Determining which is ostensibly more popular is pretty easy. In any case, I don’t think I’ve ever seen sausage bits on a salad bar, and I don’t think Burger King’s executives have ever thought about making a sundae with sausage logs stuffed deep into soft-serve ice cream. Bacon is the clear winner of the popularity contest.
But health is a different story, and based on what I’ve heard, I think bacon is the less healthy bacon. Why, you ask? What hard science is backing my assertion? None whatsoever… at least not yet. This quick judgment is based only on the fact that my mom banned bacon from our family breakfast table around the same time she banned pro wrestling from our TVs, supposedly because they were both unhealthy for us in very different ways.
Now that I’ve made both my mom and myself look bad, let’s dive into two breakfast meats that are known for being very high in fat. Was mom right when she left bacon off of our Sunday morning breakfast plates, or was the sausage she served instead just as bad?
Which Breakfast Meat is Healthiest: Bacon, Ham, or Sausage?
As a breakfast lover, I often find myself tempted by the sizzle and aroma of bacon, ham, and sausage in the morning. But with conflicting information out there, I wanted to take a closer look at the nutrition facts to see which one comes out on top health-wise.
In this article, we’ll compare the nutritional content, potential health benefits, and risks of bacon, ham, and sausage My goal is to provide the facts so you can make an informed decision about which breakfast meat to add to your plate Let’s dive in!
The Nutritional Content of Bacon
Starting with bacon it does contain some beneficial nutrients. A 3 oz serving of pork bacon contains
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29g of protein – Important for building muscle and hemoglobin production
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5g of fat – Although lower in fat than ham or sausage, mostly unsaturated fat.
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161mg of sodium – 61% of the daily recommended limit, can impact blood pressure.
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Vitamin B12 – Essential for nerve function and red blood cell formation.
However, there are some downsides. Bacon is often cured with nitrites which may increase cancer risk. It’s also high in saturated fat at 2g per serving.
The Nutritional Content of Ham
Ham contains a mix of beneficial nutrients and potential risks:
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Protein – Contains less than chicken or beef but still a decent protein source.
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Iron – Provides some iron but lower amounts compared to other meats.
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Potassium – More than bacon, helps maintain healthy blood pressure.
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Calories/Fat – On par with sausage as a high calorie, high fat food. Lots of saturated fat.
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Sodium – Also contains a high amount of sodium per serving, 700mg+ depending on type.
As with bacon, choosing leaner ham and watching portion sizes is key.
The Nutritional Content of Sausage
Sausage contains a some beneficial B12 but also concerning levels of fat and sodium:
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Protein and B12 – Contains more B12 than bacon and a similar protein amount.
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Fat – High in total and saturated fat, between 9-13g per sausage link.
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Sodium – Very high in sodium, 665mg per link. Links = 228 calories.
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Nitrates – Some types contain preservatives like bacon.
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Byproducts – Can contain organ meats high in toxins.
Sausage may be the highest risk due to fat, sodium, and ingredients.
Comparing the Health Benefits and Risks
Bacon contains protein, B12 but has high sodium and nitrite content. Ham provides protein, iron and potassium but is high in saturated fat and sodium. Sausage also has protein and B12 but is the highest in fat, sodium and potentially harmful ingredients.
While they do have some nutritional benefits, bacon, ham and sausage are all high in sodium. They’re also higher in saturated fat and calories compared to leaner protein options.
For heart health and cancer risk reduction, processed meats like these should be limited. But if you occasionally indulge, reducing portion sizes can help minimize negative impacts.
Tips for Choosing Healthier Breakfast Meats
If you do indulge in breakfast meats, here are some tips for making healthier choices:
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Choose responsibly raised meats without nitrites/nitrates.
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Look for lower sodium options (under 700mg per serving).
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Opt for leaner cuts like center cut bacon or 96% fat free ham.
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Limit portions to 2-3 strips of bacon or 1 sausage link.
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Try turkey bacon or meatless sausage alternatives.
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Make your own sausage with ground turkey and spices.
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Go for roasted ham slices instead of sausage for more protein.
The Bottom Line
While bacon, ham, and sausage can be delicious breakfast additions, they should be consumed in moderation. For optimal health, lean protein sources like eggs, Greek yogurt, and nut butters make healthier alternatives.
Out of bacon, ham, and sausage, your best bet is to choose options that are:
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Responsibly raised
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Low sodium
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Low fat
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Nitrate/nitrite free
Which one is healthier — the bacon or the sausage?
To be as fair as possible, we should compare these two things in a way that is as close to apples-to-apples as we can get. How do we put bacon and sausage next to each other using a theoretical approach based on fruits? By using standard bacon and sausage from well-known but not very impressive brands At least that way, we can at least guess that they’re taking the same normal little piggies to market and then turning them into standard breakfast bits. With this, we can set the stage for the kind of cooking competition that Bender Bending Rodriguez would definitely call “fun on a bun.” ”.
Because of this, we will finally compare Hormel Black Label Bacon to Banquet Brown ‘N Serve Sausage Links. Even though it would be easy to compare these based on servings per serving, that would give us data that doesn’t make any sense in the real world. So instead, we’ll do a gram-for-gram breakdown of these two breakfast favorites:
To compare the amounts of nutrients in each food, we look at the numbers and find that the bacon has more nutrients. The next thing we’ll do is change the lenses and compare them slice-to-link, which is kind of like how they’d be served on a breakfast plate:
See? This is why it’s important to evaluate all of the contexts. If you plan to split your links and strips evenly, your sausage will have more calories overall but a little less cholesterol and sodium. There won’t be much of a difference in protein, though.