Is Bacon Healthy? Get the Bacon Nutrition Facts.

Every bacon lover has wondered at least one time in their life…is bacon healthy? To answer that question you’ll need all the bacon nutrition facts at your disposal, and your own personal definition of “healthy” of course. But fear not, my bacon-loving friend, we’re from BaconToday.com and we’re here to help.

Bacon Nutrition Facts Explained

Here’s the skinny — bacon does contain some nutrients the body needs including protein, vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, and B12, and selenium. It is also a good source of phosphorus (46.5 mg).

But on the flip side of those bacon nutrition facts is the American Heart Association (AHA), which recommends limiting your intake of saturated fat to less than 10% of your total daily calories. And unfortunately the average slice of cured, uncooked bacon has 3.53 grams of saturated fatty acids. So, if you eat 2,000 calories a day the AHA says you should eat no more than 20 grams of saturated fat. Meaning if you consume a half dozen slices of salty pork goodness you’re already over your saturated fat limit for the day.

But Seriously, Is Bacon Healthy?

The health experts say that saturated fat can raise your LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, which can increase your risk of heart disease. They also report that sodium can raise your blood pressure and cholesterol can build up in your arteries, leading to heart disease, stroke, and other health problems. But we love the taste of nature’s meat candy so we’re going to keep eating all the bacony goodness we can find and then exercise & eat other healthy stuff, right?

So is bacon healthy? Let’s just say that we should all eat bacon in moderation. I’ll now duck from all the items being thrown at me from the bacon-loving crowd and remind you all we invented the Turbaconducken & have previously ordered a grilled cheese sandwich with 30 slices of bacon…and it was delicious.

Nutritional Facts About Bacon

Bacon nutrition facts and caloric information can vary based on the brand, the thickness of the slice and the cut of bacon. The bacon nutritional information we’re sharing here is a portion of the public data available from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The data below represents the average findings for one slice (28 grams) of raw, cured bacon. You can find the full chart with all the bells & whistles & minerals on the USDA’s SuperFood Central page about bacon.

But Really, Is Bacon Healthy?

As we mentioned previously, everything in moderation…even bacon. C’mon now, you never want too much of a good thing, right? But yes indeed, there are some instances where bacon has actual health benefits. Read on about these healthy bacon nutrion facts, while you salivate and ponder asking your doctor for a bacon prescription.

There are some people who eat diets that typically don’t provide enough salt. Yes, it’s true! The sodium in bacon can contribute the addtional salt needed to help balance the sodium levels of people with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS). And high-performing athletes may find themselves in an electrolyte imbalance situation from sweating out tons of salt, which might be a good place to slip in a slice of bacon or two (post-workout of course…don’t want any bacon burps while you excercise).

Can Bacon Cure a Hangover?

Bacon, burgers, and other big greasy meals are often touted as part of a healthy hangover cure. But the jury is out on whether bacon can cure a hangover. Okay, the experts say that the salt in bacon can help replace electorolytes that you lose due to the dehydration you’ll experience after drinking too much alcohol, but they also say that there’s no scientific evidence that bacon itself can actual cure a hangover.

The Facts about Bacon Nutrion Facts

Now, we researched the info you just read on this page but admitedly, we’re not doctors nor scientists or experts on health & nutrition. So even though we like to joke around and have fun, please talk with your doctor before eating a crap ton of delicious bacon. We want to make sure you can continue to enjoy tasty tasty bacon for years to come.