I couldn’t believe it when I saw ‘bacon lovers’ posting, sharing, Tweeting, rejoicing and proclaiming bacon to be the latest superfood… All prompted by an article written by the same team who believe rice malt syrup is quitting sugar… Well, I hate to say it… bacon may be delicious but it sure isn’t the new new acai berry. Let’s break down a few of the claims.

Bacon for brain power? Bacon contains very small amounts of B-group vitamin choline that helps the brain via nerve cell communication. One rasher of bacon contains 10mg of choline; to give a comparison, a single egg contains 14 times more choline than bacon. So as a source of choline when you need as much as 500mg-3000mg/day, bacon is a weak source.

Bacon is super for iron, magnesium and zinc? Get out your magnifying glass people, one rasher of bacon will provide a tiny 0.1mg of iron, 2.8mg magnesium and 0.3mg zinc. As a guide, you need approximately 30 – 50mg iron, 500 – 1000mg magnesium and 30 – 50mg zinc. So, it’s not a super source.

Bacon is a protein powerhouse? Bacon is certainly a protein food, but one rasher only contains about 3g of protein. If bacon were your only protein source for the day, you’d need to eat a heap of it to meet your daily requirements. As a guide, you need about 1g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. So if your weight were 69kg, you’d need to eat 23 rashers of bacon to meet your protein requirements for the day. Excited by 23 rashers of bacon? With that you also exceed your sodium requirements to fast track your way to high blood pressure and increase your exposure to nitrosamines – also found in tobacco smoke.

Bacon improves your mood? If bacon makes you happy, than certainly enjoy a lean rasher or two on a Sunday at brunch. If you need a regular boost in mood, why not incorporate some extra folate (e.g. asparagus, lentils, chickpeas, spinach, navy beans) and zinc (e.g. prawns, beef, pumpkin seeds, oats, turkey) scientifically proven to boost serotonin, the feel good chemical.

As you should know by now, I am not one for demonising any particular food and am a strong advocate for enjoying and savouring indulgent foods once in a while. Bacon is something to be savoured and enjoyed every now and again, but the bad news for bacon lovers, is that it’s far from being a superfood.

Eat well, be well…

Lisa Donaldson APD
3/4 Kennedy St, Kingston
www.feedinc.net

*Bacon nutrition data via Nutrition Data