Low sodium lunch meat makes it possible to enjoy deli meats like turkey, ham and roast beef without breaking your daily sodium limit. Look for these low sodium lunch meats at your local grocery store.
Most of the sodium we consume, around 70%, comes from processed foods, like lunch meat. Sodium is added to lunch meats to add flavor and as a preservative to extend their shelf life. While it may make for an easy and convenient meal, the sodium count in most lunch meat is so high it’s an unsafe choice for those of us on a low sodium diet.
Lunch meat is so notoriously high in sodium it’s included on the Salty Six list, six foods we love that are extremely high in sodium. One slice of Oscar Mayer Bologna contains 250 mg of sodium. A 2-oz serving of Hillshire Farm Ultra Thin Smoked Ham contains 610 mg of sodium. The label warns that it contains up to 28% of a seasoning solution, where a portion of the sodium comes from.
If you’re trying to consume 1500 mg of sodium or less daily, one serving of this deli ham will count for more than one-third of your daily sodium allowance. This doesn’t include the sodium in the bread, which can also be high in sodium.
Fortunately, lower sodium options are available, so you don’t necessarily have to give up lunch meat to maintain your low sodium lifestyle.
Low Sodium Lunch Meat Options – Less than 400 mg per serving
These lunch meats contain less than 400 mg per 2-oz serving.
Boar’s Head No Salt Added Turkey Breast – 55 mg per 2 oz
Boar’s Head Deluxe Low Sodium Oven Roasted Beef – 80 mg per 2 oz
Butterball Natural Inspirations Turkey Breast Hardwood Smoked – 190 mg per 1 oz
Dietz & Watson Gourmet Lite Turkey Breast – 240 mg per serving
Applegate Naturals Smoked Turkey Breast – 290 mg per 2 oz
Good & Gather Lower Sodium Oven Roasted Turkey Breast, Ultra Thin Deli Slices – 330 mg per 2 oz
Hillshire Farm Low Sodium Oven Roasted Turkey Breasts – 340 mg per 2 oz
Boar’s Head Golden Classic Oven Roasted Chicken Breast, 42% Lower Sodium – 350 mg per 2 oz
Oscar Mayer Deli Fresh Lower Sodium Honey Ham – 370 mg per 2 oz serving
Hillshire Farm Thin Sliced Lower Sodium Honey Ham – 370 mg per 2 oz serving
Dietz & Watson Natural Gourmet Lite Ham – 390 mg per 2 oz serving
Have questions about low sodium lunch meats?
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Chef Danielle,
You are a lifesaver, I’m 73 yrs old with high blood pressure that was under control then it shot up. My pressure is under control with your assistance, I’m going to try and find a few of these low sodium lunch meat. I never really ate lunch meat before, but since my diet is so restricted, I feel I would like to try it. I have not had any processed food since February and I can tell the difference.
you are the only help in finding what I can eat, I have Pulmonary Hypertension regular hypertension and COPD on O2 24/7..Finding what I can do to keep in the positive range has been good I am gratful..Do you have a cook book? Judy
Like the list of lunch meats. Thank you. Judy
I need th8s I have been put on a low sodium diet