People have been enjoying Boar’s Head meats for over 100 years. There is a level of comfort around the name. People trust it, and do not question it.
But should we?
For all of my clients, I recommend choosing meats that are free of hormones and antibiotics (Why? Well, that’s an entirely different topic for a different day...). Meats from organic, grass-fed animals are even better, but much harder to come by. Recently, one of my clients asked about Boar’s Head deli meat. This client prefers Boar’s Head, but wanted to make sure it was an acceptable choice. I was happy to have the opportunity to research this a bit, and decided to share what I found since so many people love Boar’s Head.
I called a question hotline that I found on the company’s website. The woman was very helpful. Here is what I found out:
Boar’s Head does not carry any organic products at all.
However, they do have an all-natural line. It includes four types of turkey breast, two types of ham, and one type of roast beef. The all-natural meats are purchased from a completely different vendor than their regular meats. The all-natural vendor does not use any hormones or antibiotics in their animals.
Since the USDA does not allow the use of hormones in poultry and pork, it is safe to say that all of Boar’s Head poultry- and pork-based deli meats are hormone-free. However, they still may contain antibiotics (unless they are part of the all-natural line). In addition, the USDA does allow use of hormones in beef, so regular Boar’s Head beef will contain hormones and antibiotics as well.
So, it sounds like the only way to ensure your deli meat is hormone- and antibiotic-free is to purchase from the all-natural line of meats. The all-natural line is not as widely available. You may call the Boar’s Head question hotline at 1-800-352-6277 and ask them to direct you to a distributor in your city, who can let you know which stores and delis sell all-natural Boar’s Head meats. Since I always encourage clients and people who follow my blog to be very proactive when it comes to their nutrition and their health, I highly recommend making this phone call if you regularly purchase Boar's Head. It could be that the deli down the street from you is selling the all-natural meats... you won't know unless you research it a bit!
I will also mention that all Boar’s Head meats are free of fillers, gluten, artificial colors and flavors, and trans fats.
Hopefully those of you who are loyal Boar’s Head lovers found this information helpful!
