All About Deli Meat Nutrition Information

Most deli meats are low in calories and make for a convenient meal choice because they provide a quick, tasty dose of protein in sandwiches, wraps, salads or even in plain slices.

However, if you have specific dietary concerns, especially if you're following a low-sodium diet, it can be helpful to check the nutritional information for deli meats before you buy them because deli meats can be very salty.

Here's a breakdown of standard lunch meat nutritional information per 2-ounce serving, according to the USDA:

• 70 calories
• 2 g fat
  • 1 g saturated fat
• 679.8 mg sodium
• 4 g carbs
  • 0 g fiber
  • 3 g sugar
• 9 g protein

Turkey deli meat, whether freshly-cut or prepackaged, is available in almost every supermarket. It comes in a variety of flavors to suit any palate.

Some turkey deli meats have been smoked, others cooked with honey and maple sugar, and others covered with a crust of ground pepper or fragrant herbs.

The standard serving size of deli turkey is about 2 ounces, or 3 slices. One serving of plain oven-roasted deli turkey contains:

• 70 calories
• 2.5 g fat
  • 1.5 g saturated fat
• 459.8 mg sodium
• 1 g carbs
  • 0 g fiber
  • 1 g sugar
• 11 g protein

About 63 percent of the calories in deli turkey come from protein while 32 percent come from fat and the remainder from carbs (there's just 1 gram of carbs in deli turkey).

Sliced deli ham is a common option for salads and sandwiches. Deli ham can be sliced directly from a large ham or from ham pieces pressed together to form loaves.

While this luncheon meat does contain a high amount of sodium, it has some good nutritional value including minerals and protein. It is also relatively low in calories and fat.

A 2-ounce serving of smoked deli ham contains:

• 61 calories
• 1.5 g fat
  • 0.5 g saturated fat
• 526.7 mg sodium
• 1 g carbs
  • 0 g fiber
  • 1 g sugar
• 10.1 g protein

About 70 percent of the calories in deli sliced ham come from protein while 24 percent come from fat and the remainder from carbs.

Nutrition facts for deli meats vary according to types, ingredients and processing methods. In curing and preparing meat for packaging and sale, some companies throw in quite a few additives, including salt, to keep the product as fresh as possible.

One leading brand's salami includes salt, sugar, water, artificial flavor, potassium chloride, sodium ascorbate, sodium nitrite and a lactic acid starter culture in addition to beef.

In addition to ingredients, serving size and accompaniments also affect how many calories and which nutrients you're getting from deli meat.

For example, if you pile on 6 ounces of turkey instead of a more moderate 2-ounce serving, you'll add calories to the total as well as more sugar and cholesterol. The types of bread, condiments and other foods you eat along with the meat can further raise those totals.

\In addition to eating deli meat, form a balanced diet with daily servings of vegetables, fruits, low-fat dairy products and whole grains.