Cured Meats- Aren’t They Paleo?

Salami, Prosciutto, Speck, Culatello, Coppa, Guanciale and Pancetta, just to name a few are delicious preparations of meat, indeed…but are they Paleo?

I’m afraid not.  

Because most are cured with salt and sometimes sugar, and sometimes additives like nitrates and nitrites, both of which are linked to cancers, by the way, they’re not considered a healthy protein option that you might swap out your wild salmon or free range bison steak for.

However, if you’re an endurance athlete, and as such, are one of the populations for whom it’s actually indicated to have some added salt in the diet and if you find an alternative vendor which produces their charcuterie from pastured pork and doesn’t use additives, then yes, as a once in a while type of thing, you could certainly include it.

Just don’t fool yourself into thinking that a pound of  the cured meats in your former fave Italian sub are fare game for day to day proteins!

I make a delicious, Paleo friendly version of prosciutto wrapped melon, using a puree of canteloupe in lieu of a big hunk of melon; check out my recipe here!