Sausage and your health
The U.S. Department of Agriculture mandates that fresh sausage contain no sodium nitrite and/or potassium nitrite, and no nitrates. However, cured sausages do normally contain one of these preservatives, which are suspected suspected of contributing to cancer. Many are allergic to nitrites and nitrates, and fillers such as soy and other common food allergens, so beware of these ingredients in commercial cured varieties. Cured varieties also contain high amounts of salt, necessary to the curing process, a potential problem for those with high blood pressure. Yet those varieties containing pork are rich in thiamine and vitamin B12 which helps promote healthy nerves and skin. And many are a significant source of zinc.
Reduce the fat in sausage
Of course, by making your own at home, you can control the ingredients, spices, and fillers. Those on a low-fat diet can control the fat content of homemade sausage, but know that less fat will mean a dry sausage. Adding fruits, such as chopped apple or raisins will add moisture back, or try onions, mushrooms and other moisture-rich veggies or even tofu. You can further reduce the fat content up to 20 percent by cooking fresh sausages, draining the fat, and then patting it dry with paper towels. Using sausage in small amounts as a flavor accent instead of as a main dish will also help reduce fat in your diet, yet still let you enjoy a bit of sausage. Click here for a special set of lower fat sausage recipes.
Sausage Cooking
The recipe collection includes a wide variety of sausage blends along with recipes using sausage. The important thing to remember about any recipe is that is it easily adjustable to fit the tastes and needs of your own family, so feel free to do so.
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