Which sausages to choose? Which sausages are the healthiest? |

In this article you will learn, among others:

• Which sausages to choose?

• How to choose sausages?

• Are ham sausages healthy?

Which sausages to choose?

Sausages belong to finely ground cured meats in the composition of which it belongs distinguish three basic parts: meat input, fat, water. They are a food product very often chosen because of its price, immediate readiness to eat and various forms of their use. Which sausages to choose? The most important – read the labels – they are a treasury of knowledge about what is hidden in a given sausage. The content of each is ground very well, so you can’t see what’s inside. REMEMBER the ingredients listed on the packaging are listed in descending order. The first ingredient listed is the one with the most.

The ranking of sausages was presented by dietitian Joanna Rymarczyk.

How to choose sausages?

• First of all – whether and how many percent of meat they contain. Good sausages should have meat – it seems obvious, and yet… Record-breaking sausages contain only 18% meat. In these cases, MSM, i.e. mechanically separated meat, constitutes a large proportion. Interestingly, this ingredient is not included in meat. Under the three-letter abbreviation there are: torsos, necks, skins, tendons. MSM is characterized by much worse nutritional parameters – it contains significant amounts of fat, but little protein with high nutritional value. Nutritionist Karolina Łąkowska wrote about the harmfulness of MOM. From 1 kg of skins, producers are able to make 2 kg of sausages! The question of their quality immediately arises.
• Second – how many ingredients are hidden in a sausage. The golden rule: the shorter the list of ingredients on the label, the better the quality. Why? There are no artificial and non-meat additives.
• Third – if and how many additives they contain. The use of additives masks the poor quality of the product! Phosphates, which are often present in sausages, cause the meat to swell. For producers, this means that it is better to use less meat and add phosphates to the production of a sausage. An additional disadvantage for consumers who consume products containing them is that phosphates inhibit calcium absorption.
• Fourthly – is there an inscription on them – HIGH EFFICIENCY – read: from a small amount of meat we produce many kilograms of sausages. How is it done? We use non-meat additives, such as semolina, peas and even bamboo.

Are ham sausages healthy?

Due to the name of the ham sausages, consumers are supposed to associate them with a more sophisticated product from the so-called ‘high-end’. Compared to traditional sausages, they certainly perform better in quality tests. They are characterized by a high ham meat content. Representatives of this variety include its min. 90% (Krakus ham sausages), and some even 97% – Tesco Finest sausages, Tarczyński sausages). They do not contain MOM, which significantly improves their quality and increases the nutritional value. This type of sausages has a much shorter list of ingredients. The number 1 spot on the list is always ham, i.e. high-quality meat

Ham sausages usually contain significantly fewer stabilizers and preservatives than their traditional counterparts.

Some ham sausages have a visible inscription on the packaging to ensure that they do not contain monosodium glutamate and phosphate. Although the composition can be found, for example, sodium citrate.

Ham sausages are characterized by a very similar calorific value, as well as the content of protein, fats and carbohydrates. However, when reaching for them, you should carefully read the labels, because they differ mainly in the type and amount of additives used. You should be aware that they are a fairly high calorie product, so you should consume them in moderation.

Author: Aleksandra Turska, nutritionist

Do you often reach for sausages? Which sausages do you choose when shopping? Which sausages do your children like?