It’s reasonable enough to assume that “uncured” bacon, with labels touting “no nitrates or nitrites added,” would be a healthier choice. After all, nitrite and its chemical cousin nitrate in processed meats are probable carcinogens, according to the World Health Organization. If you have the opportunity to avoid them and still enjoy the foods you love, why not?
Unfortunately, when it comes to food labeling in the U.S., things are not always what they seem. And in the case of bacon—and well as other processed meats, such as cold cuts and hot dogs—the labels “cured” and “uncured” can be pretty misleading.
In short: Uncured bacon is akin to putting lipstick on a pig—it’s still bacon. To understand why, let’s take a closer look at what’s shakin’ when it comes to both cured and uncured bacon.
Cured vs. Uncured Bacon
The truth is there is little practical difference between cured and uncured bacon in terms of health. Both are cured in the true sense of the word, meaning they are preserved.
The use of the labels “cured” and “uncured” on processed meats results from Department of Agriculture labeling regulations. To be called cured, the meat must be processed with synthetic nitrites or nitrates. (You’ll see types of them, such as potassium nitrite or sodium nitrite, in the products’ ingredient list.)
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Without these compounds, meat would spoil. “Nitrite is especially important because it has inhibitory action against microorganisms and specifically against spores of Clostridium botulinum [which cause botulism], should they be present,” says Jeff J. Sindelar, PhD, a meat science professor and extension meat specialist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Nitrites and nitrates can also form from natural sources, such as celery salt, powder, or juice, and these can also be used to cure meat. Because they aren’t synthetic, the USDA requires meat processed with them to be labeled “uncured” and “no nitrates or nitrites added.” It’s a technical detail; the chemical composition of these curing agents are exactly the same. “Nitrite is nitrite, regardless of source,” Sindelar says.
And, as CR’s 2019 tests of deli meats found, “uncured” meats contain similar amounts of nitrites and nitrates as “cured” products.
“When people see ‘uncured’ and ‘no nitrates/nitrites added’ on a label, they believe the meat is healthier,” says Amy Keating, RD, a CR nutritionist. “But that’s not the case.” Eliminating the confusing labeling rules would help. In 2020, the USDA said it planned to propose prohibiting these two terms on meats that have been processed with any form of nitrates or nitrites, however it hasn’t yet done so.
What Nitrates and Nitrites Do to Your Body
No matter the source, nitrites and nitrates have the same health effects, says Michael Hansen, PhD, a senior scientist at CR.Broken down in your body in the presence of compounds found in proteins, they can form nitrosamines. Nitrosamines may increase the risk of certain types of cancer in humans, according to the National Cancer Institute. A 2021 review of 148 studies published in the European Journal of Epidemiology found that those who ate the most processed meat had an increased risk of breast cancer, colon cancer, rectal cancer, and lung cancer.
Cancer isn’t the only health concern when it comes to processed meat. In a 2020 review in the journal Diabetes & Metabolism, for every 50 grams—about 2 ounces—per day of processed meat intake daily, the risk of type 2 diabetes went up by 46 percent.
Processed meat has been linked to heart disease as well. Compared with eating none, those who ate about 5 ounces or more of processed meat per week had a 46 percent increased risk of heart attack or stroke in a study involving about 134,000 people in 21 countries published in 2021 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The study did not find a link between eating unprocessed red meat or poultry and heart problems, and the researchers noted that the preservatives and additives in processed meats may partly explain their different effects on health.
But if nitrosamines that form from celery are harmful, does this mean eating celery is harmful, too? No. Celery and some other veggies—such as arugula, beets, and spinach—do contain nitrates or nitrites. “But there’s little protein in vegetables so their nitrates and nitrites don’t easily convert to nitrosamines,” Hansen says.
And the nitrites and nitrates in vegetables may actually be helpful. “Plant-based sources of nitrate, assisted by other vegetable components in these foods, such as vitamin C and polyphenols, serve as sources of nitric oxide production in the body,” says Norman Hord, PhD, RD, professor and chair of the nutrition department at University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City. Nitric oxide production may help improve blood vessel health and blood pressure, and enhance muscle function.
“Cured or uncured, less is more when it comes to processed meats like bacon,” Keating says. “You don’t have to give them up entirely, but they shouldn’t be a regular part of your diet.”
Rachel Meltzer Warren
Rachel Meltzer Warren, MS, RD, is a freelance writer based in the New York area who contributes to Consumer Reports on food and nutrition topics.
