, Contains Less Than 2% of the Following: Turbinado Sugar, Natural Flavoring, Wine, Sweet Paprika, Garlic, Lactic Acid Starter Culture.

This pork pepperoni from Gusto has only a few ingredients and stays away from additives and preservatives, making it one of the healthiest deli meats you can buy. It contains something called a lactic acid starter culture, which is a living bacteria often used in fermentation processes for kimchi, sauerkraut, yogurt, and miso.

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Worst: Oscar Mayer Smoked White Turkey

Ingredients: White Turkey, Water, Honey, Modified Cornstarch. Contains less than 2% of Salt, Sugar, Sodium Phosphates, Sodium Propionate, Sodium Diacetate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Ascorbate, Sodium Nitrite.

Manaker suggests steering clear of Oscar Mayer's Smoked White Turkey. "This turkey is packed with sodium, fillers, and other unsavory ingredients," she says. In fact, this meat contains both of the harmful additives we mentioned above, sodium nitrite and sodium phosphate, both of which have been linked to health consequences.

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Worst: Oscar Mayer Bologna

Ingredients: Mechanically Separated Chicken, Pork, Corn Syrup, Water, Contains less than 2% of Salt, Ground Mustard Seed, Sodium Phosphates, Potassium Chloride, Sodium Propionate, Sodium Diacetate, Beef, Sodium Benzoate, Flavor, Sodium Ascorbate, Sodium Nitrite, Hydrolyzed Beef Stock, Autolyzed Yeast, Dextrose, Extractives Of Paprika, Sodium Lactate, Potassium Lactate, Celery Seed Extract.

Many of the Oscar Mayer products may not seem that bad when you first look at their nutrition facts because their levels of calories, fat, and sodium are decent. However, most of their products, like the Original Bologna, use preservatives like sodium phosphates and sodium nitrite.

Worst: Great Value Ham

Ingredients: Pork, Water, Salt, Dextrose. Contains less than 2% of Potassium Lactate, Sodium Phosphates, Sodium Diacetate, Sodium Erythorbate, Sodium Nitrite, Flavor.

The Great Value Cooked Ham is another deli meat option that uses both sodium phosphate and nitrite. Skip this one and use one of the uncured hams mentioned in our list above.

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Worst: Land O' Frost Peppered Beef

Ingredients: Beef, Water, Salt. Less than 2% Vinegar, Black Pepper, Flavorings, Sugar, Cherry Powder, citrus Extract, Yeast Extract, Cultured Celery Juice Powder.

Even though the ingredients list is safe and doesn't use any preservatives, Greene puts this Land O' Frost Uncured Peppered Beef on this list of worst deli meats because of its extremely high sodium count.

Worst: Land O' Frost Oven Roasted Turkey

Ingredients: Turkey Breast, White Turkey, Water. Less than 2% of Vinegar, Modified Corn Starch, Salt, Autolyzed Yeast Extract, Flavorings, Turkey Stock, Dextrose, Brown Sugar, Potassium Chloride, Sodium Phosphates, Sodium Erythorbate, Sodium Nitrite.

Similarly to their Peppered Beef, the Land O' Frost Turkey Breast is fairly low in calories and fat. However, you'll still be consuming sodium nitrite and sodium phosphates.

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Worst: Oscar Mayer Lean Honey Ham

Ingredients: Ham, Water, Honey, Salt, Contains Less Than 2% Of Sodium Phosphates, Sugar, Carrageenan, Sodium Propionate, Sodium Diacetate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Ascorbate, Sodium Nitrite, Soy Lecithin.

At 810 milligrams of sodium per serving, plus the use of sodium nitrite and sodium phosphate, the Oscar Mayer Lean Honey Ham is one you'll want to avoid. If you're searching for sliced ham with a hint of sweetness, try the Applegate Uncured Honey Ham instead.

Worst: Oscar Mayer Carving Board Slow Roasted Ham

Ingredients: Ham, Water, Cultured Corn Syrup. Contains less than 2% of Salt, Vinegar, Sodium Phosphates, Sodium Ascorbate, Sodium Nitrite, Caramel Color.

No surprises here: Oscar Mayer's Carving Board Slow Cooked Ham, which is a thicker-cut ham product, contains potentially dangerous preservatives and over 600 milligrams of sodium per 2-ounce serving. The third ingredient listed is also corn syrup, which is a highly refined (or processed) sugar.

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Worst: Oscar Mayer Beef Cotta Salami

Ingredients: Beef, Beef Hearts, Corn Syrup, Water, Salt. Contains less than 2% of Ground Mustard Seed, Sodium Phosphates, Flavor, Dextrose, Sodium Propionate, Sodium Diacetate, Dried Garlic, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Ascorbate, Sodium Nitrite, Soy Lecithin.

Oscar Mayer's Beef Cotto Salami, which just translates to "cooked beef salami," makes our list of worst deli meat because of its use of sodium nitrite. Not to mention, in just one slice you're getting 4.5 grams of total fat and 2 grams of saturated, with only 4 grams of protein. Also, be warned, if you're a fan of the Beef Gotto, make sure you're okay with chowing down on some beef hearts.

Worst: Buddig Pastrami

Ingredients: Water, Salt. Less than 2% of: Dextrose, Potassium Lactate, Spices, Sodium Erythorbate, Sodium Diacetate, Sodium Nitrite, Natural Flavoring.

And lastly, if you're tempted to grab some of this Buddig Pastrami, we suggest opting out. With 7 grams of fat, 3 grams of saturated fat, 600 milligrams of sodium, and the use of sodium nitrite, there are far healthier options out there for you.

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