20110812 - Nutritional balance of cured meats - 2011

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[<Normal page] [PEREZGONZALEZ Jose D (2011). Nutritional balance of cured meats. Journal of Knowledge Advancement & Integration (ISSN 1177-4576), 2011, pages 91-94.]


Balance of cured meats

Perezgonzalez studied the nutritional balance of cured meats in 20111. He found that, overall, sandwich-ready cured meats in New Zealand have an average nutritional balance of BNI 140.91na, being particularly unbalanced towards excess of sodium. Being a basic animal-derived product, they are naturally high in protein, fat and saturated fat, and low in carbohydrate, sugar and fiber (see illustration 2).

Illustration 1: Nutrition information (cured meats)
BNI 140.91na 0.00
Food, 100g 2011 Ideal
Protein 18.0 8.5
Carbohydrate 3.1 23.5
Sugar 0.9 < 4.3
Fat 9.6 4.7
Saturated fat 4.1 < 1.9
Fiber 0.0 2.6
Sodium 1.309 < 0.171
Kcal 170.8 170.8
kJul 714.6 714.6
Illustration 2: Nutritional profile (cured meats)
55%
50% *
45% *
40% * *
35% * *
30% * *
25% * *
20% * *
15% * *
10% * *
5% * * *
mid p c f fb
max s sf na
5% * *
10% * *
15% * *
20% * *
25% *
30% *
35% *
40% *
45% *
50% *
55% *
60% *
65% *
ideal % = grey cells; actual % = asterisk (*)


International standards

Cured meats are highly unbalanced according to international Recommended Dietary Intakes (RDIs), although a bit less so according to the U.S.'s, Canadas's and the U.K.'s standards.

Illustration 3: Nutritional balance across different RDIs (cured meats)
Cured meats average 140.91 160.91 102.39 122.39 102.39
Product100g Company BNI WHO US/CAN AUS/NZ UK
Value shaved ham Countdown 94.22 114.22 65.75 85.75 64.82
Value ham & chicken luncheon Countdown 107.06 127.06 89.26 90.79 89.26
Hellers manuka smoked ham Hellers 117.66 137.66 90.29 110.29 90.29
Value shaved Polish sausage Countdown 123.17 143.17 90.43 107.10 90.43
Kiwi shaved pastrami Goodman Fielder 127.98 147.98 102.11 122.11 100.11
Hellers roast chicken Hellers 128.05 148.05 100.65 120.65 98.65
Value shaved roast chicken Countdown 129.11 149.11 101.71 121.71 99.71
Countdown shaved champagne ham Countdown 130.55 150.55 103.12 123.12 102.93
Hellers 97% fat free shaved ham Hellers 130.55 150.55 103.12 123.12 102.93
Countdown shaved corned silverside Countdown 131.77 151.77 104.34 124.34 104.34
Value shaved roast beef Countdown 132.83 152.83 109.31 129.31 109.31
Pams reduced fat Italian salami Pams 139.87 159.87 102.94 122.63 102.94
Hellers cooked silverside Hellers 141.40 161.40 113.97 133.97 112.21
Pams snyworst salami Pams 146.37 161.32 129.28 129.28 129.28
Value shaved pastrami Countdown 161.55 181.55 131.01 151.01 131.01
Beehive champagne ham tasty honey cured Premier Beehive 175.27 195.27 145.49 165.49 145.49
Verkerks Dutch salami Verkerks 176.42 187.47 155.74 155.74 155.74
Verkerks Italian salami Verkerks 181.37 192.55 160.03 160.03 160.03
Italian salami Progressive 182.04 202.04 153.12 159.65 153.12
Eurodell coppa Eurodell 186.95 206.95 143.90 163.90 143.90
Eurodell prosciutto Eurodell 202.71 222.71 166.47 186.47 164.47
(Source: Perezgonzalez, 20111)



Correlations between indexes tend to be high and positive (and significant at the 0.10 cut-off point, which seems appropriate given the small sample size).

Illustration 4: Correlations between RDIs
BNI WHO US/CAN AUS/NZ
WHO .996
(sig.) .000
US/CAN .978 .959
(sig.) .000 .000
AUS/NZ .982 .984 .957
(sig.) .000 .000 .000
UK .976 .958 1.000 .954
(sig.) .000 .000 .000 .000

Methods

Research approach

  • The original research was an exploratory study on the nutritional balance of cured meats in New Zealand in 2011.

Sample

  • The research sample included 21 cured meat products1. The food products were collected in a convenient manner, looking more for a variety of products than a random sampling of the same. The selected products constituted a significant proportion of the population of sandwich-ready cured meats (ie, shaved cold-meats) available at supermarkets.

Materials & analysis

  • Meat products were purchased from local supermarket chains in Palmerston North, New Zealand.
  • Nutrition information for each meat product was retrieved from the nutritional information panel on each item, then assessed using the Balanced Nutrition Index™ (BNI™) technology (see Perezgonzalez, 2011b2).
  • SPSS-v16 was used for variable computations, including BNI and international indexes, and statistical analyses, which included descriptives and correlations.

Generalization potential

Some of the products are produced internationally, although most of the shaving and packing seem to be made locally. Thus, the results of this study may be generalizable to the following populations (in order of decreasing generalization power):

  • Australia.
  • Internationally, if one assumes the same types of cured meats to be of approximately similar nutritional composition anywhere.
References
1. PEREZGONZALEZ Jose D (2011a). Cured meats. The Balanced Nutrition Index (ISSN 1177-8849), 2011, issue 4.
2. PEREZGONZALEZ Jose D (2011b). Balanced Nutrition Index™ (BNI™). Journal of Knowledge Advancement & Integration (ISSN 1177-4576), 2011, pages 20-21. Also retrievable from Wiki of Science.

Want to know more?

BNI™ database
The database offers individual nutrition analyses for foods, including the cured meat products referred to in above article.
BNI™ journal (2011, issue 4) - Cured meats
This issue of the Balanced Nutrition Index™ journal collates all BNI™ nutrition information for the original sample in a single book.
Wiki of Science - Balance Nutrition Index™ (BNI™)
This Wiki of Science page offers more information about the BNI™ technology.

Author

Jose D PEREZGONZALEZ (2011). Massey University, Turitea Campus, Private Bag 11-222, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand. (JDPerezgonzalezJDPerezgonzalez).


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