Yes, bacon is bad for you. How to fit the popular processed meat into your eating plan.
It’s undeniable that bacon has an allure about it — it’s crispy, salty, savory and even sweet all at once. Bacon is a powerhouse of umami, the savory and fifth type of taste alongside sweet, sour, salty and bitter. Its combination of fat, salt and smoke enhance the natural umami, creating a mouthwatering experience that’s hard to resist, possibly even addictive. It’s also not the healthiest food to eat.
Despite increasing research and public concern about processed meats like bacon, U.S. adults have maintained their average intake of nearly 190 grams (about 6.7 oz.) of processed meats per week for over 18 years. In fact, the average intake of bacon actually went up over this time period. As one of the top five processed meats consumed by U.S. adults, bacon accounts for almost 5% of total processed meat intake. But how risky is it to keep up this habit? Here’s what the research says.
What are the health risks with eating bacon?
There’s no sugarcoating it: Processed meat was officially classified as Group 1 “carcinogenic to humans” by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer in 2015 due to strong evidence that linked it to an increased risk of colorectal cancer, the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men and fourth in women in the U.S. Specifically, the agency highlighted that each 50 gram portion of processed meat — equivalent to just over four slices of bacon — eaten daily increases the risk of colorectal cancer by 18%.
A 2019 study found that eating 76 grams (about 2.7 oz.) of red and processed meats per day was associated with a 20% higher risk of developing colorectal cancer, compared to those who consumed just 21 grams (or less than an ounce) per day.
Processed meat, with its high content of saturated fat, sodium and nitrates, is also linked to a higher risk for cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and cognitive decline. The Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE) Study, which analyzed more than 134,000 participants from 21 countries, found that people who ate more than 150 grams (about 5.3 oz.) of processed red meat per week had a higher risk of death and cardiovascular events, including heart attacks, stroke and heart failure, compared to those who never ate them. Researchers suspect the preservatives and additives in processed meats play a major role in these risks.
When it comes to brain health, researchers presented new findings at this summer’s Alzheimer’s Association International Conference that suggest eating two servings of processed red meat a week — or the equivalent of less than one slice of bacon daily — raises the risk of dementia by 14% compared to individuals who limited processed red meat to less than three times a month. They also noticed that adding just one more serving of processed red meat daily was associated with faster cognitive aging, including in verbal memory, which affects the ability to recall and understand words and sentences.
Cutting back helps
The same studies presented at the Alzheimer’s conference also suggest that not only limiting processed red meat but also substituting it with a portion of nuts, beans or tofu could potentially reduce the risk of dementia by 20%.
Cutting back on your average intake of processed meats can help with preventing many chronic illnesses. For instance, another recent study found that reducing processed meat intake by 30% or about 8.7 grams per day — meaning eating at least five fewer slices of bacon per week — over 10 years could potentially lead to more than 350,000 fewer cases of type 2 diabetes, 92,500 fewer cardiovascular disease occurrences, 53,300 fewer case of colorectal cancer and nearly 17,000 fewer all-cause deaths.
Does bacon have any benefits?
While regularly eating large amounts of bacon may pose health risks, there are some health benefits too. Bacon is a good source of protein with each cooked slice providing close to 4 grams. It’s also rich in unsaturated fat — not just saturated fat — which can help keep you fuller for longer and aid in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins A, E, D and K. And while not very high in these micronutrients, bacon still contains many B-vitamins, iron, magnesium and choline.
How to fit bacon into your eating plan
The exact amount of how much processed meat is safe to consume is still unknown. However, the American Heart Association recommends a maximum consumption of 100 grams of processed meat per week, which comes out to about 13 grams per day — just over one uncooked slice of bacon.
Given what some of the research says, even staying within these guidelines has been linked to potential health risks. That said, for a healthy individual, it’s generally advised to limit processed meats to a serving — or three slices of bacon — about once per week or less. If you have certain health conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure or diabetes, you may want to limit your intake even more, given bacon’s saturated fat and sodium content.
Keep in mind that bacon by itself isn’t likely to cause significant health issues and that your overall diet and lifestyle choices can greatly influence your well-being. Along with limiting your intake, you can also look for lower sodium options, or choose unprocessed cuts of poultry and red meat. (There isn’t much of a health benefit to choosing uncured versus cured bacon.)
If you love bacon, just remember to enjoy it in moderation and with a diet rich in vegetables, fruit, whole grains, healthy fats and lean proteins, while limiting overall saturated fat, sodium and sugar.
Maxine Yeung is a dietitian and board-certified health and wellness coach.
