Pastrami is cured, spiced beef, and it makes a tasty choice for sandwiches or cold cut platters. You can find this processed meat at most delicatessens or grocery stores. The exact nutritional value for a specific brand of depends on the cut of beef and seasonings that are in it. Pastrami provides some essential nutrients, but it is best only in moderation as part of a balanced diet.
Calories and Macronutrients
Packaged pastrami contains 104 calories in a 2.5-oz. serving. It has almost no carbohydrates, and it provides 15 g protein, or 30 percent of the daily value for protein. A serving of beef pastrami has 4 g total fat, or 36 calories from fat. This means that 35 percent of the total calories in pastrami come from fat, so it fits within recommendations from the 2010 Dietary Guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to limit fat intake to 35 percent of total calories.
Saturated Fat and Cholesterol
A 2.5-oz. portion of pastrami provides 48 mg cholesterol and 1.9 g saturated fat. Saturated fat and cholesterol from your diet raise levels of bad LDL cholesterol in your blood and may increase your risk for heart disease. Healthy adults should have no more than 300 mg cholesterol per day and no more than 7 to 10 percent of calories from fat, according to the Mayo Clinic. This makes a maximum of 15 to 22 g saturated fat per day on a 2,000-calorie diet.
Sodium
Pastrami has 628 mg sodium per serving. A high-sodium diet can cause high blood pressure, and cold cuts are among the top sources of sodium in the average American diet, according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines. The sodium in pastrami may come from salt used for flavoring as well as from sodium nitrate. Sodium nitrate is a common preservative in cured meats that may contribute to your risk for heart disease, according to the Mayo Clinic. Fresh meats are naturally lower in sodium.
Other Nutrients
Pastrami has 1.6 mg iron, or 8 percent of the daily value for this essential mineral for healthy red blood cells. A 2.5-oz. portion provides 3.5 mg zinc, or 23 percent of the daily value. Zinc is necessary for a strong immune system and fighting infections. Selenium is a heart-healthy antioxidant, and pastrami supplies 13 mcg, or 19 percent of the daily value. Pastrami is also a source of vitamin B-12, niacin (vitamin B-3) and vitamin B-6.
References
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: Sausages and Luncheon Meats
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010; January 2010
- Mayo Clinic; Sodium Nitrate in Meat: Heart Disease Risk Factor?; Martha Grogan; November 2010
- Mayo Clinic; Dietary Fats: Know Which Types to Choose; February 2011
