10 Holiday Party-Food Dilemmas, Solved

Roast Beef or Ham?

The Better Choice: Roast Beef

Roast beef is less processed, contains about half as much saturated fat, and has three times as much iron. It's also rich in B vitamins. Both meats are great sources of protein, but the ham has almost three times as much sodium.

But… Research has linked red-meat consumption with an increased risk of colon cancer. One study published last year in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that women who ate two or more ounces of red meat a day were 30 to 40 percent more likely to develop colon cancer than those who ate little or none. Whichever option you choose, eat it sparingly.