Think you’re doing your bod a favor by brown-bagging it? Think again. Deli meats, the kind you pile high between two slices of heart-healthy fiber-rich multi-grain bread may be putting your life at risk.
A recent study found that the consumption of processed meats—like the cured, salted, and smoked tubular finds lining the deli counter—have been linked to an increased risk of colon cancer.
But wait, there’s more! A vast majority of deli meats include sodium nitrate as a preservative. Recent studies have found a link between the sodium nitrate in lunch meat to heart disease. Nitrates have also been shown to interfere with the body’s natural means of processing sugar, leading to an increased risk in diabetes.
Not scared yet? Okay, here’s our last shot: A single slice of many of your favorite sandwich fillers has more sodium than a single serving of Cheetos (1 oz or 21 cheesy nuggets of goodness—250 mg). Sodium, a known contributor to hypertension, is also a risk factor in the development of heart disease.