Why You Should Stay Away From Canned Meatballs At All Costs

The culinary hazards of canned meatballs are well known. They are bland, made from processed textureless meat, and are far from fresh — canned meatballs can sit on a shelf for between 1-5 years. The reasons why you should stay away from them are beyond the culinary, however. Made from processed meat and, this version of meatballs are often combined with pasta in the U.S. This combination comes with a cocktail of preservatives and additives that have been found to cause cancer, heart disease, type II diabetes, and more health issues. Basically, the bland mushiness of the meatballs is the least of hazards in that can.

On the nutritional side, canned meatballs are not entirely made of meat. The second ingredient in the meatballs is usually water, followed closely by breadcrumbs, additives, and preservatives. Thus, they are not a good source of protein, and the flavor does not compare to fresh or frozen meatballs. The pasta in each can is also usually mushy and bland as well. Although the cans list spices and flavorings in the ingredients, there is typically more water and salt in those cans than spices and flavorings (which are often not enough to even list in the ingredients).

The primary problem in the canned meatballs is the processed meat that you should avoid. The meat is originally chicken, beef, or pork, but it is mixed with so many things that change the nutritional value of the meat, in addition to the texture and taste. For example, the salt added is more than "to taste." One can of meatballs has about 40% of the daily allowance of salt (sodium) and 20% or more of the daily allowance of sugar. High salt consumption leads to hypertension and heart disease, while high sugar consumption leads to type II diabetes and also heart disease. Excessive salt intake also leads to the growth of bacteria that cause stomach ulcers.

Nitrites are another hazard to the human digestive system. They are added to processed meat to preserve it, flavor it, and prevent bacteria from growing in the meat while it is in the can. However, these benefits are outweighed by the risk of bowel and stomach cancer. There is no magical number of canned meatballs or processed meats that cause issues, so it's best to stay away from them, as the lack of flavor and other culinary benefits outweigh the health risks.