It's hard to deny that bacon possesses magical qualities. Bacon gets people out of bed in the morning, turns basic dishes into flavorful favorites and gives new life to classic recipes. Everything about bacon, from its smoky perfume to its salty, yet subtly, sweet bite screams, "Eat me! Eat lots of me!"
But here's where the fairy tale ends: If you sit down to a plate full of bacon regularly, you will probably face some consequences. That's because, though bacon does have its virtues, being a health food isn't one of them. Eating a 3-ounce portion of bacon will set you back 398 calories, 10 grams of saturated fat (the American Heart Association recommends we cap our intake at 13 grams per day) and 1,430 mg of sodium, which, for those following a heart healthy diet, is just 70 mg shy of the recommended daily limit.
Like so many good things in life, it's important to use bacon in moderation. "Sure, bacon isn't the healthiest food out there, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy it from time to time," says EatingWell senior digital editor, Victoria Seaver, M.S., RD. "Plus, there are some upsides to bacon—a single 1-ounce slice delivers 4 grams of protein, which can help you to feel more satisfied after a meal. And you can even find uncured bacon at many stores now, which helps cut down the total amount of salt per serving." Lucky for us, bacon is so powerful that using just a little bit goes a long way. Here are four easy tips to enjoy bacon as part of a healthy diet.
Instead of having bacon take up real estate on your plate, treat it as a garnish like we do with this delicious Cauliflower Soup (pictured above). Sprinkling bacon on top of the dish not only makes it look delicious, but also gives the impression that there is a lot more bacon per serving (when really there is just a little), which helps you feel satisfied.
A good rule of thumb for a reasonable portion size of bacon is about one ounce per person. That's one slice per person, which comes in at around 44 calories and 1 gram of saturated fat. Plus, that one piece of bacon is so flavorful, it goes a long way. Especially when you use it as part of a larger recipe, like wrapping it around chicken tenders.
Get Rid of Unnecessary Fat
How you cook bacon influences how healthy it is in the long run. The healthiest way to cook bacon is to cook it until crispy (but not burned), which allows the most fat to melt off. Then, drain it on a paper towel or brown paper bag to remove even more fat before eating. The more fat that is absorbed by the paper towels or paper, the less saturated fat you will consume, which is helpful when it comes to your heart.
Bacon has an umami-rich, salty taste, but it also has a subtly smoky aroma. If you buy and taste different bacons, you'll notice that there's quite a bit of difference in terms of how smoky each is. Try double-smoked or cob-smoked bacon. You can use less of it for a bigger flavor impact.
Adding a little bit of bacon to vegetables and other nutritious foods can help you get the flavor with less of the salt and fat. Try these ideas for bacon: Bacon, lettuce, tomato, and avocado sandwich. Kale, bacon, and roasted butternut squash salad.
It has a rich, savory taste and a satisfyingly crispy texture when cooked. Bacon is a versatile ingredient used in a wide range of dishes, from breakfast staples like eggs and pancakes to salads, sandwiches, and even desserts.
Four slices of bacon take most people about halfway to the recommended limit of saturated fat and one-third of the way to the daily limit for sodium for a day. For those reasons, Smith suggests that bacon be enjoyed in moderation, like other high-fat or high-sodium foods.
According to Etiquette Scholar, crisp bacon should be eaten with the fingers because cutting it will cause it to fly all over the place. However, limp bacon should be cut with a knife & eaten with a fork.
If you have an ovenproof rack then this can be used to cook bacon evenly in the oven and allows the fat to drip off making it a slightly healthier method.
Made from fermented soybeans, tempeh bacon can mimic the texture of bacon when thinly sliced and marinated in a smoky sauce. It's a plant-based option that's high in protein and fiber, and it contains healthy fats without the cholesterol found in pork bacon.
Experts say if you eat in moderation you should be fine. On the other hand, regular consumption of this processed breakfast meat can be particularly detrimental to a healthy diet. An average slice of cured bacon contains more fat and sodium, but also a good amount of protein and key vitamins.
Turkey bacon is likely healthier for you than conventional bacon since it's not red meat. Turkey bacon, however, is still processed meat. Stick to small portions, pair it with nutrient-rich foods, and choose nitrate-free versions if you enjoy turkey bacon and want to keep eating it. U.S. Department of Agriculture.
1: Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper, and lay out as many bacon strips as will fit snuggly without overlapping. 2: Place in a cold oven. Then heat the oven to 400 degrees F and bake to desired crispness, 25 to 35 minutes. 3: Drain well on a paper-towel-lined platter.
The World Health Organization has classified bacon as a Group 1 carcinogen, which means it's known to cause cancer. One of the biggest risks of bacon is associated with two preservatives, nitrates and nitrites, that can form cancer-causing compounds.
It's a popular choice for most meals, be that in a pasta dish or on some pancakes and drizzled in syrup. However versatile bacon may be, you might want to reconsider it next time you crave that salty flavor. Kulp said: "High in salt and made from pork, which is a red meat, bacon is a poor choice for gut health.
The only smell you should detect from bacon is a faint smokiness. Slime: If your bacon is slimy, it's a sure sign that bacteria are present and spreading on the meat. Toss it out! Discoloration: Green, grey, or brown discoloration means that the bacon is no longer safe to eat.
How you cook bacon influences how healthy it is in the long run. The healthiest way to cook bacon is to cook it until crispy (but not burned), which allows the most fat to melt off. Then, drain it on a paper towel or brown paper bag to remove even more fat before eating.
For example, eggs typically are eaten with other foods high in salt, saturated fat and cholesterol, such as bacon, cheese and butter. These foods are known to increase heart disease risk and should be eaten sparingly. Most healthy people can eat up to seven eggs a week without affecting their heart health.
Sausages are eaten by hand only when they are discreetly enclosed in buns and eaten during baseball games. If you are eating breakfast at a reasonably formal restaurant, even bacon would not be finger food (which is a shame, because it shatters when you attempt to eat it with a fork).
So a lot of the unhealthy stuff associated with bacon isn't necessarily in bacon fat. And surprisingly, it does has some healthy qualities. Like canola and olive oil, bacon fat is high in oleic acid, which is thought to reduce inflammation and cholesterol levels, Quinn said. Also, bacon fat simply tastes great.
Lay the bacon strips in the cold skillet, then place the pan on the stovetop over medium heat. You don't need to add any oil because the fat will render and help the bacon release from the pan as it cooks. Pan-fry the bacon until the strips are crisp and deeply brown, flipping as needed.
Bacon is also sold and served as joints, usually boiled, broiled or roast, or in thicker slices called chops or steaks. These are usually eaten as part of other meals. Bacon may be cured in several ways, and may be smoked or unsmoked; unsmoked bacon is known as "green bacon".
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