Should we eat less salt? Is fat really bad for you? What’s wrong with gluten, anyway? A science writer and a consultant cardiologist tell us the truth.
With all the messaging around trans fats being unhealthy, you may be wondering if beloved foods like bacon contain these controversial fats Trans fats have largely been removed from processed foods in the US., but they can still occur naturally in animal products like meat and dairy. This has left many people confused about how much trans fat is actually in their bacon.
The relationship between trans fats and health is complex. It has been shown that trans fats made in factories are harmful, but trans fats that occur naturally in animal products might not be as dangerous. Let’s clear up the confusion on trans fats in bacon and other meats.
What are Trans Fats?
Trans fats, or trans fatty acids, are a form of unsaturated fat. There are two broad categories:
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Artificial trans fats – These are produced by adding hydrogen to vegetable and seed oils in a process called hydrogenation This creates a more solid fat with a longer shelf life, used in many processed foods However, artificial trans fats raise LDL (bad) cholesterol and lower HDL (good) cholesterol, increasing heart disease risk.
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Small amounts of natural trans fats can be found in meat and dairy products from ruminant animals like cows, sheep, and goats. It’s unclear if natural trans fats impact health like artificial ones. Some studies find they raise LDL but not as severely.
In 2015, the FDA determined that artificial trans fats are unsafe and set a compliance deadline of January 2021 for their removal from processed foods. This ban has now gone into effect, but small amounts may still exist in some products.
Meanwhile, natural trans fats remain present in animal products, including bacon.
Do Meats Like Bacon Contain Trans Fats?
Yes, meats like bacon contain small amounts of naturally-occurring trans fats. Here are some key points:
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Ruminant animals such as cows and sheep produce natural trans fats in their stomachs during digestion. These trans fats are present in meat and dairy from these animals.
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Pork is generally higher in trans fats than beef because pigs have a digestive system more similar to ruminants.
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Processed pork products like bacon, sausage and deli meats tend to be the highest in trans fats, ranging from 0.2 to 2 grams per serving.
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Grass-fed beef contains 2-5 times more trans fats than grain-fed beef due to differences in bacteria during rumination.
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Trans fat content also depends on the cut of meat. Fatty cuts have more than lean cuts.
Are Natural Trans Fats as Bad as Artificial Ones?
This is where things get murky. Artificial trans fats produced in factories are undisputedly bad news for heart health. But the risks from meat and dairy’s natural trans fats are less clear cut.
Some key points on how natural and artificial trans fats compare:
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Natural trans fats raise LDL (bad) cholesterol, but not as severely as artificial trans fats. They also don’t lower HDL (good) cholesterol like artificial ones.
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Natural trans fats may have unique health benefits. Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a natural trans fat in beef and dairy that may improve body composition and have anticancer effects.
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Grass-fed beef is higher in CLA than grain-fed beef. So grass-fed meat may have more potential benefits from natural trans fats.
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Research overall is mixed, with some studies showing harm but others finding no adverse effects from dairy and meat trans fats on heart disease, inflammation, cholesterol or mortality.
So while natural trans fats aren’t entirely harmless, they don’t appear as clearly detrimental as artificial trans fats. More research is still needed though.
For now, nutrition organizations do not make specific recommendations to limit natural trans fats, just artificial ones.
Should You Worry About Bacon’s Trans Fats?
With the mixed evidence, as well as their low levels in bacon and other meats, natural trans fats are not a major health concern for most people. Here are some key points to put bacon trans fats into perspective:
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Bacon has less than 1 gram of trans fat per slice, a low amount. Even at higher intakes like 4 strips of bacon (4 grams trans fat), adverse effects are unlikely.
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Bacon’s much higher levels of saturated fat (2-5 grams per slice) are more worrying, as saturated fat strongly raises LDL cholesterol.
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Processed pork products also contain preservatives like sodium and nitrates, which pose larger health risks than the trans fats.
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From an overall diet perspective,bacon and other fatty meats should be occasional treats rather than everyday staples. But occasional enjoyment is fine.
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Focusing on getting adequate exercise and produce can better counteract bacon’s negatives than just fixating on the trans fats alone.
So in moderation, bacon likely poses little risk from its naturally occurring trans fats for most healthy individuals. It’s more important to keep portions small and limit intake of processed meats overall.
Tips for Buying and Eating Bacon
If you don’t want to give up sizzling bacon entirely, here are some tips to enjoy it as safely as possible:
- Look for uncured or
The complicated history of fats
It started in the 1950s with a case of mistaken identity. Saturated fats, researchers said, were the main cause of heart disease. Study after study showed that people in Mediterranean countries, where people eat more unsaturated fats like olive oil and less saturated fats like butter, had a lower risk of disease. This was the smoking gun.
By the 1970s the food industry responded. Their answer was trans fatty acids, or trans fats: unsaturated fats transformed by hydrogenation to fit convenient criteria. Once hydrogenated, for example, cotton or vegetable oils would be solid at room temperature to make margarine. Chemical changes could be made to fats to make cookies and cakes last longer or keep them from breaking down when they are heated up over and over again in restaurants and chip shops.
People thought that because these trans fats came from unsaturated fats, they were better for you than saturated fats. It was a misconception supported by the medical community; and one which proved to be deadly.
In the 1980s and 1990s, there were a lot of heart attacks and strokes because people were eating more trans fats. It turns out that eating them can also make you more likely to get type 2 diabetes. This is probably why companies have been lowering the amount of trans fats in their products at the request of governments.
“There’s still no law that says companies have to label trans fats as such,” warns Chloe Miles of the British Dietetics Association. “It’s important to check the ingredients lists. Look out for anything with partially hydrogenated oils or fats. The usual suspects are takeaways, pastries, pies, fried foods, cakes, biscuits and hard margarines. ”.
False nutritionists said, “Ding dong, the witch is dead!” when trans fats were discovered. But they fell into a dangerous trap when they started saying that saturated fats like butter and coconut oil are good for you. This is by no means true. Even though saturated fats are better for you than trans fats, eating too much of them will hurt your health by making you eat less healthy foods. If you try to replace all saturated fats with low-fat foods, you’ll end up eating more sugar and refined carbs, which is bad for you. Instead, use saturated fats wisely to make some healthy foods taste better.
The heroes are unsaturated fats from whole food sources. If you eat more avocados, seeds, nuts, oily fish, olive oil, and nuts, you can lose weight and avoid heart disease. And they may even protect against neurological disorders such as depression. The simple message that these fats are good for you shouldn’t get lost in a long history.
Should I lower my salt intake?
It doesn’t matter if a Tibetan monk got your salt from a cave or a man named Gary got it from brine; it’s always the same thing: sodium chloride. People with high blood pressure are more likely to eat salt, so if someone says that fancy salts like sel gris, fleur de sel, Hawaiian sea salt, or pink Himalayan salt are healthier than regular table salt, they’re not telling you the truth.
The matter of whether or not you should lower your salt intake is less cut and dried. Some people’s blood pressure is more sensitive to salt than others’. Scientists disagree on how to interpret the evidence in a specific case, but that’s not the point: salt makes food taste good.
The first thing that MasterChef judge Michel Roux Jr comments on is a dish’s seasoning. Rick Stein must be scared all the time that the salt police he talks about so often will finally catch him. Nobody has ever won a Michelin star with a salt-free menu.
Professor of medicine at the University of Manchester Anthony Heagerty says that the link between salt intake and blood pressure is not simple. He says, “Lowering salt is good for the population as a whole because many people will benefit from eating less salt overall, but it’s harder to figure out what effect it will have on a single person.” People who are overweight, eat poorly, and drink too much are more likely to develop high blood pressure. If you’re worried about your blood pressure, you can cut down on salt, but it might be more important to watch what you eat and drink overall. ”.
Fruit and veg rich in potassium, such as mushrooms, spinach and bananas, can help lower blood pressure. Look out for the mountains of salt used to make low-quality processed foods and snacks more palatable. If you use salt in a smart way, the food you cook at home will taste better and you’ll know more about what you’re putting in your body.
What’s So Bad about BACON? (Truth about Bacon Safety) 2024
FAQ
Does bacon have trans fat or saturated fat?
Why is bacon so unhealthy?
Does Bacon have trans fat?
According to the website FillYourPlate.org, bacon does not have any trans fats. The most harmful form of fat is trans fats, which are created fats designed for preservation. Bacon does contain fat, but the amount is exaggerated. A single serving of bacon has less fat than many consumers assume.
How much trans fat is too much?
Trans fat should be limited to less than 1 percent of your daily calories. For example, for someone with a 2000 calorie a day diet, this is about 20 calories or 2 grams per day.
Does Bacon have fat?
Bacon does contain fat, but the amount is exaggerated. A single serving of bacon has less fat than many consumers assume. According to Boss Hog on the website BaconToday.com, bacon has less fat and cholesterol than many popular cuts of beef and chicken. The low fat content when compared to the amount of nutritional value is surprising.
Which foods contain trans fats?
When looking at lists of foods that contain trans fats, baked goods are always at the top. These foods include: Baked goods are often made with shortening, an ingredient made of solid fat. This gives baked goods its flakey, crumbly texture.