Bacon As Ride Food: Your Secret Weapon?
Bacon is in a bit of a bind (again). And we don’t mean the delicious wrapped-around-a-scallop kind.
The World Health Organization just slotted it next to cigarettes in the list of stuff that causes cancer. Does that mean stuffing a warm slab of fatty goodness off a spectator’s spatula during a bacon hand-up at your next cyclocross race is akin to taking a puff off some guy’s Winston?
Heck no it doesn’t. Let’s put that BS to bed right now. Eating bacon—especially since most people don’t eat it daily or multiple times a day—is not as bad as smoking when it comes to things that give you cancer. Yes, processed meats have been linked to increased cancer risk for a long while now. But the magnitude of the risk is far lower than that of cigarette smoking.
The study found that each 50 grams of processed meat eaten—about two slices of bacon—increases colorectal cancer risk 18 percent. The average lifetime risk is about 4.5 percent, so two pieces of bacon daily would raise it to 5.3 percent. By comparison, the risk of lung cancer from smoking is 2,300 percent higher. As if that’s not enough, it’s the nitrates used to preserve processed meats that amp up the health risks. Your risk is even lower with slices of the nitrate-free stuff.
Related: Our Favorite Turkey Bacon Rice Cakes Recipe
Not only is the relative risk pretty low, but the chances for deliciousness—and maybe even a little performance boost from a well-timed bacon hand-up—are kinda high. (Okay, not high, but they at least exist).
“There are benefits to indulging in bacon,” says Jessica Stamm, a certified clinical nutritionist (CCN) with Stamm Nutrition in Honolulu, Hawaii. “Sodium is really important during hard races, as it is a key electrolyte that supports adrenal gland function to help your body deal with the stress of the competition,” she says. Bacon, of course, contains protein, which helps maintain your muscles. “Also, saturated fat can help provide a feeling of euphoric joy in the midst of physical hardship,” says Stamm.
Related: Ride-Fueling Secrets of the Pros
We like to call those happiness watts. And happiness watts are the best kind of watts. Grab that slice, hammer, and smile.
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