How many bacon should I eat for breakfast? (2023)

How much bacon should you eat for breakfast?

While bacon is flavorful and a breakfast favorite among many, it shouldn't be something you eat regularly. High in saturated fat, just 3–4 slices of bacon represents about a fifth of your daily limit for saturated fat.

One in Circulation by Harvard researchers showed that on average every 50 gram daily serving of processed meat (about 5 slices of bacon, 2 slices of deli meat, or 1 hot dog) was associated with a 42% high risk of developing heart disease and 19% higher risk of diabetes.

“If you have six slices [in a week], that very well may fit with what you eat. If you're being aware of the sodium and the cholesterol, and it's one of the few processed meats that you eat, I may suggest eating one or two slices less, but I don't know what your calorie needs are!” she says.

A 60-100g serving, which consists of 4-7 slices of regular-cut bacon, should be more than ideal for 1-2 people, but there are other metrics that you can use too. Read below to learn more about how much bacon you should cook for one person, how to adjust the quantity of bacon and how to serve it to a large group!

Nutrients per Serving

A serving size is equal to about 1 medium strip of bacon. That small serving will provide you with: Calories: 43. Fat: 3 grams.

Individuals who eat more than 20 grams of processed meat a day—the equivalent of one thin strip of bacon or slice of ham—are more likely to die of stroke, cancer, or a myocardial infarction, according to a new study in BMC Medicine.

Holistic registered dietitian and Meg the Dietitian founder Meg Hager said it varies from person to person. “Two slices once a week might be OK for a younger person without health conditions, whereas two slices once a month might be more appropriate for someone else.”

Eating bacon daily for breakfast may lead to excess 'bad' cholesterol build up in your blood vessels, blocking them which puts you at a high risk of developing heart-related conditions, including coronary artery diseases, heart attack, and congestive heart failure."

Even with a few drawbacks, you don't have to completely take bacon out of your diet to be healthy. You can enjoy bacon as a part of any healthy diet with the help of one key - moderation. Keep portion sizes in check. Avoid consuming bacon more than a few times per week.

What happens if you eat a lot of bacon?

“Bacon is high in purine. The body converts purine to uric acid. If uric acid builds too quickly and can't be eliminated, it deposits as crystals in the tissues. That's what cause the intense joint pain, swelling, redness, and possible temporary immobility.”

Overall, bacon is lower in calories and saturated fat and by trimming visible fat you can lower this again, so from a nutritional stand bacon wins.

according to the spruce eats dot com, 4 slices of bacon is equivalent to 1 quarter cup, 8 slices a half cup and 12 slices a whole cup.

You shouldn't be worried about the high fat content of bacon, especially since the typical serving size is small. Bacon is high in saturated fat and cholesterol, which are not as harmful as previously believed. Also, the typical serving size of bacon is small.

What does 70g look like? 70g is equivalent to a piece of steak about the size of a pack of cards, 3 average-sized rashers of bacon or slices of ham, or a quarter-pounder beef burger.

Keep Your Portions Reasonable

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.

How much bacon can you have without it causing major health dilemmas? "I wouldn't suggest that people eat bacon every day. Some people are more salt sensitive than others because salt can affect your blood pressure, but I would say that bacon once a week would not be an issue."

Buy uncured bacon

The first thing I want to look for when trying to eat healthier bacon is to buy uncured bacon. This is bacon that has not had any added sodium nitrate to it. This is what most bacon makers as to their bacon to preserve and color the bacon - gives it that nice bright pink color.

Once you've opened and cooked bacon, it can last for five to seven days in the refrigerator. If you realize you've cooked more bacon than you can use in the next week, you can always freeze cooked bacon, too. Frozen, cooked bacon will keep its delicious flavor and texture for about a month.

Is bacon clean eating?

But they're still highly processed and you should eat them in moderation," she says. But even if natural nitrates are only marginally better for you than synthetic ones, picking organic—or even grass-fed—bacon is still a cleaner choice.

The foods with the longest time to digest are bacon, beef, lamb, whole milk hard cheese, and nuts. These foods take an average of about 4 hours for your body to digest. The digestion process still occurs even when asleep.

Eggs are not only high in protein, they also contain many vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. So, bacon and eggs really can be a healthy breakfast option, if eaten in moderation.

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 the risk of heart disease, and they should be eaten sparingly. Most healthy people can eat up to seven eggs a week without affecting their heart health.

Bacon and eggs are a classic old-school breakfast — and for good reason. Starting your day off with protein helps regulate your blood sugar after your long night's fast and keeps you full for longer, while the protein helps feed and maintain your lean muscle tissue.

For the most nutritious breakfast, try to choose whole, unprocessed foods from each of the five food groups: fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods, and dairy. Try to include proteins from foods like yogurts (look for varieties with less sugar added), eggs, nuts and seeds or legumes.

You should not eat bacon that is past the “use by” date or is more than 7 days after the “sell by” date. If the date is good but you're still not sure, smell the bacon to see if it still has a fresh smell. If it smells sour or off, it's probably bad.

Bacon isn't just for breakfast anymore. The salty, delectably greasy slice of meat can be served for all meals, including for dessert.

While the USDA advises you to adhere to "use by" dates, the "sell by" dates, once again, don't matter much. If left unopened, you can keep bacon in the fridge (40 degrees Fahrenheit) for two weeks. Once you open it, you have seven days to eat the bacon.

Bacon contains fewer calories than ham. Both bacon and ham are high in fatty acids. Ham is a better source of potassium than bacon. Ham has 0.79mg of iron for each 100g cooked, while bacon has 0.13 mg.

How much bacon a day is too much?

Individuals who eat more than 20 grams of processed meat a day—the equivalent of one thin strip of bacon or slice of ham—are more likely to die of stroke, cancer, or a myocardial infarction, according to a new study in BMC Medicine.

Bacon is definitely bad for breakfast, even health. It is a processed food and it contains a lot of salt and fat. Take in too much salt and fat is bad for health. I recommend you to have more healthier breakfast such as egg, toast, etc.

Eating bacon daily for breakfast may lead to excess 'bad' cholesterol build up in your blood vessels, blocking them which puts you at a high risk of developing heart-related conditions, including coronary artery diseases, heart attack, and congestive heart failure."

“That means that, for a healthy person, eating bacon every day will raise their overall risk of colon cancer from something like 5% to 6%.” “Certainly bacon is not a health food, and I don't advise consuming it on a daily basis,” she says.

The American Heart Association recommends up to one egg a day for most people, fewer for people with high blood cholesterol, especially those with diabetes or who are at risk for heart failure, and up to two eggs a day for older people with normal cholesterol levels and who eat a healthy diet.

Bacon has 528% more calories than egg - bacon has 898 calories per 100 grams and egg has 143 calories. For macronutrient ratios, egg is much heavier in protein, much lighter in fat and similar to bacon for carbs.

Consuming these meats can help you reach your daily recommended iron intake so you achieve maximum health. Believe it or not, but bacon can help your body burn fat. Researchers from Kyoto University found that bacon is rich in coenzyme Q1, a vitamin-like substance beneficial for metabolism.

The calories and saturated fat in bacon might give you pause, but indulging in bacon and eggs for breakfast a few times a week can definitely be part of a healthy, hearty diet. Find out more about the nutrition breakdown of bacon and eggs on a calorie counter.