Nutritional values of Culatello di Zibello

Culatello is a piece of pig meat, which is salted and bagged in a bladder. It distinguishes from products such as Parma Ham (that is salted and not bagged meat, fitted with pork rind) or salami (that are made with minced meat and also flavoured and bagged).

The nutritional features don’t change much between different kinds of Culatello because it is a cold cut bound to a precise productive guideline, so it is obtained by same piece of meat and subject to a clear manufacturing and maturing.

As most cold cuts, the calorie intake of Culatello is not excessive, but neither derisory. 100 grammes of Culatello di Zibello have 224 calories if you keep fat parts (or 198 calories if it is partially degreased) and with a light presence of fat saturated acids and cholesterol, features that make it barely suitable for a low calorie diet against overweight.

However, comparing its intake in fat saturated fats and cholesterol with the intake of other cold cuts, Culatello remains one of those less contraindicated. In fact its fat content is less than in other bagged cold cuts: if you want to draw a comparison, 100 grammes of Culatello include 12,58 grammes of fats, considerably less than Salame di Felino (27,9 grammes) or than Mortadella (25 grammes); and moreover cholesterol in a 100 grammes is equal to 100 grammes of bluefish (66 mg), proteins are many and with high biological value (26-30%) and fats are between 4,6-13 gr.

But this cold cut is inadvisable for those who suffer from hypertension for its significant concentration of sodium.

In one person’s healthy diet that doesn’t exhibit specific problems bound to nutrition, a reasonable consumption of Culatello is highly inadvisable: on the contrary, this cold cut is rich of mineral salts (above all iron), phosphorus and potassium.

Then Culatello boasts a good concentration of vitamins, such as Thiamine (B1) and Niacin (PP) and the important presence of LCA (Linoleic Conjugate Acid) which prevents the cancer of bosom in women.

Finally it has a good protein content, around 25-29% and it is easily digestible.

Culatello is a good alternative to meat, fish and eggs. A portion of Culatello (70/80 grammes) bound to a slice of bread and a side dish of vegetables can easily build a complete and balanced meal.

Culatello of pregnancy: Culatello is raw meat and it is inadvisable in the diet of a pregnant woman as most of cold cuts. You have to avoid raw meats or smoked meats in case of susceptibility to toxoplasmosis.