8 Healthy Bacon Brands—and 4 To Avoid

It's hard to imagine a Sunday breakfast without a plate of bacon to pick from. This salty breakfast food is a staple served with eggs, crumbled on salads, or eaten as a sweet and salty dessert. Despite its popularity and satisfying taste, most healthcare professionals recommend limiting the amount of bacon we eat. Typically, it is high in sodium and saturated fat and often contains nitrates or nitrites, preservatives linked to an increased risk of cancer.

However, not all bacon is created equal in terms of health. Some popular brands are making products lower in sodium and free of artificial preservatives. We've scoured the deli counter and asked trusted dietitians for the healthiest (and unhealthiest) bacon brands on the market.

How To Pick Healthy Bacon

When selecting a brand to bring home to cook, eat, and serve your family, there are a few key nutrients and ingredients to look out for:

• Sodium: All bacon has sodium, which gives it its signature salty and savory taste. But some have more than others, which may be unnecessary and make it hard to stick to your daily sodium limit. The American Heart Association recommends no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day, with a preferential limit of 1,500 milligrams per day for optimal heart health.
• Saturated fat: Just like all bacon has sodium, all of it will have saturated fat, too. Some may include more than others, so it's a good idea to take a peek at how much is in each slice. Thicker-sliced bacon will have more than thinly sliced bacon, based on size alone. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025 recommends that no more than 10% of your daily calories come from saturated fat. On a 2,000-calorie diet, you should aim for less than 22 grams daily.
• Preservatives: While sodium helps with the preservation of bacon, other preservatives like nitrites or nitrates are often used. "When sodium nitrite is exposed to high temperatures during cooking, it can form compounds called nitrosamines, which are known to be carcinogenic," explains Jessie Hulsey RD, LD, an Atlanta-based registered dietitian. Some bacon brands will use powdered celery, which is naturally high in nitrites, but research hasn't yet shown that nitrites from vegetable powder are better for us than added nitrites.

Read on to learn more about the best and worst bacon brands on grocery store shelves. Then, check out 26 Popular Store-Bought Bacons—Ranked by Sodium.

8 Healthy Bacon Brands To Buy

Best: Applegate Naturals Uncured Sunday Bacon

"Applegate Naturals Uncured Sunday Bacon is 100% natural, which means they make it with minimal ingredients, is casein and gluten-free, and is made with humanely raised pork with no antibiotics or GMO ingredients, ever," says Lauren Manaker, MS, RDN.

While cane sugar is on the ingredient list, the amount used is negligible at less than 0.5 grams.

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Best: Boar's Head Uncured Turkey Bacon

"Boar's Head Uncured Turkey Bacon is made from premium turkey and offers a rich, smoky flavor that satisfies bacon cravings while being lower in fat and sodium," says Hulsey. "What sets Boar's Head apart is its commitment to using high-quality ingredients and avoiding artificial additives."

The nutrition stats for this turkey option are impressive, with only 150 milligrams of sodium per slice and 4 grams of protein.

Best: Pederson's Natural Farms Organic Uncured Bacon

"When choosing bacon, opt for no-sugar and uncured options, ensuring a delicious and healthier choice for your plate," says Lara Clevenger MSH, RDN, CPT. She recommends Pederson's Natural Farms Organic Uncured Bacon, as it's sourced from humanely raised animals and is free from nitrates, nitrites, MSG, gluten, and soy.

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Best: Aldi's Never Any Uncured Bacon

This uncured option is free from added sugars and has a lower amount of sodium per two slices than many brands have per one slice. "Aldi's Never Any Uncured Bacon is a great budget-conscious uncured bacon that is free from antibiotics and added hormones and only has naturally occurring nitrites & nitrates from sea salt and celery powder," says Clevenger.

Best: Organic Prairie Bacon

Mary Sabat MS, RDN, LD suggests Organic Prairie Bacon as a choice that uses only organic, trustworthy ingredients.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

"Organic Prairie bacon is an exceptionally healthy choice due because of its commitment to organic, natural ingredients," says Sabat. "Made from just organic pork, water, and minimal amounts of salt, cultured celery juice powder, and organic cherry powder, this bacon is free from artificial additives, preservatives, and chemicals often found in conventional bacon products."

She notes, "The inclusion of natural curing agents like cultured celery juice powder and organic cherry powder, instead of synthetic nitrates and nitrites, reduces the potential for harmful compounds, and this clean, straightforward ingredient list makes Organic Prairie bacon a healthy option."

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Best: Nature's Rancher Uncured Applewood Smoked Bacon

While Nature's Rancher Uncured Applewood Smoked Bacon does contain a little more sodium than some brands and a small amount of brown sugar, there are no nitrites or nitrates added, even in the form of naturally occurring vegetable nitrites. Nature's Rancher is also Animal Welfare Certified, which means they're routinely audited to ensure that their animals are cared for and processed with integrity.

Best: Smithfield All Natural Uncured Hickory Smoked Bacon

"Smithfield All Natural Uncured Hickory Smoked Bacon is uncured, meaning it isn't preserved in nitrites and nitrates," says Catherine Karnatz, MPH, RD, an anti-diet culture dietitian and creator of Nutrition Education RD. While this option is free from added nitrites, it does include celery powder and cherry powder, two natural sources of nitrites. "It also ranks high for freshness and taste and doesn't contain any artificial ingredients," adds Karnatz.

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Best: Grass Roots Pastured Sugar- Free Jowl Bacon

*Exact nutrition information is unknown

Jowl bacon is a fattier cut of meat than most traditional sliced bacon, so if you're craving it, Sabat recommends the Sugar-Free Jowl Bacon from Grass Roots Farmer's Co-op. "Made with just pork, sea salt, cultured celery powder, dried vinegar, and spices, this bacon is free from artificial additives, hormones, and antibiotics, ensuring a cleaner, more natural product," says Sabat.

The exact nutrition information isn't listed on the website, but with promises of meat that is 100% pasture-raised, grass-fed, antibiotic-free, hormone-free, free of nitrites and nitrates, and full of omega-3 fatty acids and other helpful nutrients, we can't help but include this Sugar-Free Jowl Bacon on our list of healthiest bacon.

4 Unhealthy Bacon Brands To Avoid

Worst: Oscar Mayer Naturally Hardwood Smoked Bacon

Oscar Mayer Naturally Hardwood Smoked Bacon is cured with salt, sugar, sodium phosphates, sodium ascorbate, and sodium nitrite. The total sodium content is 350 milligrams per two slices.

When bacon goes through the process of "pumping" or brining bacon (instead of dry curing), sodium ascorbate must be added to reduce the amount of nitrites converted into nitrosamine, a cancer-causing compound.

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Worst: Great Value Naturally Hickory Smoked Thick-Sliced Bacon

"Great Value Naturally Hickory Smoked Thick-Sliced Bacon is known for its affordability, but it is a low-quality bacon option," says Hulsey. This bacon has one of the highest amounts of sodium and saturated fat per serving, providing 430 milligrams of sodium and 4 grams of saturated fat in every 2 slices. This bacon undergoes pumping instead of dry curing, which can increase the weight but results in less flavor overall.

Worst: Hormel Black Label Brown Sugar Bacon

Most bacon doesn't contribute to your sugar consumption, but each slice of Hormel Black Label Brown Sugar Bacon adds 1 gram of added sugar, 2 grams of saturated fat, and 280 milligrams of sodium.

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Worst: Kunzler Thick Cut Sliced Bacon

Just one slice of Kunzler Thick Cut Sliced Bacon has 465 milligrams of sodium, over 20% of the DV for sodium. While most bacon has just half of this amount, eating this brand will make it difficult to stick under the recommended amount for one day, especially if you have high blood pressure or heart disease.