Sausages - how bad

JackieO

I'm just wondering how bad for you sausages really are. I know the question is like asking how long is a piece of string and its all down to the pork content.

I try stick to a low carb diet and have a fairly healthy diet. I have started having a sausage with my boiled egg in the mornings though. I get them from the staff canteen and so there are probably not so much 99% as 0%
pork!!!! (wee bit of an exaggeration obviously).

Anyway, I'm just wondering how bad these sausages are for me. I'm concerned about both the weight aspect as well as the over-all health aspect.

I watched a programme several years ago about how sausages were made and it put me off them for a long time. I kinda wish I hadn't re-acquired my taste for them.

EileenG

Canteen sausages are bad. They are usually cheap, filled with the lowest quality pork it's legal to put into food, and mixed with a lot of rusk, sugar, salt and additives. Then they are deep fried.

Sausages can be fine, but they need to be made from 99% meat, and the other 1% should be salt, pepper and spices.

Mellor

Can you even get 99% pork sausages with ease anymore?

WalterMitty

As a compromise, tesco finest are pretty good with minimal preservatives and highish pork content. I grill them and drain off any fat that leak off them. I find they fill me up more than eating equivalent calories in porridge. Obviously a treat and not every day.

I rarely eat toast with them and add a few poached eggs to give me a load of protein and esstial nutrients to kick start the day.

El_Dangeroso

I will love forever anyone who can find a gluten-free sausage that isn't filled with crap or tastes like crap.

I seriously considered buying a sausage maker last week, but the kitchen counter is heaving with under-used appliances as it is..

jdivision

Temple_Grandin wrote: »

I will love forever anyone who can find a gluten-free sausage that isn't filled with crap or tastes like crap.

Your love dilemma is solved;)
Marks & Spencer do a range of sausages like Brambley Apple etc and nearly all of them are gluten free. It's usually E6 for two packets and they're gorgeous


PS: they issued this press release on Wednesday:
M&S Launches its Largest Own-Brand Range of Gluten Free Products

M&S is launching 14 brand new products to join its ‘Made Without Wheat’ range .The delicious new range of breads and cakes has been specifically developed to be suitable for coeliacs and are all 100% gluten free, but also taste delicious too.

Tempting new products launching in June include a tasty range of Bakery products including gluten free loaves. Usually ‘long life’, this can affect the taste and texture, but the new M&S loaves aren’t and are soft and light – just as regular bread, and will be available in 400g white and seeded loaves – at only €4.29, which is great value too.

Sweeter treats include: Orange and Polenta Loaf Cake €3.29; Chocolate Brownie Squares €3.29; Caramel Crunch Squares €3.99; Chocolate Muffins €3.29; Lemon Sponge Cake €4.49 and Almond Frangipane €4.49.These new products will add to the popular existing range up, which will total 55 products

Ingredients such as rice four, tapioca starch and potato starch are used to replace wheat, and the recipes have been specifically developed so people don’t have to compromise on quality or flavour.

In September, a further selection of products will be launched including seasonal products: Gluten free Mince Pies, Christmas Cake and Christmas Puddings! Many of the products will also be available at M&S cafes and delis.

The number of people in the Ireland who are Coeliacs and need to follow a strict gluten free diet has risen to approximately 1 in 100.

Claire Hughes, M&S Nutritionist says: “Over 40% of queries we receive through our health website are regarding gluten free products, by far the largest single query we have. There’s clearly a demand for these products, and we’re delighted we’re now able to cater for customers who don’t want gluten, but also don’t want to compromise on taste”

El_Dangeroso

Thankyouthankyouthankyou!

Don't know how I missed these I'm in M&S all the time...please god let the tiny shop in Galway stock these..

columok

Temple Grandin wrote:

Don't know how I missed these I'm in M&S all the time...please god let the tiny shop in Galway stock these..

I've said it many many times before- M&S do black box gluten free sausages that range from 80-97% pork. The chorizos and the cumberlands come highly recommended!

El_Dangeroso

columok wrote: »

I've said it many many times before- M&S do black box gluten free sausages that range from 80-97% pork. The chorizos and the cumberlands come highly recommended!

Ah, indeed you did, sorry, trying to write a lit review on magnesium and my brain has turned to mush!

columok

Ah, indeed you did, sorry, trying to write a lit review on magnesium and my brain has turned to mush!

See there's no need to promise endless love when a trip to marks will do the trick!!!

JackieO

Could anyone hazard a guess as to how many calories would be in a sausage from the deli - it wasn't one of the massive ones. More a regular sized one.

I have been staying away from them for the last few weeks since reading the replies to this thread but I succumbed this morning.

Have to say it wasn't even nice. It was so salty it was horrible.

Anyway, since today is day 1 of my calorie counting I'd like to put a number beside it. I tried a quick search on the internet which is telling me approx 250 calories - I'm hoping this is waaaaaay off the mark! (or will at the very least prevent me from ever looking at them again!).

Any ideas?

EileenG

I got a bag of sausages recently, all medium sized, which said they had 172 calories each. Sounds about right?

JackieO

Were they deep fried ones Eileen?

EileenG

No, bog standard ones you cooked yourself, and which actually seemed to have more meat than weird ingredients.

If you plan to eat sausages regularly, it might be worth weighing one (or ask the deli people to stick it on the scales). If you have a weight, you can work out a more accurate calorie count.

michellie

Im on low carb too, and i eat denny chicken sausages, there lovely, have you tried them?

someday2010

I think standard supermarket sausages are total rubbish. Go buy some proper lean meat!

dacookie

Yeh I agree here...food markets or no sausages at all please.Any of the major brands are absolute crap.

corkcomp

imo all sausages are pretty much crap.. they are not that low card either and the calorie content is ridiculous.. Anyone I know who likes sausages wont stop at one either:D I've a friend who worked in a slaughter house so enough said..

JackieO

I think we can all agree that sausages aren't the most wholesome food to be eating. I've tried the 90% ones from M&S and they wouldn't be my favourite. I think I'll just have to make them a very rare treat.

Hermione*

Temple_Grandin wrote: »

I will love forever anyone who can find a gluten-free sausage that isn't filled with crap or tastes like crap.

I seriously considered buying a sausage maker last week, but the kitchen counter is heaving with under-used appliances as it is..

I had these ones before and I thought they tasted ok: http://www.hodginsfoods.ie/glutenfree_sausages.html

I got them in Tesco.

--Kaiser--

I don't think sausages are THAT bad for you, (apart from the preservatives and high salt content). I think it's a good way of eating parts of an animal that wouldn't be too appetising on it's own (organs, offal etc.) and which can be quite healthy.

If a wolfpack takes down a stag (for example), the first part that is eaten is the organ meat (as it's the most nutritious) followed by fat and muscle, then bone marrow.

IMHO, fancy sausages with high pork (> 80%) content are not as nice as the lower quality ones, to me they just taste like ground up pork chop.

the_syco

Depends. Most of the ones sold in Irish supermarkets are referred to as "British Sausages", and have usually only have 46% (or some such low figure) of pork. Usually goto Aldi or Lidl to get 80-85% sausages. Will check out Marks and Sparks for the 95% sausages.

It depends what you're looking for: a sausage, or 50% pork, and 50% random additions.

JimsAlterEgo

--Kaiser-- wrote: »

IMHO, fancy sausages with high pork (> 80%) content are not as nice as the lower quality ones, to me they just taste like ground up pork chop.

you need to get ones with sometihng added, herbs,apple etc to enhance the flavour

Transform

absolutely great food so long as you go at least 85% + pork content

M&S for the WIN!!

EileenG

Oh, I was in Superquinn today looking at sausages. An average sausage was 222 calories. A small cocktail sausage is 51 calories.

JimsAlterEgo

if you grilled them and pricked them to drain some of the fat would they not be less?

EileenG

Maybe, though some labels will give you the calories per cooked portion. But I'd hate to be trying to quantify the amount. Sausages are designed to keep their contents intact,. so they stay big and juicy. If you could drain most of the fat, they would go small and dry.

Transform

EileenG wrote: »

Maybe, though some labels will give you the calories per cooked portion. But I'd hate to be trying to quantify the amount. Sausages are designed to keep their contents intact,. so they stay big and juicy. If you could drain most of the fat, they would go small and dry.

who cares - they are sausages and they tase yumm.

There are bigger holes in ones diet than sausages

JackieO

I have to agree Transform - the 90% ones from M&S are just like eating a pork chop. Not the nicest.

I must try and get some flavoured ones.

I have some lovely shaws sausages in the fridge now and trying to figure how I'm going to avoid them tomorrow morning!