How Many Calories Are in a Piece of Bacon? (+ Alternatives)

I’ve been on a carnivore diet for over a decade, so I know it’s all about balance and eating healthy. As a huge bacon lover, I wanted to check how much bacon is too much.

I did some research on how many calories a slice of bacon has. I talked with a nutritionist friend and checked the studies done on bacon.

Here’s everything you should know about the number of calories in bacon, including some healthy bacon alternatives.

Quick Summary

Calories in One Piece of Bacon

One slice of cooked bacon has about 46 calories [1]. Out of these 46 calories, 65% come from fat. For example, here’s how many carbs an average brunch has: if you eat three slices of bacon, you’ll consume about 129 calories.

Recommended calorie intake for men is 2,500 calories a day and 2,000 for women, so looking at this, you can eat several cooked slices of bacon a day [2].

Bacon is also rich in proteins. One slice of bacon has around 4g of protein, which means that about 30% of calories in bacon come from protein.

The rest of the bacon seasoned and calorie count comes from carbohydrates, which fuel cells in your body.

“You can add bacon to salad, or have a side of bacon with breakfast occasionally, provided it’s part of a healthy and balanced diet. Bacon is rich in vitamins and minerals, and leaner cuts will cut on fat and calories.”

- Streaming Well, Tech, Crypto, & Lifestyle, YouTube Channel

Another important consideration when checking how many calories a slice of bacon has is the kind of bacon you’re eating and how many grams it has.

Some bacon is sweeter than others, which means you’ll ingest more sugar, which in turn means more calories. The rule is that the more savory your bacon, the fewer the calories.

Fat in One Piece of Bacon

The bad news for bacon lovers is that bacon strips are rich in fat.

Fat is a crucial part of our diet as it helps absorb vitamins and minerals. However, only 20% to 35% of our calories should come from fat.

If you eat a lot of food with more than 50% calories from fat, bacon being one of them, you’ll be at risk of obesity and other diseases.

Let’s go back to the recommended daily intake of calories: 2,500 for men and 2,000 for women. That means you need from 44 to 78g of fat a day.

One medium slice of pan-fried bacon has 4g of fat, so you’ll be fine if you eat several slices of air-fried or grilled bacon.

Bacon is also rich in saturated fat, and this is a bad kind of fat. It influences your cholesterol levels and can cause clogged arteries and heart disease.

Only 7% of total calorie intake should be from saturated fat [3]. If you eat 2,000 calories a day, this means you can consume 15g of saturated fat a day.

One-third of the total fat amount in a medium slice of bacon has this kind of fat. That means one pan-fried bacon slice has about 1g of unhealthy fat.

Vitamins and Minerals in One Piece of Bacon

Bacon isn’t very rich in vitamins and minerals. It has small amounts of vitamins B3, B6, and B12, selenium, and zinc minerals.

However, bacon has a high sodium content. Sodium is crucial for nerve and muscle function and keeping body fluids balanced. But too much sodium can be bad for you. It can cause high blood pressure and stroke [4].

One slice of pan-fried bacon has 194mg of sodium, and the recommended sodium intake is about 2,300mg a day [5].

Bacon Alternatives

Bacon is rich in fat and calories, so general nutrition advice is to eat it sparingly. However, you can opt for leaner versions, such as turkey bacon.

Canadian bacon has 2g of fat and a calorie count of only about 20 calories [6].

Another good option is soy-based bacon, which you can also eat pan-fried. One medium slice of soy bacon has 1g of fat and 20 calories [7]. This bacon is even better than Canadian as it has no unhealthy fat.

Or, if you don’t want to give up bacon, try to eat whole wheat bread instead of white bread and less processed meats. You can enjoy bacon with healthy side dishes, such as a baked potato instead of a fried one.

Related Articles:

• How Many Calories Are in a New York Strip Steak?
• How Many Calories Are in Chicken Strips?
• Bacon vs Pork Belly: Quick Guide
• Is Goldbelly Bacon Worth It?

How to Prepare Bacon

There are several ways to prepare bacon, including:

• Fry it in a pan, but you can also microwave, bake, or use an air fryer.
• After cooking, drain the bacon on paper towels to remove excess oil.
• Bacon is not only tasty alongside eggs for breakfast but also serves as a versatile garnish and topping for dishes like sandwiches, burgers, pasta, pizza, and more.

FAQs

How Many Slices of Bacon Should You Eat?

You should eat around 1 to 2 slices of bacon to maintain a balanced diet.

The more slices of bacon you eat, the more calories you’ll ingest. A medium slice of bacon cooked in a frying pan will have significantly more calories than one slice of bacon.

However, consulting your nutritionist will help you provide a calorie breakdown, and general nutritional info advice.

If you’re looking for healthy cuts of meat, check out our ButcherBox and their premium bacon.

Their bacon comes from pasture-raised and grass-finished animals, free of nitrates and added sugar, which adheres to food safety measures.

References:

1. https://www.calorieking.com/us/en/foods/f/calories-in-pork-bacon-broiled-or-pan
2. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-many-calories-a-day-should-i-eat/
3. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/17281-heart-healthy-eating-to
4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12574092/#:~:text
5. https://www.fda.gov/food/nutrition-education-resources-materials/sodium
6. https://www.nutritionix.com/food/canadian-bacon
7. https://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/calories/lightwise-soy-bacon-36953046