6 things you never knew about Spam (2024)

Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam…is there any food product that’s more divisive than Spam?

When it comes to this American staple, you either love it or you hate it. But it’s actually one of the more intriguing food products out there, with a long, wild history.

Here are six things that you probably didn’t know about this legendary tinned lunch meat.

1. The name is still a mystery.

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While many assume that Spam is short for “spiced ham,” only a handful of people know its true origin — and they’re not telling. The name was actually suggested in naming contest by Ken Daigneau, a Hormel VP’s brother, before the product was introduced in 1937. Daigneau won a naming contest and $100. Other theories under the acronym category include “special processed American meat” and “shoulders of pork and ham.”

2. It's not mystery meat.

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Hormel has always been pretty open about what goes into the can, even though people continue to be wary of it. It’s made with pork shoulder and ham, along with salt, water, sugar, potato starch, and nitrites. It’s basically made from the same stuff as hot dogs.

3. It’s not exactly a health food.

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Should you decide to set about consuming a whole can, you’ll be eating nearly 100 grams of fat, more than 1,000 calories, 240 milligrams of cholesterol, and a whopping 4,696 milligrams of sodium, nearly double the USDA's recommended daily allowance.That said, Spam in moderation is perfectly fine for most healthy adults.

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4. It powered the Russians during WWII.

It may be common knowledge that Spam was popular with American servicemen during WW II, a whopping 100 million pounds of the stuff was consumed by Russian forces during the war as well. “Without Spam, we wouldn’t have been able to feed our army,” Russian Premier Nikita Khrushchev later said.

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5. There was once a Kosher Spam.

During the 2000s, a kosher variety known asLoofwas distributed as field rations by the Israeli military. Made from chicken or beef, it was phased out in 2008.

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6. Hormel produces a lot of it each year.

44,000 cans of spam, or 33,000 pounds, are produced every hourworldwide, to be consumed in more than 40 countries. That’s a whole lot of Spam.

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6 things you never knew about Spam (2024)

FAQs

What are the 6 ingredients of Spam? ›

Six Simple Ingredients
  • PORK WITH HAM.
  • SALT.
  • WATER.
  • POTATO STARCH.
  • SUGAR.
  • SODIUM NITRITE.

Who is the number 1 consumer of Spam? ›

The United States consumes the most Spam, followed by Korea. The average Hawaiian eats at least five cans of Spam a year.

What does the M in Spam stand for? ›

SPAM is an acronym: Special Processed American Meat.

What race eats Spam the most? ›

On average, Hawaiians consume more than five cans of the stuff per person per year — more than any other U.S. state.

What does Spam do to the body? ›

Spam is a type of processed meat, and thus eating it may be associated with a higher risk of diabetes, heart disease, COPD, high blood pressure and certain types of cancer.

Is Spam a healthy meat? ›

SPAM doesn't provide very much nutrition value for the calories it contains. As evidenced by the Nutrition Facts label, there aren't many vitamins and minerals and you can attain a much higher dose of these by eating a healthier meal like a salad or beans and rice.

Why do Hawaiians like Spam so much? ›

The true root of the island's love for SPAM® products goes back to World War II, when the luncheon meat was served to GIs. By the end of the war, SPAM® products were adopted into local culture, with Fried SPAM® Classic and rice becoming a popular meal.

What state in America eats the most Spam? ›

Hawaii is the state which consumes the most spam. It is estimated that Hawaiians consume 7 millions cans of SPAM a year. It all started in World War 2 when American soldiers were served SPAM because it didn't require refrigeration and had a long shelf life.

What country sends the most Spam? ›

Daily number of spam emails sent worldwide as of October 18th 2021, by country (in billions)
CharacteristicNumber of spam emails in billions
United States8.61
China8.53
Russian Federation8.09
Brazil8.03
6 more rows
Apr 28, 2022

Can you freeze Spam? ›

Mindy, you certainly can. We recommend you remove your leftover SPAM product from the package and wrap it in clear plastic wrap, or use a freezer bag when you freeze it. As with most food you freeze, it will be best to enjoy your SPAM product within a couple of months.

What is Spam actually made of? ›

In fact, SPAM only contains six ingredients! And the brand's website lists them all. They are: pork with ham meat added (that counts as one), salt, water, potato starch, sugar, and sodium nitrite. Most of those are as simple as simple gets!

Why Spam is called Spam? ›

"I knew then and there that the name was perfect." Although lore behind the name Spam varies, Hormel himself claimed the product was named for a combination of the words "spice" and "ham," despite the fact that neither ingredient appears in Spam.

What part of the pig is Spam made from? ›

What sets SPAM® apart from other products that are made from chopped meats that are cooked and pressed together (we're thinking about scrapple): Spam is made from pork shoulder and pork ham, with no other scraps from the hog. Pork shoulder is considered a high-quality cut of pork today, although in 1937, it was not.

Do they eat Spam in Russia? ›

Tushonka – canned meat.

A local version of Spam, it's salty, fatty and very satisfying. People who grew up in the Soviet Union or right after its collapse have consumed it with potatoes, in borscht, over rice and pasta, in pies, and of course, all by itself.

What country loves Spam? ›

Spam was deemed a solution to feed the country and soon it was integrated into their daily diet for many, many years. Guam is not just a country known for its deliberate and strategic military position, but they're also known for the astonishing amount of Spam devoured annually.

How many times should a man release sperm in a week? ›

There is no specific frequency with which a man should ejacul*te. There is no solid evidence that failure to ejacul*te causes health problems. However, ejacul*ting frequently can reduce the man's risk of getting prostate cancer. Ejacu-lation can be through having sex or masturbating a few times a day.

What does sperm do to a woman? ›

The job of the sperm is to fertilize the egg in order to create an embryo. To get to the egg, the sperm is carried along by fluid that's produced by different male sex organs.

Is Spam worse than ham? ›

So yes, there is a difference between ham and spam. Spam contains more calories, more fat, and less protein.

What is the healthiest Spam? ›

Heavy on the flavor, light on the other stuff. This variety offers the scrumptiousness of SPAM® Classic with 33% less calories, 50% less fat, and 25% less sodium, which means you can enjoy the taste you love more often.

What is better than Spam? ›

Thankfully, there are many alternatives to Spam available if you're looking for a lower-fat substitute. What is this? These include pork roll, potted meat, scrapple, jambon, and tofu – all of which can offer the same high protein content without any unhealthy ingredients.

Does McDonald's serve Spam in Hawaii? ›

McDonald's Hawaii offers a special menu of items you can only find in Hawaii. There are breakfast platters loaded with Spam and Portuguese sausage, a dessert menu with hot haupia (coconut pudding) and taro pies, fried apple pies (only state where you can get the pies fried in the US!), and much more.

What is the jelly stuff in Spam? ›

Natural gelatins cause the jelly-like substance that surrounds spam in the meat that solidifies when cooled (like an aspic). Depending on the variety of Spam, other ingredients, including chicken or turkey, may be added.

What is the shelf life of Spam? ›

SPAM does not have an expiration date. Instead, it has a “best by” date. This date indicates when SPAM will have likely lost quality, such as losing freshness or flavor. The best-by date of SPAM is approximately 3 years after the date of manufacturing.

What is the exact ingredients of Spam? ›

In fact, SPAM only contains six ingredients! And the brand's website lists them all. They are: pork with ham meat added (that counts as one), salt, water, potato starch, sugar, and sodium nitrite. Most of those are as simple as simple gets!

What ingredients are used to make Spam? ›

Spam contains six ingredients: a mixture of pork and ham meat, salt, water, potato starch, sugar, and sodium nitrite, a food preservative added to bacon, hot dogs, cured meats, sausage, and smoked fish. Aside from adding potato starch in the 1990s, Spam's recipe is relatively unchanged.

What is Spam made up of? ›

What sets Spam apart from other products that are made from chopped meats that are cooked and pressed together (we're thinking about scrapple): Spam is made from pork shoulder and pork ham, with no other scraps from the hog. Pork shoulder is considered a high-quality cut of pork today, although in 1937, it was not.

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