More and more industrial hams proudly display themselves as “nitrite-free”. But one ingredient can hide another, not necessarily better for your health.
Until a few months ago, most hams sold in supermarkets contained nitrites, and in particular E249 and E250, additives intended to protect the ham from bacteria such as Clostridium botulinum (the bacteria responsible for botulism) and to store it well. They are also what give the ham its pretty, appetizing pink color.
But due to the health risks, and in particular their carcinogenic impact, manufacturers have been ordered to stop using nitrite salts in cold meats.
Read the labels carefully!
No more nitrites, therefore, but to preserve the ham and continue to give it its pink color, manufacturers now add cane sugar (in organic hams) or dextrose (also known as D-glucose).
This caught the attention of the magazine 60 million consumers, who investigated the subject, and discovered that adding sugar to ham was a widespread practice. Because in addition to the fact that it increases the shelf life of slices of ham sold in the supermarket, sugar improves the appearance and texture and is also a flavor enhancer.
But dextrose is also an additive that has the maximum glycemic index of 100 : this means that 100% of this sugar passes into the blood. This causes blood sugar levels to rise quickly and can ultimately lead to diabetes or cardiovascular disease.
Even if it means buying white ham, choose cured ham made with cane sugar. The National Nutrition and Health Program (PNNS) also recommends limiting the consumption of cold meats to 150 g per week. Which corresponds to approximately 3 slices of white ham or poultry ham.