The Nutrition of Canadian Bacon
What Americans call Canadian bacon is actually called back bacon in Canada. Canadian bacon comes from the loin of the pig -- behind the shoulder -- while regular American bacon comes from the pig belly. Canadian bacon, ham and regular bacon are all cured meats.
What Americans call Canadian bacon is actually called back bacon in Canada. Canadian bacon comes from the loin of the pig -- behind the shoulder -- while regular American bacon comes from the pig belly. Canadian bacon, ham and regular bacon are all cured meats. Canadian bacon is usually sold fully cooked and has less fat and fewer calories than regular bacon.
Calories
One serving of most brands of Canadian bacon is equivalent to 2 slices and supplies 89 calories. Bob Evans Canadian bacon has 21 calories in 0.7 ounces, which equals 1 slice. Around 40 percent of the calories in bacon come from fat. If you consume a typical 2,000 calorie per day diet, a serving of Canadian bacon supplies less than 5 percent of your daily calorie intake.
Fat
The amount of fat in Canadian bacon depends on the serving size. Applegate Farms 2-slice serving of Canadian bacon contains 4 g of fat. In contrast, regular bacon has around 14 g of fat per serving. A serving also contains 28.35 mg of cholesterol. The American Heart Association suggests an intake of no more than 300 mg of cholesterol per day or less than 200 mg if you're at risk of developing, or if you already have, heart disease.
Protein and Carbohydrate
Canadian bacon has higher protein content than regular bacon with 12 g per serving. Having Canadian bacon for breakfast supplies around 20 percent of the daily recommended protein recommendation of about 60 g. Canadian bacon supplies very little carbohydrate with around 1 g in a 2-slice serving. The sugar used to cure the meat most likely supplies any carbohydrate present, since meat normally contains no carbohydrate.
Sodium
Canadian bacon, like regular bacon, contains large amounts of sodium. A 2-slice serving supplies 500 mg of sodium, or 21 percent of your recommended daily intake of sodium. A high sodium intake can increase the risk of developing heart disease by raising blood pressure in susceptible people.