Posted on November 04, 2015 by Jenny Cromack

Did you know that this week is National Sausage Week! Sausage and mash is voted the top 8th most British meal and is a true home comfort classic however there is a big difference between a good quality sausage and an old banger!

A good healthy and nutritious sausage has over 80% meat and a handful of herbs, spices and fillings that make it even more naturally tasty. It is the law that a sausage needs to contain 32% meat to be called a sausage… personally I find this alarming and I know many people are unaware how little good quality meat they have in their sausages and frankly what is the other 68% making up these so called sausages?

Well the answer certainly isn’t appealing, its mostly the waste bits of animals, fat and gristle this is then ground own in a industrial compressor to reduce it to a pinky coloured paste. This paste contains no goodness so is pumped full of water to make the sausages bulkier and weight more and then artificial flavourings are added to create flavour.

Sausages are not all bad, if you buy locally sourced sausages fresh from the butcher or a good supermarket butcher these have a much greater percentage of meat and healthy additions to make them healthy, tasty and value for money. Yes, you may be paying a little extra but the flavour is far superior and much better for your health which in the end is priceless.

So don’t be afraid to embrace the good quality locally sourced British sausage. In fact even the good old sausage and  mash doesn’t have to be detrimental to your diet just use sweet potato and carrot to make a yummy mash and serve with roasted veggies.

Although sausages are yummy remember they are a red meat so should be eaten in moderation and opt for your leaner meats.

Happy National Sausage Week!