Truth about cold cuts?

vmag54
vmag54 Posts: 22 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Just wondering if anyone has removed cold cuts from their diet and noticed the impact? I saw a nutritionist recently who advised me to stay away from them bc of the high sodium. I am trying to follow her recommendation but a turkey wrap is my usual go to for lunch during work days so it is kind of tough.
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Replies

  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    No. I eat super high sodium, but I don't have any medical conditions and I try to deal with the water weight fluctuations. Deli turkey is an easy way for me to throw together lunch and meet my protein goal.

    You can buy deli turkey with very low sodium, just don't buy too much at once as it does not keep as long.
  • pinggolfer96
    pinggolfer96 Posts: 2,248 Member
    Sodium is fine in regards to fat loss/ gain. You only need to restrict it if your physician says so. Other than that, on a nutrition and weight loss aspect, and will have no effect on fat gain. You may fluctuate in water weight, but I'd rather keep my sodium moderate- high and allow my body to adjust to those levels. I also drink alotttt of fluid throughout the day though, so i create a balance. Restrict your sodium if you have a medical condition that it may affect. (: just stay hydrated!(:
  • vmag54
    vmag54 Posts: 22 Member
    arditarose wrote: »
    No. I eat super high sodium, but I don't have any medical conditions and I try to deal with the water weight fluctuations. Deli turkey is an easy way for me to throw together lunch and meet my protein goal.

    You can buy deli turkey with very low sodium, just don't buy too much at once as it does not keep as long.

    Thanks!! I guess I should try the low sodium options from the deli and prepare at home!
  • vmag54
    vmag54 Posts: 22 Member
    pinggolfer96 wrote: »
    Sodium is fine in regards to fat loss/ gain. You only need to restrict it if your physician says so. Other than that, on a nutrition and weight loss aspect, and will have no effect on fat gain. You may fluctuate in water weight, but I'd rather keep my sodium moderate- high and allow my body to adjust to those levels. I also drink alotttt of fluid throughout the day though, so i create a balance. Restrict your sodium if you have a medical condition that it may affect. (: just stay hydrated!(:

    Thanks!! This is helpful! My biggest problem is that my weight has been fluctuating up and down daily (about 1-3 lbs). I def think I could increase my water intake on a more regular basis.... Some days I can drink as much as 15-20 glasses of water but then other days I'll just do 5 or 6.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    Of course, weight changes day by day and throughout the day.
    Weigh once a week.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    I'm not sure what you mean.,.like, notice what?

    When I cut salt, I'd notice I felt better! Less bloated by a lot. When I would go back on the salt, I'd bloat up. Keeping my sodium to a healthy level makes me feel less bloated and a little more energetic.

    I was very sad to see luncheon meats (and a lot of other things!) go when I flipped my diet. Now, it doesn't really bother me. It's been so long that I no longer even miss them. They're just something I used to like.

    I still eat turkey, just not cold cuts. :)
  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
    Delicious, low in calories, high in sodium. I eat it. No bothers given.
  • mwyvr
    mwyvr Posts: 1,883 Member
    Turkey deli slices are harbouring secrets? What kind of secrets? Immoral liaisons? Compulsive gobbling? Do tell!
  • Amberonamission
    Amberonamission Posts: 836 Member
    They do m make lower sodium deli meat and cheese. They are just as good.
  • melimomTARDIS
    melimomTARDIS Posts: 1,941 Member
    mwyvr wrote: »
    Turkey deli slices are harbouring secrets? What kind of secrets? Immoral liaisons? Compulsive gobbling? Do tell!
    Heh!
  • AmazonMayan
    AmazonMayan Posts: 1,168 Member
    I try to get butterball low sodium turkey just because of taste. It has about 1/3 to 1/2 or so the sodium as others. I don't know if they have it in the deli - I get the packaged. I don't have any now or I'd tell you the mg of sodium. I know it's in 200s rather than 500 and 600s.

    Most deli turkey now tastes saltier to me than ham.
  • LaceyBirds
    LaceyBirds Posts: 451 Member
    I eat deli turkey (Thin and Trim, 250 mg sodium for two slices) two or three times a week. I have high blood pressure and try to eat at or under the recommended 1500 mgs. a day (I am not perfect though). As I do with all my macros, I try to make it fit, and adjust other food to do so. I had some on Saturday and managed to keep my sodium at 1137 for the day. I add a piece of deli-sliced swiss, avocado and tomato or sweet roasted red peppers to the sandwich (made with Pepperidge Farm low-sodium bread), so two slices is sufficient. I've lost 48 pounds so far. My weight has fluctuated up and down all the time since I started weighing daily five months ago.
  • sixxpoint
    sixxpoint Posts: 3,529 Member
    edited September 2015
    It would be wise to limit moderate to highly processed foods, but individual foods do not dictate a person's health. Try to think of nutrition from a perspective of daily macro, micro, and calorie intake instead of whether cookies, coffee, or cold cuts are good/bad for you.

    If you are a normal weight, 30 year old female with no history of high blood pressure then I don't see why your doctor would advise limiting sodium. Did you have blood work done, or was this just their opinion about sodium in general?
  • flaminica
    flaminica Posts: 304 Member
    A nutritionist who tries to demonize individual foods is a nutritionist you need to dump. That's not science -- it's voodoo. Anyone who ascribes quasi-magical labels to "good" foods and "bad" foods is a crank and not worth whatever you're paying them.
  • 7lenny7
    7lenny7 Posts: 3,498 Member
    It's a big government conspiracy. We just don't know which government.
  • gaelicstorm26
    gaelicstorm26 Posts: 589 Member
    IF you do want to cut it out, what about roasting a chicken and slicing that down for your own lunchmeat? I personally use deli meats even if they are higher in sodium, but if you truly do wish to avoid them, a little prep on Sunday could still net you some nice wraps during the week!
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Well they have sodium and nitrates, which aren't the healthiest thing, but in moderation, it's not a huge deal.
  • kwtilbury
    kwtilbury Posts: 1,234 Member
    Francl27 wrote: »
    Well they have sodium and nitrates, which aren't the healthiest thing, but in moderation, it's not a huge deal.
    Exactly. I don't think her nutritionist is telling her to avoid deli meat; she's telling her to watch her sodium intake, which categorically includes deli meat.

    I love shredded turkey over a spinach salad, but I don't eat it every day.
  • kristydi
    kristydi Posts: 781 Member
    edited September 2015
    mwyvr wrote: »
    Turkey deli slices are harbouring secrets? What kind of secrets? Immoral liaisons? Compulsive gobbling? Do tell!

    My dyslexic brain read that as immortal liasons. I now have a very amusing mental picture of an anthropomorphic deli turkey slice in a passionate embrace with Dracula.
  • pmm3437
    pmm3437 Posts: 529 Member
    Cutting sodium will lower water retention, which can be significant enough to show up on the scale. All depends on your pattern and normal intake.

    I've been told for decades to watch my sodium intake, cause of borderline high blood pressure. Best readings I've ever had where after i had lost 50 lbs, even thou my sodium was out of control.

    If you are worried about it, cook at home, shred it, and use that. After all, its a wrap, doesnt have to be in slices...

    I do this all the time with a pressure cooker, using pork shoulder, a roaster chicken, or a turkey breast.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    Francl27 wrote: »
    Well they have sodium and nitrates, which aren't the healthiest thing, but in moderation, it's not a huge deal.

    +1

    And OP, it is perfectly normal for your weight to fluctuate day to day. If you ate the absolutely most perfect diet imaginable, one free of every possible demonized food, your weight would fluctuate occasionally, due to water weight, certain foods taking a little longer to digest, and other random bodily functions.

    I usually pick up nitrate free cold cuts, sliced cheese, and those sandwich thins rolls once a month for a week's worth of lunches. Sammies are a comfort food for me, and it hasn't affected me yet :)
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    I limit the amount of processed meats I eat and that includes lunch/deli meats. This has nothing to do with weight loss. For me, it's about the associated health risks.

    I cook my own meat for sandwiches.
  • snowflake930
    snowflake930 Posts: 2,188 Member
    I really like the low sodium turkey breast from the deli.

    You have to really read labels on packaged deli type meats. They are high in sodium. Even frozen turkey and boneless skinless chicken breasts have a lot of added sodium, so watch the labels if sodium is an issue.
    You may want to buy fresh (not frozen) to try to control added sodium.
  • LaceyBirds
    LaceyBirds Posts: 451 Member
    gaelicstorm26 wrote: »
    IF you do want to cut it out, what about roasting a chicken and slicing that down for your own lunchmeat? I personally use deli meats even if they are higher in sodium, but if you truly do wish to avoid them, a little prep on Sunday could still net you some nice wraps during the week!

    This is what I do. I bake two to three (depending on what comes in the package) skinless, boneless chicken breasts at a time, and then use them for sandwiches and dinners for three or four days. I use the packaged turkey/chicken in between.

  • Stoshew71
    Stoshew71 Posts: 6,553 Member
    mwyvr wrote: »
    Turkey deli slices are harbouring secrets? What kind of secrets? Immoral liaisons? Compulsive gobbling? Do tell!

    For this reason we need the NSA to keep a tap on our phone lines.

  • generallyme2
    generallyme2 Posts: 403 Member
    If I really wanted to cut out deli meat (I don't eat much of it anyway) I'd just buy a turkey breast, roast it up, portion it and freeze it to use as needed. I do that with chicken breasts and it makes life easier.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    vmag54 wrote: »
    Just wondering if anyone has removed cold cuts from their diet and noticed the impact? I saw a nutritionist recently who advised me to stay away from them bc of the high sodium. I am trying to follow her recommendation but a turkey wrap is my usual go to for lunch during work days so it is kind of tough.

    I never ate them, so I can't speak to the benefit of changing -- I assume it's about sodium? However, I often roast a chicken or cook a turkey breast in the slow cooker to have meat to use for the week, and you could do that instead.
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
    if youre worried you could purchase a non-brined turkey cook it and then slice it yourself.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    Boars Head and some similar brands have slightly less salt than other brands.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    I don't normally use sodium micro, so turned it on to find the sodium content of the cold cuts I ate yesterday, and cracked up at the sodium content of the Pad Se Ew I made (2,872.) Altogether I was 2,287 over for sodium.

    How quickly is a water gain retention from sodium supposed to happen? I was down a half pound this AM from yesterday.

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