Is Natural Choice, Honey Deli Ham Keto?

The Ingredient Breakdown

As a food scientist, I look beyond the marketing claims and go straight to the ingredient label. The verdict for this product is clear: it is not suitable for a strict ketogenic lifestyle. Here is why.

The first red flag is the inclusion of honey. Honey is a pure form of sugar and is composed almost entirely of glucose and fructose. On a keto diet, the goal is to keep blood sugar stable to maintain ketosis. Consuming honey causes an immediate insulin response, which halts fat burning. Even a small amount of added honey can be enough to knock someone out of ketosis if they are sensitive to carbohydrates.

The second culprit is turbinado sugar. This is often marketed as a 'natural' raw sugar, but metabolically, it acts just like white table sugar (sucrose). It adds 'empty' calories and grams of carbohydrates without providing fiber or bulk. In the context of a keto diet, where you are likely limiting yourself to 20-30 grams of net carbs per day, the turbinado sugar in this ham takes up a significant portion of that allowance.

Finally, while water and salt are neutral, the curing process using cultured celery powder and cherry powder is standard for 'uncured' meats. These ingredients are not the problem; the sugar additives are. The product relies on these sugars to achieve its 'Honey' flavor profile, making it incompatible with low-carb eating.

Nutritional Value

When evaluating a product for keto, we look at the macronutrient ratio. While specific label data can vary slightly by batch, the nutritional profile of Natural Choice, Honey Deli Ham is dominated by the sugar content relative to a standard cured ham.

A standard serving of honey ham typically contains between 2 to 4 grams of sugar. While 4 grams might not sound like a lot, remember that a strict keto diet often caps total daily carbs at 20 grams. If you eat a sandwich with two slices of this ham, you are consuming nearly 10% of your daily carb limit just on the meat—meat that is supposed to be your zero-carb protein source.

Furthermore, the calorie count is relatively low, which is good, but the calorie-to-nutrient ratio is poor because those calories are coming from added sugars rather than nutrient-dense sources. For a diet focused on fat burning, you want your protein sources to be as 'clean' as possible—meaning high protein, moderate fat, and zero sugar. This ham fails that test because of the added sweeteners.