Yes, it’s tasty. Yes, supporters of the Atkins diet will tell you that eating bacon is better for you than eating carbs. But no, it’s not a healthy substitute.
Why?
- It’s rich in animal fat – As you can see below in the nutrition label, a piece of bacon contains about 41 calories, out of which 28 (or about 70%!) comes from fat. There are generally two types of fat: animal fat (the one in meat) and plant-derived fat (such as the one in olive oil). Animal fat is bad for you, since it can cause a buildup of the bad cholesterol in your arteries, leading to atherosclerosis and heart attacks.
Bacon. Photo by shawnzam. - It’s high in salt – Each piece has about 190mg of salt (sodium), which makes up about 10% of your allowed daily intake. If you eat a bunch of bacon pieces, you can easily reach your daily limit. Passing this limit can lead to high blood pressure.
- It’s high in nitrates and nitrites – These are preservatives used in processed food to help maintain its color. When foods which contain nitrates are cooked at high temperatures, they form molecules called nitrosamines, which can cause cancer.
Nutrition facts for bacon. Data by nutritiondata.com
What’s an alternative?
Turkey and chicken are healthier alternatives to bacon, since they are higher in protein and lower in fat. Another option are vegetarian bacons, which don’t contain all the bad stuff discussed above.
If you still want to stick with bacon after reading this, you can get nitrate and nitrite free meats. They are produced by a method approved by the USDA that uses lactic acid. Canadian bacon is also an alternative, since it is very lean and high in protein.
What next?
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