SO AS IF LOTTA OTHER THINGS WEREN'T BAD ENOUGH!!!! OH BLOODY HELL!!!!?!???
HERE'S ONE MORE. IT'S NOT LIKE OUR ANCESTORS DIDN'T LIVE ON THIS STUFF,LIKE WE ALL DIDN'T KNOW THIS WAS BAD FOR US, AND OUR ANCESTORS DID SURVIVE EATING IT....OF COURSE THEY DID BECAUSE THE PROOF IS HERE, BECAUSE WE ARE HERE. OK,OK END OF RANT, TRUTH BE TOLD, IT TASTES SO GOOD, IT REALLY DOES. OTHER THAN THE OCCASIONAL CAN OF BEEF STEW THAT GOES CAMPING WITH US....IT'S BEEN DECADES SINCE I BOUGHT ANY OF THESE PRODUCTS, NOT EVEN MY FAVE "SPAM".
ILIKESPAMALOT. AND THAT'STHETRUTH
RANT OVER.
These Are The 11 Unhealthiest Canned Meats You Can Buy
It doesn't take a genius to know that most types of canned meats are probably not as healthy as the fresh version. In the majority of cases, canned meats undergo fairly rigorous processing to ready them for canning and to extend their shelf life. While this may make them products that can last a nuclear winter, it also usually fills them with preservatives, additives, and high amounts of sodium and saturated fat. Even the healthiest of proteins, like lean beef and chicken, can end up fattier and saltier than you'd ever think possible.
Unfortunately, many of the sodium and saturated fat levels in these canned meats push up significantly against our recommended daily allowances for each nutrient. The American Heart Association recommends that we consume a maximum of 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day, while the Dietary Guideline for Americans indicates that we should aim for an upper limit of 20 grams of saturated fat for a 2,000-calorie diet. Many of the canned meats in our list, though, cover up to or more than half of these limits in one serving. Kinda wild, huh? In this list, we're taking a look at which canned meats have the highest levels of sodium and saturated fat, while also considering which types have limited nutritional quality or added ingredients elsewhere.
Read more: 13 Of The Unhealthiest Store-Bought Yogurt Brands
Corned Beef
Take one look at canned corned beef, and you'll probably be able to tell that it's not the healthiest meat around. Regular corned beef is typically made by bringing and braising a beef brisket until it's tender, flavorful, and sliceable. The canned version is slightly different, though: It's clearly a way more processed affair, with the ground-down beef formed into patties, shoved into cans, and filled with various different ingredients.
Those ingredients include a whole lotta salt. In just one serving of Walmart Great Value Canned Corned Beef, there are 830 milligrams of sodium, enough to cover 36% of your recommended daily value. That's in a serving size of 84 grams, just so you know. Plus, there are 4.5 grams of saturated fat, accounting for 23% of your recommended daily limit. From the ingredients list, it doesn't seem that this fat is added after the fact -- but that's still a high amount of saturated fat to be dealing with.
While consuming a product like this might be okay once in a while, if you're eating processed, canned corned beef regularly, you could be in for some trouble. A study published in The BMJ found that individuals who ate processed red meat regularly were subject to higher overall mortality rates. Just half a serving per day was associated with a 10% higher likelihood of dying. Kinda wild, right?
Vienna Sausage
There is no denying that Vienna sausage is convenient -- but is it healthy? Alas, folks, it is not. That probably comes as no surprise to anyone who's ever set their eyes on one of these pale, swollen-looking tubes of meat, which have absolutely no visual indication that they'd be good for you whatsoever. Plus, when you spy that they're made with several different types of meat and packed in broth, you know that you're in for a wild ride.
That's before you check the nutritional label, too. Libby's Vienna Sausages in Chicken Broth are a salt explosion, with 790 milligrams of sodium per 130-gram can. Over a third of your sodium allowance is covered in just one day. They're also surprisingly fatty, containing 4 grams of saturated fat in every serving. The combination of these things, and their processed nature, means that they're pretty bad news for your health -- especially if you're worried about cancer risk. Regular intake of processed meat has been observed to be a risk factor in the development of colorectal cancer, a type of cancer that's on the rise in young adults in particular.
Chicken Spread
Look, guys. There are a lot of canned meat products out there. So if you have the option, please, we beg you, don't go for chicken spread. Chicken spread is a pretty horrifying concoction, which is clearly designed to make filling your sandwich easier, but instead takes a premium protein and pummels it into oblivion. Each can is full of ingredients like corn starch, soy protein isolate, palm oil, powdered chicken broth, and yeast extract. If you were expecting just lean, high-quality meat, you'd be sorely mistaken.
Plus, when you're looking at the pure numbers, chicken spread is wildly unhealthy. In each serving of Underwood White Meat Chicken Spread, you get 440 milligrams of sodium and 3 grams of saturated fat. That might not sound too bad, until you see that every serving size is just 60 grams, or a quarter-cup of spread. When you scale that up to larger standard serving sizes in other canned meats, this spread is saltier and fattier than a lot of others. Oh, and if that wasn't enough, there are virtually no other nutrients going on here: No vitamins, barely any minerals, and no fiber. We're giving this one a miss.
Canned Ham
There is something about canned ham that just kinda gives us the ick. Perhaps it's because it's really not that necessary of a product in the first place: With fresh ham so readily available, why would you reach for a canned version, especially if it's the type that has to be kept in the fridge anyway? Or perhaps it's because it's so unhealthy for you. Canned ham is astonishingly salty, with one serving of Hormel Canned Ham (coming in at just 84 grams) providing the consumer with 1,050 milligrams of sodium. That's 44% of your daily allowance, in two or three bites.
On the plus side, canned ham is generally a little less fatty than other canned meats (Hormel Canned Ham has 1.5 grams of saturated fat per serving), but the salt content really drags it down. Excessive sodium intake is well-known for being a huge risk factor for health, due to its ability to increase your blood pressure. This, in turn, can increase your risk of heart disease or stroke and contribute to a higher risk of early mortality. You gotta ask yourself: Is it really worth it, for that piece of flabby, anemic-looking meat -- especially when there are so many mistakes you can make with canned ham? We think not.
SPAM
Look, we don't like being the bearers of bad news. Really. We take no pleasure in telling you that SPAM is unhealthy. However, you really should have known it already, people. SPAM may be delicious (both in its original form, and in the different flavors of SPAM you can buy), it may be convenient, and it may be weirdly fashionable -- but it's just not that great for you.
The reason for this, as with so many other canned meats, is because of its sodium and saturated fat content. One serving of classic SPAM has 790 milligrams of sodium and 6 grams of saturated fat, which covers 34% and 30% of your respective daily recommended allowances. That's a lot for any canned meat, but when you look at the serving size indicated, things get much worse. One serving of SPAM is just 56 grams, and in that, you get just 7 grams of protein.
Now, all of this sodium and fat may make it taste good, but when you compare that to other protein sources, it's a no-brainer as to which one you should choose. When you compare it to regular oven-cooked chicken breast, which has 31 grams of protein, 72 milligrams of sodium, and just over one gram of saturated fat per 100 grams, you have to wonder why you'd pick SPAM in the first place.
Canned Beef Stew
There are times when canned beef stew is exactly the thing you need. It may not be the tastiest form of stew you can have, but it can hit the spot when you just don't have the energy to cook, or else fancy something a little more, shall we say, processed. However, you also have to make peace with the fact that canned beef stew is far from a healthy choice. As with other canned meats, it's sky-high in sodium, and has an unfortunate amount of saturated fat too.
For proof of this fact, check out Dinty Moore Beef Stew's nutritional content. Every serving of this stew has 990 milligrams of sodium, which accounts for 41% of your daily value. Additionally, it has 4 grams of saturated fat, a full fifth of the maximum you should be eating per day. It should be said that a serving size is 236 grams, which is far more than the amount indicated on other canned meat products -- but within that, you only get 10 grams of protein. What gives? Unfortunately, Dinty Moore Beef Stew (and other canned beef stews) are packed with additional ingredients that bulk them out at the expense of other quality nutrients. They're far from a good choice if you're looking to hit your nutritional goals.
Potted Meat
With a name like "potted meat," you probably don't expect this canned product to be super healthy. You'd be right, too. Potted meat is made out of a selection of beef, pork, and chicken offcuts, which are ground into a fine paste and then cooked for preservation. SPAM is one of the most famous potted meats out there, but the term "potted meat" itself usually refers to a spreadable meat paste that looks pretty grim. Its cheapness makes it an appealing choice for some (a can of potted meat may set you back less than a dollar), but how it's made may well put you off.
You know what else will put you off, too? Its nutritional content. Potted meat is predictably pretty unhealthy, with an 85-gram can of Great Value Potted Meat containing 40% of your daily allowance for sodium, or 910 milligrams. It also has 4.5 grams of saturated fat, or 23% of your daily value. As well as this, as you might expect, it doesn't have a lot by the way of vitamins and minerals, thanks to its ultra-processed nature which causes a stripping away of many of its nutrients.
Canned Chili
Canned chili could be so much better than it is. This canned meat product relies heavily on sodium and fat to create flavor in each of its containers, and it really shows on the nutritional label. In one can of Hormel Canned Chili (No Beans), the amount of sodium is jaw-dropping: One cup has 990 milligrams of sodium, or 41% of your daily value for the nutrient. It also had 5 grams of saturated fat, a full quarter of the maximum amount you should be consuming on a daily basis.
As well as this, you shouldn't expect a lot of vitamins and minerals in a canned meat product like this. There's a small amount of vitamin A and iron, but other than that things look pretty scarce. There's also a fairly low fiber content, at just 3 grams per serving. If you do want more fiber, it's always better to go with a canned chili product that has beans included, as you'll get a couple more grams.
Canned Beef Hash
If you need something filling fast, then canned beef hash can seem like a perfect choice. A canned combo of corned beef, potatoes, and various flavorings, each portion can give you a fairly good amount of protein, enough carbohydrates to keep you going, and a couple of grams of fiber for good measure. Not bad, huh?
Well, those are all the good parts -- now let's talk about the bad ones. Canned corned beef hash is absolutely full of sodium: In one serving of Armour Corned Beef Hash, there's 980 milligrams of sodium, which equates to 41% of your daily allowance. Perhaps even worse is the saturated fat levels in these products, with the same product containing 13 grams of saturated fat. Both of these nutrients are an issue, but the saturated fat is especially worrying. A recent 2024 study that looked into the effects of a high saturated fat diet found that escalated levels of the nutrient resulted in an increased risk of heart disease, even in individuals who didn't experience any weight gain. This study reinforced the wealth of previous research that proved the link between saturated fat intake and poor cardiovascular health.
Roast Beef Spread
Roast beef spread? Excuse us while we're sick into a trash can. Unfortunately, this is a product that absolutely does exist, and which will do you no favors whatsoever for your health. In Underwood's Premium Roast Beef Spread, there's a high amount of sodium and saturated fat, relative to its serving size. Every portion of this spread has 410 milligrams of sodium and 4 grams of saturated fat, and as a quarter-cup is designated for every serving, you'll end up consuming a huge amount of both nutrients if you go above this.
We can't see why you would, though. Although some people are fans of this spread, others see it for what it is: A pretty disgusting canned product that really doesn't hit the spot. "It looked like gooshy food, and also smelled like it," said one reviewer via Walmart. "The cats enjoyed it, but I couldn't try it, since I started gagging when it came too close to my nose. I'd give it negative stars if I could." We don't know about you, but that's not exactly a ringing endorsement.
Canned Chicken
Canned chicken is one of those canned meat products that should be way healthier than it is. It's just white meat placed into a can, right? Well, unfortunately, it can often be so much more than that, to the detriment of your health. "Chicken is such a great source of protein and so versatile for meals, but if you buy canned chicken, know that while it is still a great source of protein, the canning makes it very high in sodium," says clinical nutritionist Jennifer Ernst to Eat This, Not That. Ernst is certainly right on that front: Canned chicken can contain almost 30% of your daily value for sodium in one serving, even in products that state that they're packed in water.
There's one other issue with canned chicken: Its additional preservatives. Canned chicken also contains sodium phosphates, which is generally considered safe in small quantities," says Jennifer Ernst. "However, regular consumption or a larger quantity can cause bloating, diarrhea, and other GI upset." In our opinion, it's better to just stick with regular chicken. It may be slightly more expensive, but you'll be safe in the knowledge that your food is free of any unnecessary additives.
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