Can You Eat Bacon If You Have High Cholesterol? A Detailed Guide

Bacon is one of the most delicious and versatile breakfast meats around. Who doesn’t love starting their morning with a few crispy strips of bacon? However if you have high cholesterol, you may wonder if you need to say goodbye to this tasty pork product for good.

The answer is not so black and white While bacon does contain high amounts of cholesterol and saturated fat, you do not necessarily need to cut it out of your diet completely with the right approach Read on to learn whether and how you can still enjoy the occasional slice of bacon while keeping your cholesterol in a healthy range.

How Does Bacon Impact Cholesterol Levels?

To understand whether bacon is suitable if you have high cholesterol. it helps to break down what exactly is in bacon that affects cholesterol

• Dietary Cholesterol – Bacon contains high levels of cholesterol, with around 18.5mg per slice. Previously it was thought that eating cholesterol-rich foods directly increased blood cholesterol, but newer research suggests this relationship is not so straightforward.

• Saturated Fat – Bacon is high in saturated fat, with around 3. 5g per slice. High levels of LDL “bad” cholesterol in the blood have been strongly linked to eating a lot of saturated fat.

• Number of mg of sodium: Each slice of bacon has about 180 mg of sodium. High sodium intake can increase blood pressure and heart disease risk.

So while bacon’s cholesterol content itself may not directly impact blood cholesterol, its high saturated fat content very well may. The sodium also presents heart health concerns for those managing cholesterol levels.

Can You Eat Bacon in Moderation?

For healthy adults without cholesterol issues, enjoying a few slices of bacon here and there likely poses little risk. The key is moderation.

The American Heart Association recommends limiting saturated fat to 5-6% of total daily calories. For a 2,000 calorie diet, this equates to about 13g of saturated fat per day.

Because just 1-2 slices of bacon are high in saturated fat, it’s easy to go over this limit if you eat bacon every day. But it’s fine to eat a couple of slices of bacon once or twice a week as part of a low-saturated fat diet.

Practicing moderation may be more challenging if you have high cholesterol or elevated heart disease risk, however. Consuming any food high in saturated fat on a regular basis is typically not advised in these cases.

Healthy Bacon Alternatives If You Have High Cholesterol

For those managing cholesterol levels, there are a few lower risk bacon alternatives to try:

• Turkey or Chicken Bacon – Poultry bacon options contain less saturated fat and more protein than pork bacon. Watch sodium content though, as it can still be high.

• Prosciutto or Dry-Cured Ham – These air-dried, Italian-style hams use little or no nitrates/nitrites during processing. Buy prosciutto sliced thin to limit fat intake.

• Canadian Bacon – Made from pork loin, Canadian bacon is leaner than regular bacon. It still contains some saturated fat though, so portion control is key.

• Tempeh Bacon – For a vegetarian option, marinated strips of fermented tempeh can mimic bacon’s salty, smoky, crispy flavors.

• Shiitake Mushroom Bacon – Sliced shiitake mushrooms baked with smoked paprika and liquid smoke make a creative plant-based bacon alternative.

Tips for Enjoying Bacon If You Have High Cholesterol

If you don’t want to give up that bacon flavor completely, follow these tips to enjoy bacon more healthfully:

• Eat no more than 1-2 slices per sitting and limit to once or twice weekly at most

• Opt for turkey or chicken bacon to reduce saturated fat

• Grill or bake bacon instead of frying to cut down on added oils

• Add only small amounts of crumbled bacon to sandwiches, salads, soups, etc.

• Look for uncured/nitrate-free bacon from artisanal sources when possible

• Balance bacon with heart-healthy foods like oatmeal, avocado, nuts, olive oil, etc.

• Avoid additional high saturated fat foods on days you eat bacon

• Ask your doctor if a daily statin medication may help offset occasional bacon intake

Should You Avoid Bacon Completely If You Have High Cholesterol?

Some individuals with high cholesterol levels or heart disease risk may need to remove bacon from their diet altogether. You may need to avoid bacon if:

• You’ve been advised by your doctor to follow a low saturated fat or low sodium diet

• You have high triglyceride levels in addition to high cholesterol

• You have uncontrolled high blood pressure or previous heart attack/stroke

• You have a condition causing higher cholesterol like diabetes or hypothyroidism

• You take cholesterol-lowering medication but your levels remain very high

For those with borderline or mildly elevated cholesterol levels, following the moderation tips above may be sufficient. But have an open discussion with your doctor about whether you need to avoid bacon and other high cholesterol foods entirely.

Healthy Low Cholesterol Meat Alternatives to Bacon

If it’s best for your health to skip the bacon, there are still many delicious low cholesterol protein options to try, including:

• Chicken or turkey breast or tenderloins

• White fish like cod, flounder, sole, tilapia, etc.

• Shellfish like shrimp, crab, lobster, mussels, etc.

• Lean cuts of pork like pork chops or pork tenderloin

• Extra lean ground meats (95% lean ground beef or turkey)

• Lean steak cuts like flank steak, sirloin tip, top round, etc.

• Plant proteins like tofu, beans, lentils, etc.

Aim to prepare meats in healthy ways by baking, grilling, roasting or sautéing in olive or avocado oil rather than butter. Be mindful of portion sizes as well.

Takeaway on Bacon and High Cholesterol

Research shows the cholesterol in bacon itself likely doesn’t directly raise blood cholesterol levels substantially. However, bacon’s high saturated fat content may very well negatively impact cholesterol.

If you don’t have serious heart disease risk factors, enjoying a couple slices of bacon weekly may be fine. But those managing high cholesterol levels may need to avoid it entirely.

Work with your doctor and dietician to determine if you can incorporate bacon occasionally in a heart-healthy way or if it’s best avoided. Either way, focus on an overall balanced diet low in saturated fat and sodium to maintain optimal cholesterol levels. Your heart will thank you!