How to know nutrition fact for ham in counter ?

NarwhalofNight
NarwhalofNight Posts: 75 Member
edited November 8 in Food and Nutrition
Ok so I can either buy packaged ham or get some cut at the counter but if I go at the counter I can't really know how much calories and salt and while packaged ham I am afraid that there is more salt than needed... What is the best thing I should do?

Replies

  • CyberTone
    CyberTone Posts: 7,337 Member
    ​I assume you are asking about sliced ham at the deli counter of a grocery store, which is more than likely cured ham.
    Search for "Pork - Cured, ham"
    I would log either "Pork - Cured, ham, center slice, unheated" or "Pork - Cured, ham, steak, boneless, extra lean, unheated" depending on how fatty the slices looked.vhcwf0ziyb1m.jpg
  • FredDoyle
    FredDoyle Posts: 2,272 Member
    Look at the wrapper at the deli counter or ask, and then check the manufacturer's website.
    More than likely, the brand is even present in the database already.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    Talk to the people at the deli counter. They know which brands have lower salt and they can probably give you the complete nutritional information if you ask for it.
  • NarwhalofNight
    NarwhalofNight Posts: 75 Member
    CyberTone wrote: »
    ​I assume you are asking about sliced ham at the deli counter of a grocery store, which is more than likely cured ham.
    Search for "Pork - Cured, ham"
    I would log either "Pork - Cured, ham, center slice, unheated" or "Pork - Cured, ham, steak, boneless, extra lean, unheated" depending on how fatty the slices looked.vhcwf0ziyb1m.jpg
    RodaRose wrote: »
    Talk to the people at the deli counter. They know which brands have lower salt and they can probably give you the complete nutritional information if you ask for it.
    FredDoyle wrote: »
    Look at the wrapper at the deli counter or ask, and then check the manufacturer's website.
    More than likely, the brand is even present in the database already.





    Ok and what about pre packaged ham? Does that have any added salt? If no, I mean I could just get that and barcode, simple.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    Yes pre-packaged ham has added salt.
  • amandarawr06
    amandarawr06 Posts: 251 Member
    I work in a deli right now - people ask all the time about the meats with lower sodium. If you ask them to show you the nutritional facts, there is no reason why they wouldn't. It is printed out in every whole piece of meat that comes in.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    They can tell you at the counter. My grocery store even has booklets from different companies and one big one with everything they sell. They're sitting on the counter in those little plastic, pamphlet-holding thingies. :)
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    They're all pretty much the same. Just find an equivalent.
  • Quirky_but_nice
    Quirky_but_nice Posts: 102 Member
    Well. as I am in the UK, we seem to have different terms for so many things. The ham I buy doesn't seem to be listed and the counter staff never know the calorie count.
  • skinny0000
    skinny0000 Posts: 90 Member
    Honestly, do what works for you, but I wouldn't worry about it too much. Do what Franc127 says. Myfitnesspal isn't about EVERY SINGLE CALORIE. That would drive anyone crazy. It is about maintaining a healthy eating and exercise lifestyle.
  • cincysweetheart
    cincysweetheart Posts: 892 Member
    Ask the guy at the deli counter if he has the nutrition facts available for that particular item. Chances are they will. (That's what I did. And they actually had a huge binder full of the nutrition facts for every item they sold.) You can also try barcode scanning the label they print out and stick on your container/bag. There's a risk that the info may not be as accurate though… so user beware.
  • NarwhalofNight
    NarwhalofNight Posts: 75 Member
    Ok thanks for the info guys
  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,059 Member
    Many brands have their nutritional information online.
    Also, you can often find reduced sodium items there as well.
    I recently bought pancetta for a Thanksgiving side dish, and I learned a new trick to get rid of some excess sodium. You take the meat, put it in a bowl, and then pour boiling water into it. Let it sit for about 30 seconds to a minute. It can help remove a little bit of sodium. I noticed a huge different in the taste of the pancetta before (the first time I made the dish, it was overly salty and overpowered it), but the second time I made the dish, the taste was much more tolerable since some salt had been removed.

    This would probably only work well on super-cured meats, though.

  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,059 Member
    amandarawr06 wrote: »
    I work in a deli right now - people ask all the time about the meats with lower sodium. If you ask them to show you the nutritional facts, there is no reason why they wouldn't. It is printed out in every whole piece of meat that comes in.

    Seconding this. I used to work in one as well. The only stuff we wouldn't have nutritional information for was the store baked ham, turkey, and roast beef, but generally those did not contain any, if that many, added ingredients before the cooking process.
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