Skinny Piggy

Healthy bacon? How can bacon possibly be healthy? Well, it's not. One of the biggest health concerns about bacon is that about 68% of bacon's calories come from fat, almost half of which is saturated, according to WebMD. The reason why this is so bad for your health is because saturated fat raises the level of cholesterol in your blood, which then increases your risk of heart disease and stroke. Additionally, some saturated fat-rich foods tend to be high in dietary cholesterol, which then raises your cholesterol levels even higher. While cholesterol is bad for your health, there is something worse. According to Web MD, "researchers have concluded that regular consumption of processed meats may lead to higher risk for prostate cancer and several other cancers."

Although bacon is not truly healthy, there are healthy alternatives for bacon lovers like myself! Your best choice is uncured, reduced-sodium center cut bacon. The reason to choose uncured bacon is to avoid the nitrates and nitrites that may lead to cancer. Center cut bacon is also a good choice because it is lower in fat. This way, you actually get more meat and less fat, which tastes great! While one of the best parts of bacon is it's salty taste, reduced sodium bacon is definitely the way to go. By eating reduced sodium bacon, you save about 100mg of sodium per serving, and although that isn't that much, it is very helpful since the most people (or maybe just me) eat more than one serving (2-3 slices).

It's hard for me to buy anything but the extra fatty, salty bacon that I love, but why risk raising your cholesterol levels and increasing your chances of cancer when you can choose an alternative that is healthier and tastes just as great? However, I sometimes question my decision after reading the article "105-Year-Old Woman Says Bacon Keeps Her Alive".