Here's How Turkey Breast Is Turned Into Deli Meat

Many of us grew up eating turkey sandwiches regularly since it is an easy, affordable lunch option. But have you ever stopped to ponder how your turkey breast becomes a tasty, sliced deli meat? It can be more complicated than roasting and slicing a turkey breast (though it doesn't necessarily have to be).

By and large, deli meat — which includes things like turkey breast, ham, roast beef, and chicken breast — is a cut of meat that is seasoned, cooked, and sliced thinly. Processed meats like salami, pepperoni, and bologna are something else entirely. That being said, even whole turkey breast deli meat can have high sodium levels, preservatives, and other undesirable ingredients. A general rule is that it's likely that freshly sliced turkey breast from the deli counter is better for you than turkey meat that's prepackaged.

But not all deli turkey is created equally, and there are brands of low-quality deli turkey you should avoid at all costs. Prepackaged turkey meat is often a much more processed and less healthy option than whole deli turkey breast. It may contain meat from multiple parts of the bird that's been ground up, mixed with additives, binders, preservatives, and seasoning, and shaped into a circular log before being cooked and sliced. This is also where other ingredients, including preservatives like nitrates and nitrites, may be added.

Preserved, packaged meats can be harmful to one's health because of the carcinogenic properties of the preservatives. Debra Ruzensky, a clinical dietitian, told the MD Anderson Cancer Center, "When nitrates and nitrites are added to processed meats and are exposed to heat, they become harmful. You're essentially introducing carcinogens right into the tissue of the lower intestine."

To ensure that you're getting the best quality, healthiest deli turkey, there are a few things you can check. You'll obviously want to check the ingredient list and the nutritional facts, as well as the use by date. It stands to reason that deli meat with fewer preservatives won't have as long a shelf life as the highly processed stuff, so a best by date not too far away is a good sign.

One way you to know exactly what's in your deli turkey is to make it yourself. Making your own deli turkey is a laborious process involving grinding the meat several times, adding seasoning and additives, loading the mixture into a stuffer, placing it into a casing, cooking, and slicing (a sandwich expert told us how thick your deli meats should actually be). Or you could buy a whole turkey breast, season it, and roast it in the oven. It won't last as long as processed deli turkey, but it will likely be healthier and even more delicious. If you simply don't have time, though, take a look at our list of 11 packaged turkey brands.