Just over 76 million Americans have been diagnosed with high blood pressure, a condition that can lead to heart disease, kidney disease and stroke. You have high blood pressure, or hypertension, if your readings are consistently at or higher than 140 millimeters of mercury, or mm Hg, over 90 mm Hg. If you want to get it as close as possible to normal, which is 120 over 80 or lower, you’ll have to lay off foods such as Canadian bacon.
Sodium in Canadian Bacon
Just two slices of grilled Canadian-style bacon contain 727 mg of sodium, which is nearly half the daily adequate intake of 1,500 mg for adults ages 19 to 50 years old, according to Leslie Beck, a registered dietitian and author of “The Complete A-Z Nutrition Encyclopedia.” When you consume sodium, your body retains extra water to help wash out the sodium. This leads to a fluid imbalance in your body and increased pressure in the blood vessels.
Fat in Canadian Bacon
Another reason Canadian bacon can contribute to an increase in blood pressure is its fat content. Two slices of grilled Canadian-style bacon contain nearly 4 mg of fat and 27 mg of cholesterol. Consistently eating a high-fat diet damages cells along the walls of blood vessels that help to keep those blood vessels dilated. Also, if you already have prehypertension or hypertension, a fatty diet can make it worse as fatty substances in your blood buildup along the walls of arteries. This causes arteries to become narrow and less elastic, thereby further increasing blood pressure.
Recommendations
Not only is cutting fat out of your diet entirely a tall order, it’s also not the best option for your health. Your body still needs fat for functions such as body temperature regulation and energy. However, it’s best to get fat from healthy food sources, which doesn’t include bacon. Try to limit Canadian bacon to an occasional treat. Another option is to look for salt-reduced, lean bacon in your supermarket. Also, to cut back on fat when eating Canadian bacon even more, bake it or use a fat-free cooking spray when frying or grilling.
Heart-healthy Options
Canadian bacon may not make it on the list of foods approved by the American Heart Association for heart health. However, there are many tasty options that do, such as healthy fat sources like omega 3-rich fish, which include salmon, herring and mackerel. But avoid smoked versions of these fish as they will be higher in salt content. Other heart-healthy alternatives to bacon include low-fat or fat-free soy or dairy, and plant oils such as olive and walnut.
References
- American Heart Association: About High Blood Pressure
- “The Complete A-Z Nutrition Encyclopedia”; Leslie Beck, R.D.; 2010
- Cleveland Clinic: High Blood Pressure and Nutrition
- American Heart Association: Managing Blood Pressure with a Heart-healthy Diet
- USDA National Nutrient Database: Pork, Cured, Canadian-Style Bacon, Grilled
