Ham

Studies in people

• No harm found

  Heart and blood health²

  In adults, eating dry-cured ham did not worsen blood pressure or cholesterol, though scientists say the evidence is still limited.

Animal and lab studies only

• Benefit

  Blood pressure⁷

  In animal studies, peptides in Spanish dry-cured ham lowered blood pressure in rats.

• No harm found

  Parasite risk in cured meat⁸

  In animal studies, no live Toxoplasma parasites were found in ham cured for 14 months, though other curing methods are untested.

Study type not stated

• Benefit

  Blood pressure and blood sugar⁴

  Dry-cured ham makes peptides that early studies suggest may help with blood pressure and blood sugar.

• Open question

  Nutrient absorption⁵

  Dry-cured ham contains bioactive peptides, but it is unclear how well the body absorbs them.

Found in some samples or products

These come from where it was grown, how it was processed or cooked, or what it was made into. They are not about the ingredient itself, so the signal does not count them.

• Botulism outbreak cause³

  In an outbreak, people got botulism from eating ham that contained botulinum neurotoxins B and E.

• Fermentation health risks⁶

  Jinhua ham's microbes shape its flavour but can also make biogenic amines and mycotoxins.

The signal at the top counts the findings in people and in animal and lab studies. A concern in studies of people outranks animal and lab studies, and “No concerns” needs at least one finding in people. When most findings in people point one way, the page leans that way (“Mostly”), and every finding is still shown. Findings whose study type is not stated are shown but not counted. This page is a reference, not medical advice. It describes what regulators and published research say. Talk to a doctor or dietitian about your own diet.