How Much Bacon Can You Really Eat on the Keto Diet?

If you’re following a keto diet, you’ve probably wondered – can I eat bacon and if so how much? As a high-fat, low-carb food, bacon can fit into the keto diet in moderation. But before you fry up a whole pack, let’s look at how to incorporate bacon into your keto meal plan.

An Overview of the Keto Diet

The ketogenic or “keto” diet is a very low carb high fat diet aimed at achieving ketosis – a state where your body burns fat for fuel instead of glucose.

To promote ketosis, keto limits carbs to only about 5-10% of total daily calories. Fats should make up about 70-80% of calories, with protein at around 20%.

Since keto severely restricts carbs from grains, fruits, starchy veggies, and sugars, followers rely on high-fat foods like oils, butter, cheese, nuts, seeds, avocado, and yes…bacon.

But just because bacon is high in fat doesn’t mean you can eat unlimited amounts on keto. Moderation and balance are still key.

Is Bacon Keto-Friendly?

The good news is that most types of pork bacon are considered keto-friendly. Two slices of pan-fried bacon contain:

• Calories: 68
• Fat: 5g
• Protein: 5g
• Net carbs: 0g

With zero net carbs, no sugar, and plenty of fat, bacon can be part of a keto eating plan.

However, not all bacon is created equal. Some bacon contains added sugars or carbohydrate-containing ingredients. When buying bacon for keto, read labels and look for:

• No added sugars in the ingredients list
• Less than 1g net carbs per serving
• Higher fat and protein content

Opting for high-quality bacon without unnecessary additives is key for keto. Brands like Coleman Natural offer sugar-free, uncured bacon made from whole-muscle pork.

How Much Bacon Should You Eat on Keto?

Since keto is a high-fat diet, it’s fine to incorporate fatty meats like bacon as part of your daily intake. However, nutrition experts recommend moderation.

Here are some general guidelines for how much bacon could fit into a keto diet:

• 2-4 slices per day – This is a reasonable amount for most people. Spread it out across meals.
• No more than 6-8 slices per day – Beyond this, you may go overboard on saturated fat and sodium.
• Limit portion to 1-2 oz. cooked weight – For other uses like recipes or crumbled on salads.
• Skip bacon every 2-3 days – Take a break from bacon altogether to get a variety of fats.
• Balance with other healthy fats – Don’t make bacon your only fat source. Include oils, nuts, seeds, etc.

As a rough guide, aim for bacon to provide no more than 20% of your total daily fat intake on keto. The rest should come from varied whole food sources.

Healthy Ways to Enjoy Bacon on Keto

While you can certainly eat bacon strips as a snack on keto, there are lots of other tasty ways to work it into your meal plan:

• Breakfast – Bacon goes perfectly with eggs. Top an omelet with crumbled bacon or enjoy a bacon, egg, and cheese muffin.

• Salads – Crumble cooked bacon over lettuce or spinach for a salad topper with crunch.

• Wraps – Roll up veggies, cheese, or other fillings in bacon. Bake or fry until the bacon gets crispy.

• Soup – Add cooked and crumbled bacon to broth-based soups like clam chowder.

• Brussels sprouts – Roasted Brussels sprouts are delicious topped with crisp bacon pieces. The rendered bacon fat gives them incredible flavor.

• Burgers – Top beef, turkey, or veggie burgers with bacon strips for a tasty low-carb option.

• Pizza – Make a keto-friendly pizza crust and add bacon as one of the toppings along with cheese and low-carb veggies.

• Jalapeño poppers – Stuff jalapeños with cream cheese and cheddar, then wrap each pepper with a strip of bacon before baking.

Tips for Cooking Bacon the Healthy Way

To keep bacon as healthy as possible when cooking it for keto recipes:

• Choose uncured bacon without added nitrites/nitrates
• Cook over medium heat to avoid burning
• Drain on paper towels after cooking to remove excess grease
• Let cool slightly before crumbling or chopping for recipes
• Cook a few extra strips – leftover bits make great toppings

Following these tips ensures you get the maximum flavor and crunch from your bacon without any burnt bits or excess rendered fat.

Potential Drawbacks of Eating Too Much Bacon on Keto

While bacon can be included on keto, health experts warn that eating too much may cause:

• Weight gain – It’s easy to overdo calories with fatty bacon. Stick to suggested serving sizes.

• Increased cancer risk – Studies link excessive processed and red meat to increased cancer risk.

• High blood pressure – Too much sodium can negatively impact blood pressure. Limit bacon portions.

• Heart disease – Bacon contains saturated fat and cholesterol. Balance with healthier unsaturated fats.

To mitigate risks, make bacon an occasional treat rather than an everyday staple in your keto diet.

The Bottom Line – Enjoy Bacon in Moderation on Keto

To sum up – uncured bacon that’s not pumped with sugar makes for a tasty and keto-friendly treat. Stick to about 2 to 4 slices per day as part of a healthy low-carb meal plan. Combine with other healthy fats from olive oil, avocados, nuts, seeds and fish.

Bacon can absolutely be part of a balanced keto diet, but it shouldn’t be the main event at every single meal. By paying attention to portion size, ingredients, and balancing bacon with other whole foods, you can enjoy this salty, savory treat as part of your new keto lifestyle.