What’s The Real Deal With Bacon???
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Fitforevermore wrote: »The nitrates in some hams and bacon are carcinogenic. But there are brands that don't use nitrates to preserve, such as naked bacon
Not familiar with that brand, but don't be fooled with the ones that say no nitrates EXCEPT for those naturally occurring in celery juice. Nitrates are nitrates no matter where they extract them from.5 -
HeidiCooksSupper wrote: »Bacon and other processed meats tend to be calorie-dense and high in sodium, saturated fat, and a variety of chemicals like nitrates and nitrites. So, bacon is not "good for you" on our peculiar scale of good and bad foods. That doesn't mean I intend to give up the Sunday bacon that comes with brunch but I wouldn't eat it or red meat or high mercury fish or pie crust or ... every day of the week.
The risk one takes is under-consuming important nutrients while saving room for bacon (and its sodium, saturated fat, nitrates/nitrites, etc.) You are making a choice of what not to eat every time you decide TO eat something. Two slices of bacon is about the same calories as an apple. I think we can all guess which is the healthier choice. Meanwhile, on Sunday, pass me the bacon.
If I need protein, bacon is the healthier choice.
If I need fiber, an apple is the healthier choice.6 -
kshama2001 wrote: »Hey everybody, according to almost every article I read on google bacon can’t be eaten ever day. I have been counting calories & tracking my macros. my macros are at 37% protein, 24% fat, & 39% carbs. I cook 4 strips of Oscar Meyers uncured bacon on a pan every mon-sat morning & my daily sodium intake is 3050mg daily. I also lift weights 6 days a week doing a push/pull/leg split twice a week. I train for hypertrophy and I lift pretty heavy. Am I living a “healthy” enough lifestyle to consume bacon 6 days a week?? or do I need to ditch the bacon? I’m 26 y/o, 5’9”, 189 lbs, sitting at about 17% body fat. I’m consuming 1800 calories a day this week, trying to lose 2 lbs of fat a week. I want to get down to like 12% body fat before 1/1/21, but I’m trying to figure out if bacon is the right or wrong way to go. Please help. Thanks!
Since bacon is a better source of fat than protein, it's not a great choice for your macro goals.
[clipped for brevity]
Since pan-fried bacon is nearly 30% protein (by % cals, not weight), it's not a terrible choice for someone with a 37% protein goal. I mean, you can't expect every food you eat to reflect you overall macro goals.
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lynn_glenmont wrote: »kshama2001 wrote: »Hey everybody, according to almost every article I read on google bacon can’t be eaten ever day. I have been counting calories & tracking my macros. my macros are at 37% protein, 24% fat, & 39% carbs. I cook 4 strips of Oscar Meyers uncured bacon on a pan every mon-sat morning & my daily sodium intake is 3050mg daily. I also lift weights 6 days a week doing a push/pull/leg split twice a week. I train for hypertrophy and I lift pretty heavy. Am I living a “healthy” enough lifestyle to consume bacon 6 days a week?? or do I need to ditch the bacon? I’m 26 y/o, 5’9”, 189 lbs, sitting at about 17% body fat. I’m consuming 1800 calories a day this week, trying to lose 2 lbs of fat a week. I want to get down to like 12% body fat before 1/1/21, but I’m trying to figure out if bacon is the right or wrong way to go. Please help. Thanks!
Since bacon is a better source of fat than protein, it's not a great choice for your macro goals.
[clipped for brevity]
Since pan-fried bacon is nearly 30% protein (by % cals, not weight), it's not a terrible choice for someone with a 37% protein goal. I mean, you can't expect every food you eat to reflect you overall macro goals.
This presumes pan-frying AND THROWING THE RENDERED FAT AWAY.
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kshama2001 wrote: »lynn_glenmont wrote: »kshama2001 wrote: »Hey everybody, according to almost every article I read on google bacon can’t be eaten ever day. I have been counting calories & tracking my macros. my macros are at 37% protein, 24% fat, & 39% carbs. I cook 4 strips of Oscar Meyers uncured bacon on a pan every mon-sat morning & my daily sodium intake is 3050mg daily. I also lift weights 6 days a week doing a push/pull/leg split twice a week. I train for hypertrophy and I lift pretty heavy. Am I living a “healthy” enough lifestyle to consume bacon 6 days a week?? or do I need to ditch the bacon? I’m 26 y/o, 5’9”, 189 lbs, sitting at about 17% body fat. I’m consuming 1800 calories a day this week, trying to lose 2 lbs of fat a week. I want to get down to like 12% body fat before 1/1/21, but I’m trying to figure out if bacon is the right or wrong way to go. Please help. Thanks!
Since bacon is a better source of fat than protein, it's not a great choice for your macro goals.
[clipped for brevity]
Since pan-fried bacon is nearly 30% protein (by % cals, not weight), it's not a terrible choice for someone with a 37% protein goal. I mean, you can't expect every food you eat to reflect you overall macro goals.
This presumes pan-frying AND THROWING THE RENDERED FAT AWAY.
I don't (although I'm sure an awful lot of people do). But I don't slurp it down with my bacon either. I store it in the refrigerator until I need fat to cook something that I'd like to cook in bacon fat (e.g., a fried egg). Then I log the bacon fat.
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The real deal with bacon is that sausage is better...6
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I was just wondering because it seems every article I read says it increase your risks of cancers, diabetes, etc. and that it should absolutely not be eaten everyday.
In a population study anything connected to a SAD can be linked to disease. Anything connected to SAA (last A for activity) is the same way so TV, Video Games, Social Media, etc.
What we don't know, and probably can't know, is what happens when you take something from one of those studies and place it in a healthy lifestyle context. My bet is becomes mostly insignificant as long as it is reasonable and there are no underlying medical or genetic issues. If you were on a mostly bacon diet then I might be worried.4 -
thanks for all the feedback, I appreciate it everyone.4
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Bacon can have a lot of fat.
But you seem to have it in your macros.
From my perspective anything in moderation is ok. Is 4 strips of bacon 6 days a week moderation? That’s for you to decide.
If you're eating it and working toward your goals, then go for it.
One other question I have for you is: with that much bacon, how is your cholesterol?
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depends how the rest of your diet is honestly, not just calories. How are your trans fats? Saturated? Etc? Getting lots of veggies and fruits? Enough vitamins and etc etc? My gut says bacon 6 times a week is overkill. But im not a doctor.2
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tgillies003 wrote: »Bacon can have a lot of fat.
But you seem to have it in your macros.
From my perspective anything in moderation is ok. Is 4 strips of bacon 6 days a week moderation? That’s for you to decide.
If you're eating it and working toward your goals, then go for it.
One other question I have for you is: with that much bacon, how is your cholesterol?
this is the breakdown of the macronutrients I eat Monday-Saturday. the grams in the first picture are much less because that was my macros from when I originally posted my question (when my goal was to lose 2 lbs of fat per week eating at a 1800 calorie diet), but I was convinced through the help of others in the forum to slow my weight loss rate from 2 lbs/week to 1 lbs/week. and the second picture is a macronutrient break down of a 2250 calorie diet which is how I’m eating THIS week with breakfast still consisting of 3 eggs scrambled, 4 strips of bacon, 1 slice of toast, & a men’s multi vitamin. also I have no prior health issues, no health conditions run in my family, and I drink 80 oz of water every day.
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I'm 6'0" at 167 lbs and eat about 1 kg of bacon a week. Started keto in June 2019 and lost 65 lbs in 6 months. Who knew bacon was health food.2
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depends how the rest of your diet is honestly, not just calories. How are your trans fats? Saturated? Etc? Getting lots of veggies and fruits? Enough vitamins and etc etc? My gut says bacon 6 times a week is overkill. But im not a doctor.
the pictures I posted, are in the reverse order that I said they would be in, but these are my current macronutrients (according to the app) of my 2250 calorie diet.
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I think I finally got it right, it wasn’t posting correctly.
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Stop counting macros and eat low calorie dense foods that will keep you full and satiated throughout the day. The Anabolic Diet by Greg Doucette is by far the most sustainable approach to fitness and nutrition by far. He has a YouTube channel where he explains it better. Go check it out and thank me first for telling you then you can thank him when you no longer have to worry about dieting again!0
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Pick your battles and aim for what's sustainable for you.
If I was personally eating with your macros, all other things being equal which they almost never are, I would probably try to increase fiber and decrease saturated fat a bit.
But that's me, today!3 -
Stop counting macros and eat low calorie dense foods that will keep you full and satiated throughout the day. The Anabolic Diet by Greg Doucette is by far the most sustainable approach to fitness and nutrition by far. He has a YouTube channel where he explains it better. Go check it out and thank me first for telling you then you can thank him when you no longer have to worry about dieting again!
What is sustainable has almost nothing to do with food and almost everything to do with habits and food relationship.
I am glad you are excited but keep in mind that MANY long term unsustainable things can be tolerated for a few weeks or a few months. I am not saying this is one of them but you should always be prepared to adapt.2 -
Good for you researching what you put in your body. I've seen the research on bacon and other preserved meats, and they are correlated with a host of chronic diseases. I love bacon and salami. However, based on the research I backed off. But I'm older than you, so trying my best to stack the odds in my favor. The balance between risk and enjoying your life is a personal one. Being educated so you know the tradeoff your making is smart.1
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Good for you researching what you put in your body. I've seen the research on bacon and other preserved meats, and they are correlated with a host of chronic diseases. I love bacon and salami. However, based on the research I backed off. But I'm older than you, so trying my best to stack the odds in my favor. The balance between risk and enjoying your life is a personal one. Being educated so you know the tradeoff your making is smart.
Thanks for your input, I actually decided to do what you did & back off to just 4 days out the week & make up for my protein and fat in later meals with a ‘healthier’ alternative. Just to be on the safe side, I suppose, since the universal feedback is that bacon everyday isn’t a good idea even for me.1
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