Bacon
Jennifer IserlohBacon is a tasty treat, no doubt. It adds a lot of flavor to everything from your favorite breakfast to gourmet chocolates, and is a perfect match for refried beans.

Enjoying regular bacon once in a while is OK if you have a clean bill of health. I always tell people to check in with their doctor or a nutritionist. Consulting a nutritionist can be a real eye-opener, but can also help you understand exactly how much saturated fat overall you're consuming and how to make healthier changes if you need to.


Nutritionists generally advise you to limit your daily saturated fat intake to under 20 grams, and just two slices of pork bacon is already 10 percent of your intake for the day. Turkey bacon is only slightly higher in sodium, compared with pork bacon, but it carries no saturated fat, and only one-sixth the total fat (about 1 gram) of pork bacon.

The Best Way to Cook Bacon

For one pound, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spread the bacon out on two large cookie sheets. Transfer to the oven and bake 10 to 20 minutes, depending on if you're cooking turkey bacon or pork bacon. Turn once throughout baking, until both sides are perfectly crisp. If you're baking pork bacon, transfer it to a paper towel to drain excess oil and fat.


Learn more about Jennifer at skinnychef.com, and read her exclusive Slashfood blogs every Monday and Friday.