25 Unhealthiest Deli Meats—Ranked by Sodium
Many deli meats are low-calorie, lean sources of protein that are tasty, convenient, and often more affordable than fresh meat. However, some are healthier than others. For instance, many deli meats are loaded with sodium—and some contain upwards of a quarter of the recommended sodium in an entire day.
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends an upper limit of 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day for most people. For reference, that's equal to just one teaspoon of salt. For people with high blood pressure, the AHA recommends eating even less salt and capping your intake to no more than 1,500 milligrams per day. Meanwhile, most of us are getting a staggering 3,500 milligrams every day. And the problem isn't the salt shaker on the kitchen table—a lot of the sodium we consume comes from ultra-processed foods that we eat regularly, such as deli meats.
This is why we've ranked popular deli meats at the supermarket according to their sodium content, starting with the lowest level on the list, and ending with the highest. Read on to learn more, then check out 25 Low-Sodium Restaurant Chain Orders.
25. Bar-S Chicken Bologna
Nutrition (Per 1 slice serving):
Calories: 60
Fat: 5 g (Saturated fat: 1.5 g)
Sodium: 370 mg
Carbs: 3 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 1 g)
Protein: 5 g
At first glance, the sodium content in this chicken bologna doesn't seem too high—especially compared to other deli meats on this list. But check out the serving size and you'll see why: While most deli meats' standard serving is 2 ounces, this lunchmeat's serving size is 32 grams, or about 1.12 ounces. That means, ounce for ounce, this Bar-S Chicken Bologna is higher in sodium, containing about 656 milligrams per 2 ounces.
RELATED: 25 Unhealthiest Canned Soups—Ranked by Sodium
24. Great Value Thin Sliced Hard Salami
Nutrition (Per 1 ounce serving):
Calories: 120
Fat: 10 g (Saturated fat: 4 g)
Sodium: 480 mg
Carbs: 1 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 1 g)
Protein: 5 g
Most deli meats' standard serving size is 2 ounces, but if you flip the container over, you'll notice that this hard salami's nutrition facts are based on a 1-ounce serving. That's pretty misleading in our book, considering most of us are stacking our sandwiches with more than just an ounce of deli meat. And if you do, you're getting 240 calories, 8 grams of saturated fat, and 40% of your daily value of sodium in one sitting!
23. Hormel Natural Choice Uncured Sopressata Salami
Nutrition (Per 4-slice serving):
Calories: 100
Fat: 7 g (Saturated fat: 2.5 g)
Sodium: 520 mg
Carbs: 0 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 0 g)
Protein: 9 g
Skip the soppressata if supporting your heart health as you age is top of mind. Four small slices of this Italian-style salami get you to 13% of your daily value of saturated fat and nearly a quarter of your daily value for sodium. Having too much sodium in the bloodstream raises blood pressure by increasing the blood flow through the vessels. This puts strain on the heart and causes plaque buildup, which increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.
22. Oscar Mayer Deli Fresh Rotisserie Seasoned Chicken Breast
Nutrition (Per 2 ounce serving):
Calories: 50
Fat: 1 g (Saturated fat: 0 g)
Sodium: 520 mg
Carbs: 1 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 1 g)
Protein: 8 g
Rotisserie chicken is often touted as a healthy dinner protein, but just like its inspiration, this deli meat is riddled with sodium. You'll get 520 milligrams, or 22% of your daily value, in a 2-ounce serving. A high-sodium diet can cause water retention, which can lead to bloating and weight gain.
21. Buddig Chicken
Nutrition (Per serving):
Calories: 90
Fat: 5 g (Saturated fat: 1.5 g)
Sodium: 530 mg
Carbs: 2 g (Fiber: g, Sugar: 1 g)
Protein: 9g
Chicken is a stellar source of lean protein, but Buddig's poultry-based deli meat is relatively high in fat and contains about 22% of your daily recommended amount of sodium. Instead, bake a batch of skinless chicken breast with your favorite herbs and spices to use in wraps and sandwiches during the week.
20. Hillshire Farm Ultra Thin Rotsserie Seasoned Chicken Breast
Nutrition (Per 56 grams):
Calories: 60
Fat: 1 g (Saturated fat: 0 g)
Sodium: 540 mg
Carbs: 3 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 1 g)
Protein: 9 g
With 9 grams of protein and just 1 gram of fat, this rotisserie-seasoned chicken breast deli meat may seem like a sound choice at first glance. But when you take a closer look and zoom into the sodium count, you might want to place this pick back on the shelf. Instead, grab the Lower Sodium Oven Roasted Turkey Breast, which boasts just 340 milligrams of sodium per serving.
RELATED: 15 Best Low-Sodium Canned Soups, According to Dietitians
19. Great Value Thin Sliced Honey Ham
Nutrition (Per 2 ounce serving):
Calories: 70
Fat: 1.5 g (Saturated fat: 0 g)
Sodium: 550 mg
Carbs: 4 g (Fiber: g, Sugar: 4 g)
Protein: 10 g
Sure, this honey ham is lean but it's also jam-packed with both sugar and salt. A 2-ounce serving offers up 4 grams of added sugar and 23% of your daily value of sodium.
18. Land O'Frost Oven Roasted Turkey
Nutrition (Per package):
Calories: 100
Fat: 6 g (Saturated fat: 1.5 g)
Sodium: 550 mg
Carbs: 1 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 0 g)
Protein: 9 g
Oven-roasted turkey sounds like the epitome of a healthy sandwich topping, but this option from Land O' Frost is far from it. Although it's made with white turkey meat, one serving of this deli meat contains 6 grams of total fat and 1.5 grams of saturated fat—and let's not forget the 550 milligrams of sodium.
17. Land O' Frost Smoked Turkey
Nutrition (Per package):
Calories: 100
Fat: 6 g (Saturated fat: 2 g)
Sodium: 550 mg
Carbs: 0 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 0 g)
Protein: 9 g
Turkey is known to be a lean protein, but this pick from Land O' Frost has more fat than many red-meat deli meats the brand offers. And the turkey isn't wood-smoked at all—instead, Land O' Frost adds "natural smoke flavor" to the meat to give it that distinctive taste.
16. Hormel Natural Choice Uncured Genoa Salami
Nutrition (Per 4-slice serving):
Calories: 140
Fat: 12 g (Saturated fat: 4.5 g)
Sodium: 550 mg
Carbs: 0 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 0 g)
Protein: 7 g
Great on charcuterie boards and in ciabatta sandwiches, this Italian-style salami is thick, rich, and really salty. A small serving of 1.1 ounces packs in 550 milligrams of sodium—that's 24% of your daily value—as well as a whopping 12 grams of total fat and 4.5 grams of saturated fat.
15. Boar's Head Mortadella
Nutrition (Per 6-slice serving):
Calories: 160
Fat: 14 g (Saturated fat: 5 g)
Sodium: 560 mg
Carbs: 0 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 0 g)
Protein: 9 g
This Venetian-style pork is studded with pistachios, garlic, and spices, which lend it that subtly sweet taste. While flavorful, you can't ignore the fact that you're filling up on a staggering 25% of your daily recommended value of sodium in one sitting—and that's before pairing the mortadella with accouterments like crusty bread and cheese.
RELATED: 7 Healthiest White Breads on Grocery Shelves—and 5 to Avoid
14. Land O' Frost Honey Turkey
Nutrition (Per package):
Calories: 100
Fat: 5 g (Saturated fat: 1.5 g)
Sodium: 560 mg
Carbs: 3 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 2 g)
Protein: 8 g
Land O' Frost's Honey Turkey is saltier than it is sweet. One serving contains 560 milligrams of sodium, which is the same amount of salt in 32 mini pretzel twists. Also good to know: The ingredient list includes isolated soy protein, which means this deli meat isn't safe for people with a soy allergy.
13. Hormel Natural Choice Cherrywood Smoked Deli Ham
Nutrition (Per 4-slice serving):
Calories: 60
Fat: 1.5 g (Saturated fat: 0.5 g)
Sodium: 560 mg
Carbs: 1 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 1 g)
Protein: 10 g
Hormel smokes its ham over hardwood chips for a campfire-esque flavor. If you're craving that smokiness in a sandwich, consider going for sodium-free chicken breast and topping it with half a serving of this cherrywood smoked ham (which is two slices, for 280 milligrams of sodium), and adding fresh veggies.
12. Smithfield Prime Fresh Black Forest Ham
Nutrition (Per 2-slice serving):
Calories: 60
Fat: 2 g (Saturated fat: 0.5 g)
Sodium: 570 mg
Carbs: 2 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 0 g)
Protein: 10 g
Lunches and snacks stacked with Smithfield's Black Forest Ham get a hit of salt. One serving has 570 milligrams of sodium—about the amount you'd find in two and half snack-sized bags of potato chips.
11. Hillshire Farm Ultra Thin Honey Ham
Nutrition (Per 56 grams):
Calories: 70
Fat: 2.5 g (Saturated fat: 1 g)
Sodium: 570 mg
Carbs: 4 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 3 g)
Protein: 9 g
It might have just a "touch of sweetness" but Hillshire Farms' Honey Ham is loaded with salt. Make a better-for-you ham and cheese sandwich with Hillshire Farms' Lower Sodium Honey Ham, and you'll save 200 milligrams of sodium per serving.
10. Smithfield Smoked Ham
Nutrition (Per 2-slice serving):
Calories: 60
Fat: 2 g (Saturated fat: 0.5 g)
Sodium: 570 mg
Carbs: 2 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 0 g)
Protein: 10 g
This pre-sliced smoked ham makes packing lunch super easy, but simple is not synonymous with nutritious. A 2-ounce serving gives you about a quarter of your daily value for sodium, so if you do decide to stack your sandwich with Smithfield's Smoked Ham, make sure to monitor your sodium intake for the rest of the day and drink plenty of water along with your lunch.
RELATED: 21 Best Low-Sodium Fast-Food Orders
9. Buddig Beef
Nutrition (Per serving):
Calories: 100
Fat: 7 g (Saturated fat: 3 g)
Sodium: 600 mg
Carbs: 1 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 1 g)
Protein: 9 g
Take a look at the ingredients list, and you'll see that up to 15% of Buddig's Beef Deli Meat is made of a saltwater brine. Considering that such a large chunk of this lunchmeat is salty water, you should reconsider adding these beef slices to your kid's lunchbox.
8. Buddig Pastrami
Nutrition (Per serving):
Calories: 100
Fat: 7 g (Saturated fat: 3 g)
Sodium: 600 mg
Carbs: 1 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 1 g)
Protein: 9 g
You want the protein source in your sandwich to fill you up, not bloat you out. But with 25% of your daily value of sodium per serving, you might find yourself holding onto extra water after noshing on this salty pastrami.
7. Hillshire Farm Ultra Thin Pastrami
Nutrition (Per 2 oz.):
Calories: 70
Fat: 3 g (Saturated fat: 1.5 g)
Sodium: 600 mg
Carbs: 1 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 0 g)
Protein: 9 g
We get it, it's tempting to grab a loaf of rye and pile a pastrami sandwich high. But Hillshire Farm's cured beef—packed with more than a quarter of your daily value of sodium—will leave you reaching for glass after glass of water rather than the sauerkraut.
6. Buddig Corned Beef
Nutrition (Per serving):
Calories: 100
Fat: 7 g (Saturated fat: 3 g)
Sodium: 600 mg
Carbs: 1 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 1 g)
Protein: 9 g
Corned beef is typically made by soaking beef in a seasoned brine solution containing rock salt (or "corns" of salt). The curing process gives the meat its distinctive flavor—ahem, saltiness—which explains the 600 milligrams of sodium in each serving.
5. Boar's Head Prosciutto di Parma
Nutrition (Per 3-slice serving):
Calories: 80
Fat: 5 g (Saturated fat: 1.5 g)
Sodium: 610 mg
Carbs: 0 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 0 g)
Protein: 9 g
Melt-in-your-mouth prosciutto di parma should be an occasional treat, considering it's rich in salt and fat. Three slices of this dry-cured ham give you 610 milligrams of sodium, so instead of eating it alongside a salty antipasto platter, try wrapping just one slice around a piece of melon for a sweet and salty treat that satisfies—with less salt.
RELATED: 10 Best Weight Loss Lunches That Are 400 Calories or Less
4. Land O' Frost Slow Roasted Beef
Nutrition (Per 7-slice serving):
Calories: 70
Fat: 2 g (Saturated fat: 1 g)
Sodium: 640 mg
Carbs: 0 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 0 g)
Protein: 12 g
One serving of this slow-roasted beef contains the salt equivalent found in about 36 mini pretzel twists. Make a roast beef and cheese sandwich with two slices of cheddar and you'll be sitting down to more than half a day's worth of sodium during lunch.
3. Bar-S Thick Bologna
Nutrition (Per 1 slice serving):
Calories: 150
Fat: 13 g (Saturated fat: 4 g)
Sodium: 640 mg
Carbs: 2 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 1 g)
Protein: 5 g
Aside from the sky-high sodium content, you'll also get a hefty dose of total and saturated fat from this thick-cut bologna. Just one slice offers up 20% of your daily value of saturated fat. Frequently eating too much saturated fat and sodium is linked to a higher risk of heart disease.
2. Land O'Frost Black Peppered Uncured Beef
Nutrition (Per 7-slice serving):
Calories: 80
Fat: 2 g (Saturated fat: 1 g)
Sodium: 720 mg
Carbs: 2 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 1 g)
Protein: 11 g
Land O' Frost boasts that it doesn't contain any added nitrates or nitrites, however, it contains celery juice, which is a natural source of nitrate. Here's where the issue lies: Nitrates, which convert into nitrites, can form potentially cancer-causing compounds called nitrosamines, according to the American Institute for Cancer Research.
1. Boar's Head Boneless Smoked Uncured Ham Steak
Nutrition (Per 3 ounce serving):
Calories: 80
Fat: 2 g (Saturated fat: 1 g)
Sodium: 780 mg
Carbs: 1 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 0 g)
Protein: 15 g
Boar's Head's sliced version of your holiday ham has a hefty amount of salt. One 3-ounce serving packs 780 milligrams of sodium—the same amount you'd find in about two bags of potato chips.
