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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).
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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.
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. (JDPerezgonzalez).
Other interesting sites |
Journal KAI |
Wiki of Science |
AviationKnowledge |
A4art |
The Balanced Nutrition Index |