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Bacon...Who Knew

HORRAY *gobbles down a lb of bacon*. J/k

I actually don't mind eating bacon. I know it's cured, and it isn't exactly the best for you... but it beats sausages and processed meats hands down :) As long as eaten in moderation, it's okay.

Thanks for posting. I may actually send that to my FIL... he's had a triple bypass about 4 years ago. And he avoids bacon because he believes it may send him right back to ER. I'm guessing a couple of slices won't hurt him or anyone else :)

Mmm, I'm cooking tons of it this weekend!

Here's a different view on bacon and other processed animal products. http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/...1-cancer_N.htm

What a killjoy that article is!

Knowledge is power ;)

The good news about that article is..."Mary Young of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association says the group engaged scientists to review the scientific literature on the topic, and they concluded there is no evidence red meat causes cancer."

As Tamaralynn said, moderation is the key..."you can still occasionally have a hot dog ". Contrary to popular belief, I've been on Atkins for nearly 4 years now and I don't sit & eat pounds of bacon & processed meats all day long...I concentrate on veggies, salad, grilled chicken & fish:)

No single food item, single meal, or even single day of eating makes or breaks a healthy diet. Today, I had one of the unhealthiest food items on the planet (at least if you were going to eat large quantities of it daily). Bagna cauda, a hot anchovy garlic butter that is traditionally served with crusty bread and vegetables. I had four tablespoons of the stuff with raw broccoli and cabbage for dipping (and half of a toasted bagel). I didn't break my diet to do it.

I don't follow a traditional "no-limits" low carb diet, but rather a more flexible 1500-1900 calorie exchange plan that is usually low carb (Technically it's a 1200 - 1900 plan, but there are few days in which I don't dip into my flex exchanges). It's based on the diabetic exchanges, but with a little more flexibility. So I have 3 fruit, 4 - 5 vegetable, 2 dairy, 4 fat, 2 starch, and 6 protein servings (about 1200 calories) and then up to 8 "flex" exchanges (up to another 500 - 700 calories). A flex exchange being a fruit, protein, starch, or dairy serving or two fat servings.)

I normally choose protein for the flex exchanges, so my diet is most often low carb. I try to choose whole grains and starchy vegetables as my starch servings, and avoid white flour and sugar, but by keeping it flexible there's nothing I "can't" eat so I don't have any excuse for going off my food plan. (That doesn't mean I don't have a problem sticking to my food plan, just that I can't ever say that I "had" to).

You know, I eat pretty much anything I want, within the confines of Atkins. A person could get hopelessly dizzy trying to keep up with this week's (or today's) food recommendations/warnings from every expert, panel, or guru. Whatever's in today will be out tomorrow, and arsy-versy. So I just use what seems to ME to be common sense. For example, I fry up a pound or so of bacon every 3-4 weeks and crumble and freeze it for salad garnish. And while I'm frying it, I invariably eat a couple of slices. "Perfect" is one of those concepts I'm trying to outgrow. I'm real happy with "moderation" and "progress" and "persistence."

do you really believe that. That article looks like pro-meat propaganda.
A sorry attempt at making nitrites/nitrates good for you.
Nitrates/nitrites are carcinogenic..period.
The articles does not disprove this, they simply ignore the fact in this article.
But I have read this article quite some time back on another site which had a skeptical view-point. They pointed out that nitrates are good for the heart but that does not make them less carcinogenic.
Nitrates are also present in green leafy vegetables in high quantities and in natural form. Which means it is the good for without being carcinogenic.

If you read the articles very carefully it is just says that a researcher "believes otherwise". It does not talk about tests or any research done into the good effects of nitrates.
It is just a theory purported by that researcher and published by "journalist"(I am sure with a little persuasion from the processed meat market)
You want some real research on bacon, check out this links
I cant post links so I post the article here. Read it carfully and recognize. Any research article will provide details of the research(how many people and etc etc) like it has been provided below. Articles which containt words like "believe" and "says" are never to be believed. They use these words so that they cannot be sued.

Quote:

Too much bacon 'bad for lungs'
Bacon
Scientists says nitrites in cured meats could be a risk factor COPD
Eating large quantities of cured meats like bacon could damage lung function and increase the risk of lung disease.

A Columbia University team found people who ate cured meats at least 14 times a month were more likely to have COPD - chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

COPD, which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema, kills around 30,000 people in the UK each year.

The report, in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, said nitrites in meat may be to blame.

However, the overall risk of developing COPD remains low.

Nitrites generate reactive nitrogen species that may cause damage to the lungs
Dr Rui Jiang

Dr Rui Jiang, leading the research, said high levels of nitrites are used in cured meats such as bacon as preservatives, anti-bacterial agents and colour fixatives.

He said reactive nitrogen species, molecules that can damage body tissues, might be the key.

He said: "Nitrites generate reactive nitrogen species that may cause damage to the lungs, producing structural changes resembling emphysema."

COPD risk

The researchers looked at 7,352 American individuals who participated in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, conducted between 1988 and 1994.

They compared the results of lung function tests and the risks of developing COPD in participants and found those who ate the meats more often had worse lung function and were more likely to have COPD.

COPD is a term used for a number of conditions, and results from chronic bronchitis and emphysema, two inflammatory lung diseases.

It leads to damaged airways in the lungs making breathing more difficult, and is a major cause of disability and death.

Hmm this part of the article was a different take

Quote:

earlier research said bacon should be avoided because it contains nitrates. That research found nitrates could lead to cancer. But Dr. Bryan believes otherwise. "You should not avoid eating bacon because of the nitrate content," Bryan said. "If anything, the nitrate content is what protects our heart during a heart attack."

Bryan's research finds the nitrates in bacon forms a nitric oxide gas in the body. That can reopen blocked arteries, especially during a heart attack.