Is Taylor Ham Bad For You? A Closer Look at This Iconic Meat Product

Taylor ham, also known as pork roll, is a processed meat product that originated in New Jersey but has become popular across the country. This salty, smoky, sliced meat is a staple breakfast order in diners and sandwich shops, often served in egg sandwiches. But is this iconic food truly bad for your health? Let’s take a closer look.

A Brief History of Taylor Ham

Taylor ham was invented in 1856 by John Taylor a farmer and businessman in Trenton New Jersey. He developed a method of combining ground pork with spices and curing it into a firm, dense meat that could be easily sliced. Taylor called his creation “Taylor’s Prepared Ham” but it became affectionately known as Taylor ham.

This processed meat grew widely popular in New Jersey and Pennsylvania in the early 1900s. Over a dozen companies began mass producing this product to meet demand. Today, the most famous brand of pork roll is still called Taylor ham, but there are also brands like Trenton pork roll and Case pork roll that sell a very similar product.

Nutrition Facts: The Good and the Bad

Taylor ham contains a mix of fats, proteins, carbohydrates, and sodium. Here is the nutritional breakdown for a typical serving size of around 2-3 thin slices (56g) of Taylor pork roll

• Calories: 190
• Total fat: 16g
• Saturated fat: 6g
• Trans fat: 0g
• Protein: 8g
• Carbohydrates: 1g
• Sodium: 450mg

Right away we can see that Taylor ham is high in sodium and saturated fat The American Heart Association recommends limiting saturated fat to 13g daily and sodium to 1500mg per day Just 2-3 slices of pork roll provide almost half the recommended saturated fat intake and nearly a third of the sodium limit,

However, Taylor ham does contain a decent amount of protein. The processed meat is mostly pork, which is a high quality protein containing all 9 essential amino acids. Protein helps keep you full and aids muscle growth and maintenance.

The pork roll is also lower in carbohydrates than many breads and breakfast meats like sausage. The nitrate-free, no-sugar-added varieties of Taylor ham contain zero carbohydrates. This makes pork roll a good meat choice for low-carb diets like keto.

Potential Health Risks of Processed Meat

Most health authorities advise limiting intake of processed meats like bacon, sausage, and ham. The World Health Organization classified processed meats as a Group 1 carcinogen which means there is convincing evidence that processed meats can cause cancer.

Studies link eating processed meats, even in small amounts, to a higher risk of colorectal cancer as well as heart disease and diabetes. Experts believe this is due to the presence of preservatives like sodium nitrite as well as the high sodium levels.

Eating too much Taylor ham regularly could potentially raise your risk for chronic illnesses over time. However, enjoying pork roll occasionally as part of an overall healthy diet is unlikely to have major detrimental effects on health.

Tips for Making Taylor Ham Healthier

If you are a Taylor ham lover, there are steps you can take to make this meaty breakfast treat a little better for you:

• Choose nitrate-free varieties like Wellshire Sugar-Free Pork Roll which eliminates potentially harmful preservatives.

• Opt for reduced sodium Taylor ham to slash the sodium content in half.

• Fry your pork roll in olive oil instead of butter to reduce saturated fat.

• Place Taylor ham in a whole wheat pita instead of a croissant to increase fiber and nutrients.

• Stack pork roll on a salad or in a lettuce wrap instead of bread.

• Pair Taylor ham with avocado, tomato, and spinach instead of just egg and cheese.

• Limit yourself to 1-2 slices of pork roll 2-3 times per week rather than eating it daily.

• Substitute Taylor ham occasionally with lower sodium turkey bacon or prosciutto as a change.

The Verdict

Moderation and smart preparation are key if you want to keep enjoying your Taylor ham habit. While pork roll is high in sodium and saturated fat, eating it sparingly as part of an overall balanced diet is unlikely to negatively impact your health. Try mixing up cooking methods and pair the meat with nutritious ingredients to maximize nutrients. If you currently eat Taylor ham daily, aim to cut back to just a few times a week.

So go ahead and enjoy a delicious Taylor ham egg and cheese on a roll now and then. But be mindful of portions and how often you indulge. When consumed responsibly, this iconic New Jersey meat can absolutely still have a place in a healthy lifestyle. Just don’t make it an everyday all-day affair. And know that there are easy ways to boost the nutrition of your pork roll.

In the end, no food itself is inherently “bad” or “unhealthy”—it comes down to how we integrate foods into our total diet and lifestyle. With some simple tweaks, beloved foods like Taylor ham can be consumed in a balanced way that optimizes your health. Moderation and variety are key principles for any healthy eating pattern.