Local Dishes Among Fattiest in Nation

Besides being ridiculously yummy, Virginia hams and Smith Island cakes have something else in common.  They made the list of the nation’s 50 fattiest foods, according to Health.com.

“Known for its country ham, Virginia takes its pork products seriously," Health.com reported. "The Smithfield ham is defined -- by law -- as ham that is processed and cured in a certain way and only in Smithfield. While it’s not the worst food for you in the entire country, ham isn’t one of your healthiest options when choosing a meat."

The website points to the ingredients: ham and salt (and often with sugary glaze) as the culprits. And, of course, there’s the fat content. A serving of ham generally has around seven to nine grams of fat.

With its 10 layers, the Smith Island cake is also so good -- it’s bad for you.

According to Health.com, the decadent treat made the list because most recipes have around 26 grams of fat per serving, enough for an entire day. (You'd think a cake that was selected as Maryland's official state dessert would be exempt!?)

The District did not make the fattiest list because Health.com apparently doesn't rank us up there with actual states, but you can probably think of a dish or two that would qualify based on huge portion sizes, super-high calorie count or sky-high fat content.

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