Are Meatballs Bad For You?
Short answer
Homemade meatballs are a great side dish when made at home with healthy ingredients. Due to the high fat content, they should not be consumed on a regular basis. Processed and restaurant prepared meatballs, however, are likely to contain harmful ingredients and should be avoided entirely.
Recommended Alternative
A fairly even ratio of beneficial and harmful qualities. Moderation is important. Very general topics that can lean towards both sides of the spectrum will be placed here as well. Rice, for example, can be good or bad depending on the type.
View Full Grading System
Category 'A'
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. Side effects are rare. Things rated an 'A+' are typically necessary for survival (for example, water).
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. A few harmful qualities may be associated, but only under certain circumstances such as an allergic reaction.
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. Harmful qualities may be associated, but aren't usually serious.
It is important to note that even the best things in life can become bad in immoderate amounts. So, although something may be rated an 'A+', overconsumption/overdoing can bring unwanted effects.
Category 'B'
Very beneficial to your health. Things rated a 'B+' may have a few harmful qualities to pay attention to.
Overall beneficial to your health. Things rated a 'B' may have some harmful qualities to pay attention to.
More beneficial to your health than not. However, harmful qualities are most likely associated and shouldn't be overlooked.
The main difference between category 'A' and category 'B' is the harmful qualities typically present in 'B' items. Serious side effects are usually uncommon, but are still possible and should be taken note of.
Category 'C'
Both beneficial and harmful qualities associated. Things rated a 'C+' are typically a bit more on the beneficial side. Still, moderation is important.
A fairly even ratio of beneficial and harmful qualities. Moderation is important. Very general topics that can lean towards both sides of the spectrum will be placed here as well. Rice, for example, can be good or bad depending on the type.
More harmful than beneficial. Side effects are common, especially when consumed/done excessively. Moderation is very important.
Category 'C' usually denotes to both good and bad qualities. When it comes to this category, it is important to keep this word in mind: moderation.
Category 'D'
Harmful to your health. Although benefits may be associated, the bad most likely outweighs the good. Moderation is very important.
Harmful to your health. A few benefits may be associated, but the bad outweighs the good. Moderation is extremely important.
Harmful to your health. Very few, if any, benefits are present. Things in this category should be avoided as much as possible.
Category 'D' is typically for things that are more harmful than beneficial. While consuming/doing something unhealthy once in a blue moon shouldn't hurt, we definitely recommend eliminating 'D' items as a regular part of your routine/diet.
Category 'F'
Category 'F' is for things that fail to bring anything beneficial to the table, and are very harmful to your health. We recommend completely avoiding anything in this category. Long-term side effects of 'F' items are usually very serious.
Category 'N'
'N' stands for neutral. Things placed into this category are generally (a) neither good nor bad for you, or (b) lack the necessary evidence to reach any conclusions.
Long answer
Meatballs are a delicious complement to Italian meals, various side dishes, and snacks. When made from scratch, they are not unhealthy to consume in moderation. By making them at home, you have control over exactly what you put in the dish. Most meatballs include a mixture of pork and beef, onions, breadcrumbs, eggs, butter or margarine, salt, and various other spices.
On average, a 3.2-ounce serving of meatballs (about six medium size meatballs) has 15 grams of fat. This is mostly due to the large meat content. Though the large amount of fat is not a healthy side dish when consumed regularly, it is reasonable for an occasional meal. One troublesome ingredient is pork. Various studies have linked pork to diseases, depression, and an increase in chemicals, in comparison to other meats. The swine are raised in filthy environments and since they are scavengers, they consume their own excrements in large amounts. However, using an organic version of the meat significantly decreases the disease exposure and additives. Also, limit the amount of salt added to the recipe, in order to cut back on sodium.
When preparing this divine dish, make sure to use real butter (not margarine) to ensure the elimination of hydrogenated oils. Processed frozen meatballs or those prepared in a restaurant, often have extra unhealthy additives used in the dish for preservation, cost efficiency, and as filler. The best way to ensure that you are eating pure meatballs without harmful processing and additives is to prepare them at home with organic meats and fresh ingredients.
Possible long-term side effects
- weight gain
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hypertension
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heart disease
Ingredients to be aware of
Healthier alternatives
- use organic meats
-
organic ground turkey breast
-
veggie “meatballs”
Our Wellness Pick
(what is this?)
Fresh Plant-Based Meatballs
- 100% Plant-Based
- High protein content
- Conveniently frozen
- Animal-free product
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Written by Kathan Natrajan
Published on: 02-16-2016
Last updated: 12-15-2023
Thank you for your feedback!
Written by Kathan Natrajan
Published on: 02-16-2016
Last updated: 12-15-2023
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