Nutritional Information for Bacon
Bacon is a NOVA 3 processed meat — pork cured with salt and preserved with nitrites (sodium nitrite or potassium nitrate). It delivers around 167-268 kcal per 100g depending on the cut (back vs streaky), with virtually zero carbohydrates but very high salt content averaging 2.5-3.0g per 100g. From a SpikeSaver perspective, bacon has no glucose impact whatsoever — zero carbs means zero blood sugar response. The health concern with bacon is not blood sugar but rather the salt, saturated fat, and nitrite preservatives. This is the nutrition-focused companion to the /is/bacon processing analysis.
Nutrition per 100g
| Nutrient | Per 100g | Per serving |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 200 kcal / 834 kJ | 120 kcal |
| Protein | 17.2g | 10.3g |
| Carbohydrates | 0.5g | 0.3g |
| of which sugars | 0.3g | — |
| Fat | 14.4g | 8.6g |
| of which saturated | 5.5g | — |
| Fibre | 0g | — |
| Salt | 2.64g | — |
Serving size: 2 rashers back bacon (~60g raw, ~45g cooked) · Source: Tesco product page, October 2025
Glucose impact
Very Low
Glucose risk
Bacon contains virtually zero carbohydrates (0-1.1g per 100g across all Tesco products) and negligible sugar (0-0.3g). It has no measurable effect on blood glucose levels. The trace carbohydrates come from the curing process (some recipes use small amounts of sugar in the cure). From a pure glucose-spike perspective, bacon is a non-issue — but this does not make it a health food, as the salt and saturated fat content are significant concerns.
Processing level
Bacon is a processed meat product — pork that has been cured with salt and preserved with nitrites (sodium nitrite and/or potassium nitrate). Every bacon product at Tesco lists preservatives in the ingredients. This curing process is what defines bacon and makes it NOVA 3 by default. It is not ultra-processed (NOVA 4) because it does not contain cosmetic additives like flavourings, emulsifiers, or modified starch — it is a relatively simple preservation of whole pork cuts.
Bacon at Tesco
Source: Tesco product page, October 2025
1 UPF marker
1 UPF marker
1 UPF marker
*Prices were correct at the time of collection and may have since changed. Check Tesco.com for current pricing.
What to watch for when shopping
All bacon is NOVA 3 by definition — the curing process with salt and nitrites is what makes it bacon. Back bacon is leaner (167-200 kcal/100g, 10-14g fat) than streaky bacon (231-268 kcal/100g, 18-21g fat). Salt is the biggest nutritional concern, ranging from 2.47g to 3.03g per 100g across Tesco products — a single 2-rasher serving can deliver over half the recommended 6g daily salt limit. Streaky bacon has more fat but similar protein. The Finest dry-cure varieties tend to have slightly higher salt but also higher protein. Budget tip: Tesco Unsmoked Back Bacon 10 Pack 300g at £1.69 (£5.63/kg) is the cheapest option.
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