The taste of bacon is so irresistible that the phrase “bacon mania” was made up to describe how popular it is.
The global market for bacon is steadily growing, and projected to reach US$84.7 billion by 2027.
Many people now know that bacon has a lot of cholesterol and saturated fat, but not as many know that it also has a lot of sodium, which is very bad for you.
A study from the UK found that two bacon rashers can have more than two-thirds of an adult’s daily recommended salt intake (6g), which is more salt than there is in 12 packs of crisps.
Let’s look at how bad bacon’s salt problem is and what can be done to make it less salty without changing its famous taste.
Along with the usual packs of raw bacon, new items have come out like “convenience” bacon that is ready to eat and “microwave ready” single-serve packs for people who want bacon without using a frying pan.
There’s a big difference in the sodium recommendations of the WHO and the FDA. The WHO sets a benchmark of 950mg of sodium per 100g. The FDA guidance is over twice as much at 2050mg per 100g.
Most of the bacon we found in supermarkets exceeded the lower WHO benchmark by a significant margin. More surprising were the many examples of bacon that exceed the higher FDA guidance.
A popular US bacon had 2266 mg of sodium per 100g, and bacon from the UK and Europe had 2120 mg of sodium per 100g.
Yes, even vegans crave that seductive bacon flavour. Amid the recent wave of plant-based products, several bacon alternatives have emerged.
Vegan bacon can be made from a wide range of ingredients. It’s commonly based on soya or pea protein, or wheat gluten, with a big dollop of bacon-style seasoning.
These foods may be high in protein and low in fat, but many of them aren’t very healthy because they have too much sodium.
What is the recommended amount of sodium for PB bacon? The FDA says that all meat substitutes, including fake bacon, should have 660 mg per 100g. The WHO gives this category a sodium benchmark of 250mg per 100g.
Products that exceed both of these targets are easy to find. Another vegan bacon pieces product has 1319mg of sodium per 100g, which is almost twice the WHO recommendation. One of the most popular plant-based brands in the UK has a bacon alternative with 1080mg of sodium per 100g.
Bacon is one of America’s favorite foods The salty, smoky flavor of sizzling bacon strips simply can’t be beat But with all that flavor comes a lot of sodium – which has many people wondering if low sodium bacon is a healthier choice.
In this article we’ll take an in-depth look at low sodium bacon. We’ll discuss what it is weigh the pros and cons, and help you decide if low sodium bacon should have a place in your diet.
What is Low Sodium Bacon?
Regular bacon is very high in sodium, with some brands containing over 350 mg per serving. The recommended daily sodium intake is less than 2,300 mg per day. Eating just a few slices of regular bacon can put you over the recommended limit.
Low sodium bacon contains at least 25% less sodium than regular bacon. Some versions contain 50% less sodium or more. This makes it easier to enjoy bacon without going overboard on salt.
Low sodium bacon is made by curing the pork belly with less salt during processing. Sugar and other spices are often added to boost flavor. The taste is slightly less salty than regular bacon, but most people find the flavor differences negligible.
Popular low sodium bacon brands include Oscar Mayer, Farmer John, Applegate, and Wellshire Farms. Most major bacon producers now offer a low sodium variety. You can find it in any grocery store, right next to the regular bacon.
Pros of Low Sodium Bacon
There are several potential benefits that make low sodium bacon an appealing choice:
1. Lower Sodium Intake
The main benefit of low sodium bacon is right in the name – it contains less sodium than regular bacon.
For those limiting sodium due to health issues like high blood pressure, low sodium bacon allows you to enjoy the bacon flavor without going overboard on salt.
Per slice, low sodium bacon can contain 140 mg of sodium or even lower amounts. Regular bacon has around 180 mg per slice. Those little reductions add up, especially if bacon is a regular part of your diet.
2. Potential Heart Health Benefits
Diets high in sodium are linked to high blood pressure, which increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend limiting sodium to less than 2,300 mg per day.
Choosing low sodium bacon and other lower sodium options can help reduce blood pressure levels in some individuals. Lowering blood pressure reduces the strain on your heart and arteries.
While more research is needed, reducing sodium intake is generally considered heart-healthy advice. Low sodium bacon could be a simple way to cut some dietary sodium.
3. More Diet-Friendly
Low sodium bacon fits better into a heart-healthy or low sodium diet. You can eat it more often without going overboard on sodium or feeling guilty.
It’s an easy swap that can help improve the overall nutrient profile of your meals without sacrificing the delicious taste of bacon. Dietitians and other health experts often recommend low sodium bacon over regular.
4. Not Noticeably Different
Many people assume low sodium bacon won’t taste as good as regular bacon. In blind taste tests, most people can’t tell the difference between low sodium and regular bacon.
As long as you don’t directly compare side-by-side, low sodium bacon tastes just like the higher sodium stuff. The smoky, salty, savory bacon flavor you know and love is all there.
5. More Bacon for Less Sodium
Since the sodium content per slice is lower, you can technically eat more low sodium bacon than regular bacon for the same amount of sodium.
Rather than limiting yourself to 2 or 3 slices of regular bacon, you may be able to enjoy 4 or 5 slices of low sodium bacon without exceeding sodium recommendations.
Cons of Low Sodium Bacon
However, low sodium bacon isn’t perfect. There are a few potential downsides to consider:
1. Still High in Sodium
While it’s lower in sodium than regular bacon, even low sodium bacon is still relatively high in sodium. Single slices can still contain over 100 mg of sodium.
If you’re on a doctor-recommended, low sodium diet of 1500 mg or less per day, low sodium bacon may still be too high sodium to eat regularly.
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4. May Contain Preservatives
To extend shelf life and retain moisture, some low sodium bacon contains preservatives like sugar, phosphates, nitrites, and nitrates.
Many bacon lovers try to avoid these additives when possible. While perfectly safe to eat, some prefer bacon without any preservatives or artificial ingredients.
5. Not Always Low-Carb
Some low sodium bacon products contain added sugar to enhance flavor. The sugar offsets the lack of sodium.
While only 1-3 grams per serving, the extra sugar makes it a slightly less optimal choice for low-carb and keto diets. Those following these diets may want to read labels carefully.
6. Price
Low sodium bacon tends to cost a bit more than regular bacon – generally $1-2 more per pack. For those on tight grocery budgets, the higher price could be a drawback.
However, some low sodium options are comparably priced, so it pays to shop around. Many see the extra couple dollars per pack as a small price to pay for the health benefits.
Is Low Sodium Bacon Healthy?
So, is low sodium bacon actually healthy? This depends on your specific diet needs and health conditions.
For those with high blood pressure, heart disease, or doctor’s orders to limit sodium, low sodium bacon can be a healthier choice than regular. It provides the flavor with less effect on blood pressure.
However, bacon is still high in saturated fat and not a very nutritious food overall. The American Heart Association recommends limiting it and other processed meats.
For overall health, bacon of any kind should only be an occasional indulgence. But when you’re craving that crispy, porky goodness, low sodium makes sense for reducing your sodium intake a bit. Think of it as a “less bad” option compared to regular.
Healthiest Ways to Eat Low Sodium Bacon
When enjoyed in moderation, low sodium bacon can be part of a balanced diet. Here are some of the healthiest ways to eat it:
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Breakfast – Enjoy 2-3 slices with eggs, avocado, and whole grain toast.
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Salads – Crumbled on top of leafy green or grain-based salads.
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Baked Potatoes – Slightly healthify by skipping butter and sour cream.
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Brussels Sprouts – Roasted or sauteed with this vitamin-packed veggie.
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Split Pea Soup – Low-sodium, filled with veggies and plant-based protein.
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Egg Salad – Adds savory flavor and crunch to this classic.
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Turkey Burgers – For flavor without the extra red meat.
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Pizza – Sparingly on veggie pizza instead of higher-fat meats like sausage.
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BLT – Crispy bacon gives the classic sandwich a savory boost.
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Baked Beans – Adds a smoky depth to the bean’s flavor.
Bottom Line
Used judiciously, low sodium bacon can be part of an overall healthy diet, especially for those limiting sodium due to health conditions like hypertension. It provides the salty, savory, smoky bacon flavor we love while cutting back on sodium compared to regular bacon.
However, bacon is still high in saturated fat and sodium, so low sodium or not, it shouldn’t be an everyday food. When the bacon cravings strike, choosing a low sodium variety is a better option than regular.
At the end of the day, it’s about balance. An occasional serving of low sodium bacon as part of an otherwise wholesome diet is unlikely to have negative health effects. But as with any food, moderation is key.
So go ahead and enjoy your low sodium bacon…in a healthy, responsible way! Your taste buds and heart will thank you.
Bites and bits
Lardons are chunks of a bacon slab cut into small cubes. You can use them in many popular French dishes, like Coq Au Vin and Beef Bourguignon, or mix them with greens, like brussels sprouts. They taste great and can be used in many different ways.
Since they both start as cured pork belly, lardons and pancetta are very similar. One difference is that pancetta is further prepared by letting it dry out in the air. It’s also more often served raw in thin slices on a charcuterie platter.
Both lardons and pancetta are included in the bacon category and have the same sodium guidance as bacon.
And, just like bacon, lardons and pancetta products typically exceed WHO sodium benchmarks.
So-called “bacon bits” are a popular topping for salads and baked potatoes. As an analogue product, their ingredients vary and often they don’t include actual bacon. In fact, some “bacon flavoured” bits are suitable for vegans as they contain no animals products at all.
Other “bits” products have bacon as their main ingredient, or turkey for a lower saturated fat option.
The FDA separates bacon bits, even fake ones that don’t contain bacon, into a separate group with a higher sodium limit than bacon itself. This is 2740mg of sodium per 100g. WHO says that bacon bits that aren’t bacon are meat analogues, which have a lower sodium level of 250 mg per 100g.
A popular UK seasoning brand made bacon bits that were very salty, with 2800mg of sodium per 100g. This is more than the FDA recommendation and over 10 times the WHO standard.
This kind of bacon comes from the pork loin, while “streaky bacon,” which is what most people in the US do, comes from the pork belly. With this in mind, Canadian bacon is a leaner cut of meat that tastes sweeter and more like ham.
The FDA puts Canadian bacon, which is sold outside of the US as “back” bacon, in a separate category with sodium guidelines of 1360 mg per 100g. The WHO, on the other hand, puts it in the main bacon category with a benchmark of 950 mg per 100g.
People often think of Canadian bacon as healthier, but we found it to be just as salty as streaky bacon, with an average of 2120 mg of sodium per 100g.
Turkey bacon is colored and processed to look and taste like bacon. It is made from a mix of light and dark turkey meat. With less fat and calories, turkey bacon has emerged as a popular alternative to pork bacon. But often it has just as much sodium.
In fact, depending on the brand, turkey bacon can have even more sodium than pork bacon, and can be a greater risk to heart health as people are more likely to have extra servings, believing it to be a “healthier” option.
And just like pork bacon, most turkey bacon exceeds the WHO sodium benchmark by nearly double.
Low Sodium Bacon is Not the Answer – Lesson 4 with Dr. Shusterman
What is low sodium Bacon?
That means low sodium foods should have 115 grams of sodium or fewer per serving—and that’s also why you’ll notice most reduced sodium bacon is labeled “lower sodium” rather than “low sodium.” Also bad news (for my parents and husband, mostly): I am not a doctor!
How to improve low sodium conditions naturally?
It mainly depends on cause and severity of low sodium conditions. For mild condition, reduce fluid intake and consider drinking rehydration beverages. These drinks contain electrolytes, and help replenish sodium lost through sweating also Oralit (ORS), or fresh orange juice.
How do you eat low sodium Bacon?
There are many ways to enjoy low sodium bacon. You can fry it up in a pan, or you can bake it in the oven. You can also add it to your favorite recipes, such as burgers, sandwiches, and pasta dishes. It’s also a great addition to any salad.
Is Bacon healthy?
Especially when you use it as part of a larger recipe, like wrapping it around chicken tenders. How you cook bacon influences how healthy it is in the long run. The healthiest way to cook bacon is to cook it until crispy (but not burned), which allows the most fat to melt off.
How much sodium is in a slice of bacon?
And it still has enough salt that its pleasant, porky, savory flavor lingers in your mouth. It has only 115 mg of sodium per serving (which practically makes it real low sodium bacon), but a serving size is a single slice, which should probably be illegal. One slice of bacon is a tease; two slices is a serving.
Can you eat bacon on a low-sodium diet?
Low-Sodium Bacon: If you’re not on a low-sodium diet, you can add some salt to the spice mix. You can also sprinkle the slices with a little salt after frying. For people on a low-sodium or salt-free diet, this bacon looks, smells, and tastes like the real thing – and it only takes an hour to make it.