Is there a way to remove the sodium?

Is there a way to remove sodium from packaged sandwhich meats?  They are so high in sodium, that's it's almost a sin just to have the small serving that they provide.

 

I was thinking that maybe cooking them in the microwave kind of like how you cook bacon in the microwave will remove some of the liquids, but I don't know if those liquids would contain any of the sodium.

 

Bah, it would be so nice!

Any sodium you could remove would probably be just a drop in the bucket considering how much they have to start with. Some brands have lower-sodium types, I think, or you could try cooking your own meats instead and slicing them for sandwiches.

Yeah, find other meats that are more efficient.  I think ham steaks are better than deli ham.  The other day I picked a chicken and got all this meat for chicken salad. 

The other alternative would be to dice the deli meat so small and mix it with other stuff to stretch it.  But then you're not getting the protein. 

Nope, there is no way to remove the sodium.  If anything removing water would concentrate the salt but the amount in each slice would remain the same.  The best bet would be to check the labels at the store and buy the lowest sodium kind you can find if it's a big concern for you.  That, or stop using it altogether.

Nope, sorry. I feel guilty too, but there's no way around downing the loads of sodium that come along with them. Even deli meats are still high in it and not everyone has time or the resources to "make" their own, so we'll just have to suck it up and figure it in. ;)

Anything with a long shelf-life is usually preserved with either salt or sugar, unfortunately. 

I had the same problem with turkey slices that I used to for sandwiches for lunch.  I solved it buying turkey breast or tenderloin.  Once or twice a week I bake it and slice it into thin strips, weigh out the desired portion and put it in plastic bags.  When I pack my lunch, I just grab a bag and go.  Sure it's a little more time consuming than buying prepackaged deli meats but you get all the protein and virtually none of the sodium that comes with deli  meats.  Plus it's a lot cheaper.

Actually, if you soaked the meat in water for a while (I have no idea how long) the salt would leach out due to osmosis (fluids with a higher salinity seeking a balance = thus water has a lower sodium concentration and would pull sdoium from the meat; just as it does in our bodies) so you'd remove some, but I have no idea how much.

That is why drinking lots of water helps to deplete our bodies of excess sodium (but other nutrients too like water-soluble vitamins) and is what many people do when they have a high-sodium meal.

Just a thought!