Is Spam Healthy?

Is spam healthy? Spam is not that healthy. Why? Because it is high in sodium, fat, and calories. It is an extremely popular canned cooked meat that is made from ground pork and ham. It is also made with a lot of preservatives.

One two ounce of Spam contains the following nutrients:

• 174 calories
• Protein- 7 grams
• Carbs- 2 grams
• Fat- 15 grams
• Sodium- 33 percent of your daily recommend
• Zinc- 7% of the RDI
• Potassium- 4% of the RDI
• Iron- 3% of the RDI
• Copper- 3% of the RDI

Spam is a highly processed meat eating it comes with potential health issues if done for an extended period. Processed meat has been linked to a higher risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, (COPD).

There was a study done on over 400,00 adults that showed that eating processed meat was strongly linked to a higher risk of diabetes and heart disease. There have been other large studies that have linked eating processed meat to colorectal cancer and stomach cancer.

These studies are saying if you eat processed meat like spam for a considerable amount of time you put yourself at an elevated risk for a lot of chronic diseases that can negatively impact your health.

Spam also has a high amount of sodium and 1 serving size equals to 1/3 of the daily recommended value. High blood pressure is associated with long term consumption of high sodium intake. There are about 10 studies that people who consumed a high amount of sodium is linked to a higher risk of stomach cancer.

Spam is high in fat and has 15 grams of fat per serving. And this is more than 6 times the amount of fat in chicken. Higher fat intake leads to clogged arteries, substantial risk for heart disease, elevated risk for stroke, higher cholesterol levels and high blood pressure. There is also about 7 grams of protein in spam per serving which is much lower than chicken, turkey or even fish. The protein is lower, the fat is higher, and the calories are higher.

“Spam isn’t the healthiest meat to eat but it is one of the most convenient because of how it is packaged”- Celebrity Fitness & Nutrition Expert Obi Obadike

So nutritionally it is much lower than eating chicken, salmon, or fish. Examples of processed meat are beef jerky, hot dogs, corned beef, bacon, etc.

The Bottom Line: is eating spam is high in calories, sodium, and fat. So, it isn’t the healthiest meat to eat but it is one of the most convenient because of how it is packaged. The healthy alternative meat option to spam if you are health conscious is chicken, turkey, or fish.

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References

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