Yes, You Can Have Too Much Bacon and Beer (2024)

FAQs

What can happen if you eat too much bacon? ›

One of the biggest risks of bacon is associated with two preservatives, nitrates and nitrites, that can form cancer-causing compounds. In addition to increasing your risk of colon and stomach cancer, eating processed meat increases your risk of prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, and dying from all types of cancer.

High-quality, minimally processed bacon is often considered appropriate for the diet, but moderation is key, given its fat, sodium content, and the presence of additives used in curing and preservation.

Four slices of bacon, the typical number served in a restaurant order, contains 776 milligrams of sodium. The AHA recommends no more than 1,500 milligrams of sodium per day. Too much sodium in a person's diet can result in high blood pressure, heart disease, kidney disease, and stroke.

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.

Bacon is a rich source of two well-known dietary troublemakers: saturated fat and sodium. “Diets high in sodium and saturated fat can lead to adverse health issues such as high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, high cholesterol, and heart disease,” says Derocha.

Eating spoiled bacon can result in food poisoning, nausea, fever, or other illness.

How much bacon is safe to eat? The current advice from the NHS recommends that if you currently eat more than 90g (cooked weight) of red and processed meats a day, you should cut it down to 70g a day.

“About 68% of the calories from bacon come from fat—and about half of those are from saturated fat—so it's definitely not the healthiest meat you can choose.” Bacon and other smoked, cured and processed meats are usually treated with nitrates or nitrites—chemical added to preserve shelf life and enhance color.

Eating a carnivore diet may come with serious consequences for the liver and kidneys, especially if they are already damaged, diseased, or stressed. A diet high in protein, especially animal-derived protein, can lead to hypertension which in turn may lead to several different kidney issues.

"When choosing bacon, opt for no-sugar and uncured options, ensuring a delicious and healthier choice for your plate," says Lara Clevenger MSH, RDN, CPT. She recommends Pederson's Natural Farms Organic Uncured Bacon, as it's sourced from humanely raised animals and is free from nitrates, nitrites, MSG, gluten, and soy.

What are the benefits of eating bacon? ›

Rich in protein: Bacon is a good source of high-quality protein, which is essential for muscle growth and repair. Provides essential vitamins and minerals: Bacon contains vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, and B12, as well as minerals like phosphorus, zinc, and selenium.

The Salty, Crunchy Truth. Bacon is a pork or turkey product made by soaking the meat in a salty solution containing nitrates and sometimes sugar before smoking it. Processed meats may be associated with cancer and heart disease, so it's best to eat bacon in moderation.

Irresistible Flavor

Bacon's distinctive flavor is one of the primary reasons why people love it so much. The combination of smokiness, saltiness, and overall essence creates a taste sensation that is hard to replicate. The crispy texture adds a great crunch, while the fat contributes to its mouthwatering juiciness.

Cooking bacon in the oven gives you perfectly crispy slices without any flipping or fussing, and the cleanup is superspeedy. It's also the best way to make bacon for a crowd. You can cook the bacon directly on aluminum foil-lined baking sheets or on a wire rack set on top of the baking sheets.

Bacon. If the bacon is crisp, it should be eaten with the fingers. If it's limp, it should be eaten with a fork.

In light of the more recent evidence, it's best to reduce your intake of all processed meats to once every couple of weeks. Therefore, keeping your bacon intake to a minimum is recommended – eating it every couple of weeks is best. Read more: How much red meat is safe to eat?

Based on the information provided, it is recommended to limit bacon consumption to three to four strips per day as part of a balanced diet. Bacon is a processed meat that is high in saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars.

Bacon. More than half of bacon's calories come from saturated fat, which can raise your low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or bad cholesterol, and boost your chance of a heart attack or stroke. It's full of salt, which bumps up your blood pressure and makes your heart work harder.

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.