You’ve been told that bacon is “unhealthy”, but is it really? Let’s inspect the nutrition of bacon, and also the topic of nitrates and nitrites, HCAs, and more. As you’ll see, in some cases (not all), pork fat can even be considered healthy!

by Mike Geary – Certified Nutrition Specialist and Author of The Diabetes Fix and The Truth About Testosterone & guest author, Nick Pineault, aka – “The Nutrition Nerd”

Most people think that their favorite “fatty” foods, like bacon, should only be an occasional treat because they’ve been told that it will it will “clog up” your arteries and kill you because of the saturated fat.

But as you know from reading this newsletter, the scientific community has pretty much fully agreed in recent years that saturated fat is actually not bad for you at all… and is really just a natural part of the human diet just like it has been since the origins of us homo sapiens.

In reality, scientists have begun to collectively agree in recent years that highly processed polyunsaturated fats from vegetable oils like corn and soy are the REAL killers (along with too much sugar and starch, both of which also cause arterial stress if blood sugar levels are too high, too frequently).

However, what most people don’t realize is that pork fat (aka, lard ) is actually only 40% saturated, 48% monosaturated, and 12% polyunsaturated (varies based on what the pigs ate), while coconut oil is 92% saturated fat, and we all know that coconut oil is super healthy for DOZENS of reasons for our bodies!

This isn’t to say that bacon fat is always bad or good per se… it really all depends on what the pigs were fed and how they were raised . Confinement factory-raised pigs that never saw the light of day and ate nothing but GMO soy and corn based feed will have a more unhealthy fat profile than free-range pork that grazed outdoors, got a lot of sunshine (which increases the vitamin D content of the pork fat), and ate a wide variety of natural foods.

In fact, free-range (or pasture-raised) pork fat can even be a really good source of vitamin D if the pigs really did see a good amount of outdoors time and sunshine…and we all know how vitally important vitamin D is for our immune systems and overall hormonal balance. Unfortunately, the vast majority of pork and bacon sold these days is from confinement factory conditions where the pigs get very little sunshine, if any at all. Yes, our grandparents and great-grandparents in the early to mid 1900’s were eating pretty much 100% pasture-raised bacon back in the day, but the factory farm industry in recent decades has ruined a good portion of the quality of our foods.

So make sure to look for pasture-raised or free-range pork if you decide to eat bacon or other forms of pork. At the very least, look for organic bacon if you can’t find pasture-raised, because at least you know they didn’t eat GMO feed in that case.

But what about Nitrates and Nitrites?

Aside from the fat content of bacon, which we just discussed can actually be healthy if you choose the right form of bacon, the biggest reason people think they need to avoid bacon is that they’ve been told that Nitrites and Nitrates can be really bad for you.

But is that really the truth?

Well, it can be a complicated subject, so I’ll let my fellow colleague, “The Nutrition Nerd“, Nicky P. simplify it for you…

Are Nitrates and Nitrites Really Dangerous?

(Do we really need to fear bacon?)

First of all, nitrites and nitrates are not exactly the same, but I’ll use them interchangeably for simplicity’s sake in this article.

Well, the consumers fear it so much that companies have started selling “nitrite-free” products in grocery stores. After all, even the Mayo Clinic says that sodium nitrite could possibly increase your risks of heart disease. (1)

But is the fear of nitrites overblown?

Should You Fear Your Saliva?

Avoiding all sources of nitrites and nitrates would involve you having the driest mouth in the history of mankind. You see, as Chris Kresser puts it…(2)

“[…] nitrites are produced by your own body in greater amounts than can be obtained from food, and salivary nitrite accounts for 70-90% of our total nitrite exposure. In other words, your spit contains far more nitrites than anything you could ever eat .”

And when it comes to food, I’ve got “bad” news for you.

Veggies contain way more naturally-occurring nitrites than processed meats like bacon. In fact, one serving of arugula contains more nitrites than 467 hot dogs…(3)

(Sorry if that made you spit out your arugula, goat cheese and walnut-salad in shock.)

“Nitrite-free” Is Misleading:

If you’re paying more for “nitrite-free” meats, you’re getting mislead.

Instead of being cured with sodium nitrite, these meats are cured with celery salt. And guess what? Celery salt gets transformed into nitrites during the curing process. (4)

In plain English… the “nitrite-free” meats probably contain way more nitrites that the regular version. (Not that it matters, because like I said nitrites are not very dangerous to begin with.)

All in all, I don’t think there’s much difference to your health whether you get the bacon containing nitrites vs the celery salt bacon since they both yield nitrites to your body.

Breaking News: Nitrites And Nitrates Are NOT A Threat:

The fear of nitrites and nitrates is overblown. There are a ton of other things you should worry about more when it comes to food, like GMOs, trans fats, and high fructose corn syrup.

– On the science side, there’s a ton of research showing that nitrites and nitrates do not accumulate inside the body, and are quickly flushed in the urine: (5)

– 25% of the nitrates we consume is converted into salivary nitrite, 20% converted into nitrite, and the rest is excreted in the urine within 5 hours of ingestion. (6)

– Any nitrate that is absorbed has a very short half-life, disappearing from our blood in under five minutes. (7)

– Some of the nitrites in our stomach reacts with gastric contents, forming nitric oxide which may have many beneficial effects. (8)

What About Nitrosamines?

The fear of nitrites and nitrates comes from the fact that some of them can transform into nitrosamines while cooking. Nitrosamines are potentially carcinogenic, so that’s definitely a legit concern. But that’s exactly why manufacturers use vitamin C (ascorbic acid) when curing their meats.

It turns out that vitamin C or even vitamin E (9) offers a protective antioxidant effect on the meat, and prevents the formation of nitrosamines.

On top of that, my recommendation of sticking to pasture-raised pork as much as possible still stands, for many reasons… One of them being the fact that grain-fed, commercially-raised pork has been shown to create way more nitrosamines when cooked than its pasture-raised cousin. (10)

The reason is simple in my mind: lard from pasture-raised animals that eat a highly variable diet outdoors contains a healthier fat profile than the fat from grain-fed confinement animals.

Conclusion

Here’s the simple conclusion… There are a ton of things you should worry about when it comes to food, but nitrates/nitrites are simply NOT one of them.

That being said, try to eat traditionally cured, pastured-raised meats from local farms as much as possible. They are much healthier, and a LOT safer.

Enjoy your bacon,
Nick
___________

Mike’s additional comments:

Before I introduced Nick’s article on whether nitrites and nitrates are worth worrying about in bacon, I discussed the fat profiles of healthier pasture-raised or free-range pork vs factory raised, and also that the vitamin D content of pasture-raised pork be as much as 5-10x higher than factory raised pork that never gets any sunshine.

I also discussed that saturated fat has been proven in recent years to not really be bad for us at all, and in fact, most forms of saturated fat are either neutral for our health, or even beneficial to our health. And besides that, bacon fat is mostly monounsaturated fat (48%), which is the same heart-healthy fat that’s raved about in olive oil, avocados, etc.

But what about Carcinogens in browned meat like bacon?

You’ve probably seen me discuss the fact that when you fry or bake any starchy foods such as grains (bread, cereal, etc), or potatoes in the form of french fries, that a carcinogen called acrylamides forms. This is a legitimate concern regarding cancer and one of the many reasons I choose to avoid breads, fries, cereals, and other browned starchy foods (aside from cheat meals) …

But there’s also a carcinogen called heterocyclic amines (HCA’s) that forms on the outer surface of meats when you brown or char meats. I’ve talked about how to counteract these carcinogenic HCAs in meat in this article .

Since bacon is a meat that’s fried in a pan at high heat, there will be small amounts of carcinogenic HCA’s, but as I’ve mentioned before, if you’re also having some high antioxidant tea or coffee with your meal, along with some veggies and/or avocado, you’ll have plenty of antioxidants to counteract the HCA’s in your body. I don’t know about you, but I almost always eat my bacon with eggs, veggies, avocado, and some form tea or coffee (all of which are great sources of antioxidants), so HCA’s just simply aren’t much of a concern if you’re counteracting them with a few sources of powerful antioxidants.

One last thing about pork fat that helps fight against any carcinogens in bacon…

According to Dr. Kaayla T. Daniel, PhD, CCN, “Pork fat also contains a novel form of phosphatidylcholine that possesses antioxidant activity superior to Vitamin E. This may be one reason why lard and bacon fat are relatively stable and not prone to rancidity from free radicals.” This is yet another reason why our grandparents were actually smarter than we give them credit for… they used bacon fat or butter to cook with most times, instead of today’s inflammatory vegetable oils.

Fun Fact about Pig Diets: Did you know that some of the most expensive pork in the world comes from a region of Spain where the pigs FEAST on almost nothing but acorns. These pigs produce meat that is MUCH healthier than the corn/soy fed pigs from typical factory farms. Not only that, but apparently the absolute BEST whole-hog barbeque in the southern US traditionally came from pigs that fed on acorns as well, and this type of pork has a signficantly superior taste compared to factory farm pork, which is sadly 90% of today’s pork. It’s too bad that corporate profits are the top priority of the pork industry these days, and not the health of the pigs or the nutrition of the meat.

Did you know along with consuming meat that is pastured raised and organic, you can lower your risk of a heart attack by avoiding grains, starch, sugars and vegtable oils. Our friends over at Physio Tru, backed by the research of renonwned heart specialist Dr. Sam Walter, have come up with this simple test.

If you want to avoid a devastating heart attack, also don’t miss this simple test…

Heart Attack Test: Touch Your Feet Like THIS (for 7 seconds)

Can you really predict a heart attack?

According to America’s #1 heart nutrition expert, Dr. Sam Walters… this 7-second “feet test” can reveal if your heart is dying.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Just sit on a chair.

2. Touch your right foot.

If THIS happens… then your heart is desperately starving for oxygen (but most people only realize when it’s too late).

>> 7-second “feet test” can predict a heart attack (this could SAVE your life).

The post The TRUTH about Bacon appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

By: Cat Ebeling, RN, MSN-PHN, co-author of the best-sellers:  The Fat Burning Kitchen, The Top 101 Foods that Fight Aging & The Diabetes Fix

Cleaning and disinfecting have become something that everyone is more aware of these days. Unfortunately, many cleaners and disinfectants are highly toxic to our bodies. Cleaning products contain a wide variety of harsh chemicals, including substances classified as Volatile Organic Compounds or VOCs.

Conventional cleaning products often contain harsh cleansing agents and artificial fragrances and colors. VOCs and other chemicals are released when using cleaning supplies in your home, and can contribute to chronic respiratory problems, allergic reactions, asthma and even cancer.

Toxic chemicals in everyday household cleaners include:

• Carcinogens – cancer causing agents
• Endocrine disruptors – in the form of xenoestrogens (chemical estrogenic compounds) Xenoestrogens can lead to infertility, sexual dysfunction, miscarriage, menstrual issues, gynecomastia and cancer.
• Neurotoxins –toxic to the brain and nerves, can cause headaches, mood changes and even diseases like Parkinson’s.

These substances can be absorbed through our skin and lungs causing rashes, asthma, and irritating the nose and throat. They are especially harmful to our vulnerable family members, children and pets.

Research shows that many of the chemicals found in conventional house-cleaning products are bio-accumulative and very toxic. That means that once in your system, they actually stay in your system and are hard to clear. This makes you more vulnerable to autoimmune diseases and cancers.

In addition, many of the ingredients found in conventional cleaning products are very bad for the environment, and can harm plants and wildlife, contaminate drinking water, and adversely affect soil and even air quality. Check out the Environmental Protection Agency and the Environmental Working Group to learn more.

What About Natural Cleaning Products?

Many of the “natural” cleaning products found in the grocery store can actually have harmful chemicals in them, in spite of their “natural” labeling. Unfortunately, there are no laws in place that demand companies are transparent about all of the ingredients in their products. This means they can make false claims about their so-called “natural” ingredients.

The other big problem with the natural, store-bought cleaning products is their price tag. They are often up to twice as expensive as the conventional cleaning products.

But you don’t need to spend a fortune on natural products. Good old-fashioned vinegar, baking soda, essential oils and other inexpensive ingredients found in your pantry can clean just as well or better than conventional or natural store-bought cleaning products, without any toxic by-products.

These natural products are inexpensive and versatile to keep on hand to create your own cleaning products:

• Vinegar—One of the best all-round natural cleaning ingredients. Vinegar contains acetic acid, a gentle acid with antibacterial properties. Distilled white vinegar works best for cleaning.
• Castile soap—A versatile, gentle soap, can be used on your body, but also very effective for cleaning purposes. Dr. Bronner’s liquid castile is great for this.
• Baking soda—Baking soda has a number of excellent uses, for scrubbing, scouring, laundry and more. Always keep a good quantity of baking soda on hand.
• Essential oils—Tea tree oil, lavender, rosemary, orange, lemon or eucalyptus oils. Most all essential oils are antibacterial and antiviral, so choose the scent (s) you like best. My favorite is sweet orange essential oil.
• Microfiber cloths, sponges
• Empty spray bottles

These two DIY cleaning products will clean most everything in your house. Once is a homemade soft scrub and the other is an all-purpose spray cleaner. There are lots of variations of these online. Be sure to test the cleaning product on a small area first.

DIY Soft Scrub

• ½ cup castile soap
• 1½ cup baking soda
• ¼ – ½ cup water (use distilled water if your tap water is very hard)
• 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar

Mix the castile soap and baking soda in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix ¼ cup water with the vinegar. Combine it with the baking soda mixture. Add more water to get the consistency you want. Store the thicker paste in a covered container.

* It’s generally not a great idea to mix vinegar and castile soap (acid/base). But in this case, the baking soda is also a base. It protects the soap from being neutralized by the vinegar.

DIY All-purpose Spray Recipe

Mix together in a spray bottle.

• 2 cups water (use distilled water if your tap water is very hard)
• 2 tablespoons castile soap
• 10-20 drops of your favorite essential oil (optional)

DIY Laundry Soap

• An empty 1/2 gallon old detergent jug
• 1/2 cup liquid castile soap
• 1/2 cup baking soda
• 15 drops orange, lavender or jasmine essential oil (or any combination)

Pour castile soap, baking soda and favorite essential oil inside the jug. Using the essential oils is optional but it will leave you with good smelling laundry.

Fill the jug with hot water, this will help dissolve the baking soda, until you reach almost the top of the jug. Close it and shake it.

Use about 1/4-1/3 cup per load. Make sure you shake the jug slightly each time before using. Not too much though otherwise when you open the jug the mixture will burst out.

There you have it—natural, basic, easy-to-use cleaning products for your home. Enjoy the natural clean!

References
https://www.eatgood4life.com/diy-laundry-detergent/
https://www.marksdailyapple.com/natural-and-non-toxic-diy-cleaning-solutions-for-your-home/?utm_campaign=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_source=mda&utm_content=MDA&_ke=eyJrbF9jb21wYW55X2lkIjogIlFhekhXeiIsICJrbF9lbWFpbCI6ICJjYWViZWxpbmdAZ21haWwuY29tIn0%3D
https://dontmesswithmama.com/7-toxic-household-cleaners-avoid-problem-natural-store-bought-cleaners/
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/11397-household-chemical-products-and-their-health-risk

The post Natural DIY Cleaning Solutions for Your Home appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

By: Cat Ebeling, RN, MSN-PHN, co-author of the best-sellers:  The Fat Burning Kitchen, The Top 101 Foods that Fight Aging & The Diabetes Fix

I was fortunate enough to get to spend some time in Baja Mexico this year. Although we stayed at nice homes with great kitchens, I was dismayed to find that most of the pans available to use were scratched up Teflon. I actually went out and bought my own pan to use so I could avoid any possible toxic elements coming out of the pans.

Is Teflon safe to use?

Until the year 2013, Teflon was made using a chemical called perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA. PFOA is a possible carcinogen, a hormone disrupter and a reproductive toxin. PFOA has been linked to a number of health conditions, including thyroid disorders, chronic kidney disease, liver disease and testicular cancer. It has also been linked to infertility and low birth weight babies.

What’s more, it was found in the blood of more than 98% of people who took part in the US 1999–2000 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

The other big problem with PFOA is that it is ‘highly persistent’, meaning once it’s there—in your body, in the soil, in the water or air—it does not leave. PFOA’s tend to end up in our drinking water. In fact, many water sources have been contaminated by PFOA factories over the years and it’s now there forever.

While most of the carcinogens are eliminated during the manufacture of Teflon pans, small amounts do remain. The biggest problem is that when Teflon is overheated, the chemicals not only enter the food being cooked, but they vaporize into the air as well. Here’s a list of some of the toxic ingredients that get released (Ugh!):

• TFE (tetrafluoroethylene)
• HFP (hexafluoropropylene)
• OFCB (octafluorocyclobutane)
• PFIB (perfluoro butane)
• CF4 (carbon tetrafluoride)
• TFA (trifluoro acetic acid)

Because of the concerns to human health and the environment, Teflon with PFOA has been phased out, as of around the year 2013. Most non-stick cooking pans now use a chemical compound called ‘PTFE’ (polytetrafluoroethylene) in their products, which still poses a danger to our health when overheated, causing the chemical compounds to break down and release toxic fumes. However, many people still have the older, scratched up Teflon pans in use in their households. These should be thrown out.

Teflon and Temperature

When Teflon is heated to temperatures above 500°F (250°C), the coating on the nonstick cookware begins to break down, releasing toxic chemicals into the air. Inhaling these toxic chemicals can actually make you sick, and it’s often known as the “Teflon flu”. This includes both older Teflon and the newer (post 2013) Teflon.

So you’re thinking, “Ok, I just won’t heat my pan up super-hot, and I will be fine.” Yes, but it’s unbelievably easy for pans to quickly get to 500 degrees, as you can see from this video. (Keep in mind, this video is referring to Celsius degrees, not Fahrenheit).

So, if you really insist on using Teflon pans, keep these things in mind:

1. Discard any non-stick pan with scratches, flaking or peeling immediately. And if you know it was made before 2013, get rid of it.
2. You have to be really attentive when cooking. If you tend to burn foods, that’s too hot.
3. Be aware of what you are cooking. Liquids boil at 212F, so no need to heat any higher. Eggs cook at low temperatures, so generally OK. Meat, however, cooks at a higher temperature and has a bigger surface area, so better to use a cast iron or stainless steel pan.
4. Be sure to ventilate your kitchen when cooking to clear out any possible toxic fumes.
5. Keep a close eye on what you are cooking, and never cook on heat any higher than Medium on your burner.
6. Use silicone or plastic utensils so you do not scratch up your pan.
7. Always hand wash with a non-scratchy sponge.

Non-Stick Alternatives

Cast Iron–My favorite is the standard cast-iron skillet–properly seasoned of course. When it is well seasoned, cast iron pans are basically non-stick. They also last forever and can withstand high temperatures. You can cook just about anything in them. They are great for searing meat, along with a variety of other types of cooking.

Biggest downside, they are heavy and can be harder to maneuver. Be careful if you have a glass/ceramic cooktop. They can easily break that surface. I know, I did it to my beautiful 5-burner cooktop. Not cheap to replace!

Ceramic—Ceramic cookware is a relatively new product. It has excellent nonstick properties, but the coating can be easily scratched, which means it begins to lose it’s ‘non-stick-ness’. It is, however, quite safe. Ceramic coatings are made of silica, so they aren’t actually ceramic, but more like glass. Ceramic coatings like this are also called “Thermalon”. Compared to the PTFE Teflon-style coatings, ceramic pans can function well at higher temps, up to 450C/840F. One of the more popular brands is, “The Green Pan”.

Stainless Steel–I am a big fan of stainless steel pans, especially the higher quality ones like All-Clad. I find them to be far more versatile, and easy to use than most other pans. These pans are capable of cooking food at high temps. So, you can sear meat and cook stir-fries and not worry about making the pan too hot to damage it. I’ve also noticed that a good quality stainless pan can actually become somewhat ‘seasoned’ and things like eggs don’t stick if you cook them at lower heat

Anodized Aluminum—Anodized aluminum is generally found in higher end cookware. Most people tended to avoid aluminum cookware, as it was connected to Alzheimer’s disease. Anodized aluminum is sealed,  so that the metal cannot leach into food or react with acidic foods.

Unlike ordinary, lightweight aluminum pots and pans, which are highly reactive with acidic foods (like tomatoes), anodized aluminum cookware is safe. It is also non-stick, scratch-resistant and easy to clean. Just be aware that if the inside lining is scratched, acidic liquids like tomato sauce can leach into the metal, which can then get into food.

‘Granite’ Cookware–Granite cookware does not actually contain any granite. Instead, it consists of a stainless-steel inner core that is covered with porcelain enamel, making it similar to ceramic cookware. The surface is made by fusing porcelain enamel at very high temperatures to create a non-stick surface. The look of the cookware closely resembles granite, as it has a solid black surface with smaller flecks of gray or white scattered throughout.

There are many healthy nonstick choices to cook with, and you cannot go wrong with cast iron and stainless steel. They last forever! However, if you insist on ‘sticking’ with your Teflon, make sure it is newer, not scratched and you only use it for low temp cooking. Bon Appetit!

References
https://www.ecoparent.ca/eco-home/teflon-really-so-bad
https://chemical-materials.elsevier.com/new-materials-applications/todays-non-stick-cookware-safe/
https://www.twokitchenjunkies.com/the-dangers-of-teflon/
https://www.ewg.org/research/canaries-kitchen
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/nonstick-cookware-safety#TOC_TITLE_HDR_6
https://www.twokitchenjunkies.com/best-nonstick-pans/
https://www.thespruceeats.com/greenpan-thermolon-ceramic-nonstick-frypan-review-1907517

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