Why Bacon is HEALTHY for You

[Read Time: 2-3 minutes]

Why would bacon be healthy for you when it's filled with “artery-clogging" saturated fat, excessive amounts of sodium that raises blood pressure, and the “cancer-causing” nitrates/nitrites?

Would you believe me if I told you that all 3 of those points are myths and that bacon is healthier for you than you think?

SATURATED FATS

A majority of the public still think that saturated fats are linked to heart disease because they raise cholesterol. Saturated fats, without refined carbs and in the presence of enough omega-3, do not show to be harmful to your body (1). In fact, the sugar industry back in the 60’s paid off scientists to claim saturated fats caused heart disease (2).

SODIUM

People with salt-sensitive hypertension should avoid excessive sodium (salt) intake because it raises their blood pressure. However, in most people, there’s little to no association between salt consumption and hypertension (3). Sodium is an essential mineral which means it’s critical for our health. Excessive amounts risk kidney damage (4) and cognitive decline (5). The average American consumes nearly double the RDI. Anything in excess is harmful so use moderation, but don’t worry about the blood pressure increases.

NITRITES/NITRATES

Finally, the big horror story of eating bacon, according to mainstream health, nitrates. Used in the process of curing bacon, nitrates have been shown in only ONE study to increase the risk of cancers. This study has been discredited after being subjected to a peer review. Since then, there have been major reviews of the scientific literature that found no link between nitrates and cancers (6,7). What’s surprising is nitrates may even be beneficial for your immune system (8) and heart health (9) due to the conversion to nitric oxide.

It may come at a surprise to you but 1 serving of arugula, 2 servings of lettuce, and 4 servings of celery or beets have more nitrates than 467 hot dogs (10). What’s more surprising is your saliva has more than all of them combined. That’s because salivary nitrite accounts for 70-90% of our total nitrite exposure.

NITRATE-FREE SCAM

The “nitrite/nitrate-free” hot dogs and bacon are a scam and not worth the extra cost. Don’t be fooled because these products use “natural” sources from celery and beets and contain the same chemical. In fact, they may even contain MORE when cured using these “natural” preservatives. 

So eat your bacon and ENJOY it!

REFERENCES

1. SF & HEART = https://goo.gl/9jsHCm

2. SUGAR INDUSTRY = https://goo.gl/ucxpP1

3. SALT & BP = https://goo.gl/2PrLGt

4. SALT & KIDNEY = https://goo.gl/9UcZEW

5. SALT = https://goo.gl/mqWh1R

6. CANCER 1 = https://goo.gl/LcVnKE

7. CANCER 2 = https://goo.gl/Yhh66g

8. IMMUNE = https://goo.gl/w5Jg7f

9. HEART = https://goo.gl/s8ou5V

10. HOTDOGS = https://goo.gl/tDaa6Z

No Grain, No Gain: Exposing the Whole Wheat Myth

[Read time: 2-3 minutes] 

Did you know that two slices of whole wheat bread can cause a bigger and faster blood sugar spike than a spoonful of table sugar? Yes, even with all that fiber it can still do that to our body.

Whole wheat bread is claimed to be far healthier than white bread, but is it really? Well, for starters, neither contains high levels of fiber or micronutrients.

But, WHOLE WHEAT has more fiber than white.

Yes, whole wheat bread has a higher fiber content than white -- but it pales in comparison to fruits and vegetables; the better sources of your daily fiber. You should definitely not go to whole wheat bread for your fiber when a single pear has 6 grams and is packed full of additional vitamins and minerals.

Yeah, well...WHOLE WHEAT isn't processed and has way more nutrients.

Yes, white bread loses its micronutrients during processing — but those micronutrients are “enriched” or added back in at the end.

A hidden downside to whole wheat bread is its higher phytic acid content. Phytic acid binds to dietary minerals, such as iron and zinc, and can reduce their absorption in your body.

So, why does the media promote whole wheat as the much healthier option?

Easy, for the money.  No grain, no gain.

In 2015, the Whole Grain food market sales were estimated to be $29.4 billion. It's expected to reach $46.2 BILLION by 2022. (1)

Essentially, they created a mythological health paradigm and sold it to the public as a healthier option.

How'd they do it, you ask?

1. Education - They placed their huge revenue source at the bottom of the food pyramid and then promoted it religiously at an early age in school. Eat your carbs so you have lots of energy! Let's face it, wheat is very easy to grow and has a much higher shelf-life with all the genetic modifications done to it. Why not mass produce and subsidize it?

2. Contrast - They needed white bread to stay on the shelf so they could sell the much more expensive wheat. They needed the inferior version to make the comparison that whole wheat is much healthier.

3. Perception of Value - Even though whole wheat products require less processing than white, the retail price is still much higher. Consumers will gladly spend 20-30% more if the packaging had a heart printed on it and said the words '100% whole-grain' and 'heart healthy'. 

Believe it or not, history has flipped its view on bread. For example, the Greek and Romans really liked their white bread; the color was one of the main tests for quality. There were three grades of bread made in these times: black, brown and white. (2)

Guess which one was reserved exclusively for the rich?

References
1. http://www.strategymrc.com/report/whole-grain-and-high-fiber-market
2. http://www.cerealialudi.org/en/alimentazione/pane-e-panettieri-nellantica-roma/