March 10, 2025

Ethan Valenciana

9th Grade

Queens High School for the Sciences at York College

Bacon, a food known for its salty and crispy texture, is popular and enjoyed nationwide. In 2018, Americans spent $4,900,000,000 in total on bacon sales. However, despite its popularity and favorable taste, bacon has long been known for its potential dangers regarding the human heart. Its excessive amounts of sodium, saturated fat, and cholesterol all contribute to concerns such as unreasonable consumption and an increased likelihood of cardiovascular diseases and more, which healthcare professionals address their concerns over every day as bacon is the result of an estimated 8% of the US cardiometabolic deaths. 

For tens of centuries, bacon has been a major player in food consumption. It first originated in ancient China at around the year 1500 BCE, when the Chinese salted pork belly to create a basic version of ‘bacon’ compared to the methods used worldwide today. Over the centuries, a variety of cultures, including Greeks and Romans, started their own methods of bacon, changing the salting and curing process, until we got the modern-day bacon that Americans eat every day. However, as medical researchers started to notice the excessively high number of deaths caused by heart disease, they found basic information that bacon’s high fat and high sodium contributed to cardiovascular problems.

The American Heart Association conducted studies and found that foods with more saturated fats (which includes bacon) lead to arterial plaque buildup or atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis narrows arteries, making blood flow more difficult, in turn decreasing the ability of oxygen and important minerals to flow throughout the body. In extreme cases, if plaque develops, it could stop blood flow at any location in the human body, which can cause heart disease. Additionally, bacon's high sodium induces hypertension (high blood pressure), making the heart work harder since it fights extra pressure in the arteries, which over time can cause heart failure, and ultimately, heart attacks and strokes. Even more research has proved that foods with saturated fats, such as bacon, are destructive to heart health. The saturated fats can cause low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, or LDL, sometimes called “bad cholesterol.” If LDL levels reach too high, plaque builds up in arteries, which leads to, as I explained, heart attacks and strokes. Furthermore, the Journal of American College of Cardiology found in their study that consuming more red and processed meat (which includes bacon) seriously increases the chances of coronary heart disease. In addition to this, the curing process of bacon makes bacon rich in salt, another player of heart disease. One is recommended to consume 2,300 mg of sodium per day, but one serving of bacon alone may contain above 500 mg of sodium, which means those who overeat bacon may easily go over the sodium limit because of bacon. Third, curing bacon involves nitrates and nitrites, and since these are sometimes used as preservatives, they may form harmful ‘nitrosamines’, which can lead to heart disease and colorectal cancer, as stated by the World Health Organization. 

Since a majority of people these days know that there are (heart) health risks caused by bacon, some thought of heart-healthy alternatives with less saturated fat and sodium, including plant-based bacon, mushrooms, soybeans, legumes, etc. The Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health made a study showing that these plant-based food choices greatly decrease the chances of cardiovascular disease. Modern-day research thinks of new ways to make regular bacon healthier, for example, low sodium bacon, nitrate-free bacon, healthy fats with curing, or preservation that would eliminate harmful chemicals. Those who enjoy bacon are to eat it in moderation while maintaining a balanced diet with plenty of heart-healthy choices such as plant-based foods, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and more. As an example, the Mediterranean Diet supports eating lean proteins, less unhealthy fats, and plant-based foods, which lead to a massively decreased risk of heart disease if eaten routinely. 

Bacon is enjoyed by many, nationwide and worldwide, but that doesn’t mean one should dismiss the health detriments associated with it. Excessive amounts of bacon lead to heart disease because of sodium, saturated fats, cholesterol, and nitrosamines, leading scientists to find healthier diets that wouldn’t raise these concerns. Researchers, such as those in the Journal of American College of Cardiology strongly urge bacon consumers to regulate their amounts of processed meats for their (the consumers’) heart health, which shows the importance of safe dietary habits. While bacon can be enjoyed, one should moderate it and be aware of their food choices, if they are to live a heart-healthy way of life.