Is Turkey Bacon Good For Weight Loss

Last Updated on November 7, 2022 by

Yes, Turkey Bacon Is Good for Weight Loss. Turkey bacon is lower in fat and calories than regular bacon. The downside, of course, is that it’s high in protein, which means it has a higher satiety factor than regular bacon

Turkey bacon is a lower fat alternative to pork bacon. It has less calories and less fat than pork bacon, yet it still provides the same taste and texture as regular bacon. Turkey bacon is also lower in sodium than most meats, offering a healthy alternative that is great for weight loss. Want to know Is Turkey Bacon Good For Weight Loss, make sure you read this article.

Is Turkey Bacon Good For Weight Loss

Limit bacon intake to reduce chronic disease risks.

Turkey bacon is healthier than regular bacon when you’re trying to lose weight and reduce your chronic-disease risks. Additionally, turkey bacon provides you with numerous essential nutrients that are beneficial during weight loss. Because turkey bacon is high in sodium, saturated fat and dietary cholesterol, however, eat it in moderation and choose reduced-sodium turkey bacon.

Weight-Loss Basics

Crate of vegetables

Reduce calorie intake through healthy eating.

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Regardless of what you eat during weight loss, your total calorie intake is what determines your weight-loss success. Eating 500 to 1,000 fewer calories than you burn off daily helps you shed 1 to 2 pounds weekly — which is safe, effective and helps you keep lost weight off long-term, notes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For many adults, eating 1,200 to 1,600 calories per day is often effective, suggests the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.

Nutrients in Bacon

Eggs and bacon

Turkey bacon is rich in protein.

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Turkey bacon is a rich source of dietary protein – which is beneficial during weight loss. Although turkey bacon is lower in calories than regular bacon, turkey bacon is not a low-calorie food. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, 1/2 cup of cooked turkey bacon contains 157 calories and provides about 12 grams of dietary protein. Protein-rich foods are useful during weight loss because they increase satiety and your daily energy expenditure, according to a study published in 2009 in the “Journal of Nutrition.”

Sodium Concerns

Organic Sunnyside up Egg with toast and bacon

Eat turkey bacon in moderation.

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Because turkey bacon is rich in sodium, choose lower-sodium varieties of bacon to help reduce your risk for high blood pressure and heart disease. The USDA reports that 1/2 cup of cooked turkey bacon contains about 937 milligrams of sodium, which is almost half of the 2,300-milligram daily allotment suggested by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010. But even reduced-sodium bacon is not a low-sodium food — so eat turkey bacon in moderation during weight loss.

Healthy Alternatives

grilled chicken brest fillet

Chicken breasts are a healthier alternative.

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Although it’s generally OK to include small portions of turkey bacon in a weight-loss meal plan, other protein-rich options contain just much – if not more — protein but contain fewer calories than turkey bacon– which is beneficial when you’re trying to shed pounds. Examples of healthy, low-calorie, protein-rich alternatives to turkey bacon include skinless grilled chicken breast, shrimp, extra-lean ground beef, lean ground turkey, egg whites and low-fat cottage cheese.

Pork Bacon Versus Turkey Bacon

Even though turkey bacon is often touted as a healthier bacon alternative, it isn’t much better for you. Turkey bacon is still high in saturated fat and sodium. Assuming that turkey bacon is healthier may lead to you eat more of it. This can have a negative impact on your health. ‌

You may be surprised to find out that experts recommend one serving or less of bacon per week in your diet. This is true of pork bacon, turkey bacon, or any other cured bacon product. 

When you compare turkey bacon’s nutrition values to the pork alternative, the two are actually very similar. Each two-ounce serving of pork or turkey bacon contains nearly the same amount of protein. Pork bacon has 20 grams of protein while turkey bacon has 17 grams. 

Turkey bacon does have fewer calories, with 218 calories per serving, compared to pork bacon, with 268 calories per serving. The one place that turkey bacon stands apart is with fat content. It only contains 14 grams of fat compared to 22 grams in pork bacon. ‌

Keep in mind that turkey bacon does contain 4 grams of saturated fat, which is considered the bad fat for your diet. Still, that is half as much as pork bacon, with 8 grams per serving. Eating too much saturated fat increases your risk for heart disease.

Although many people assume it to be healthy, there are pros and cons to turkey bacon — especially when compared to pork bacon.‌

When you’re shopping at the grocery store, look for a turkey bacon product with less sodium. You should only eat 1,500 milligrams of sodium per day, yet two ounces of turkey bacon contains 1,900 milligrams of sodium. ‌

Pork bacon has less than 1,300 milligrams per two ounces, although the amount is still very high. Too much sodium increases your risk of heart disease and also makes it more likely that you’ll have kidney stones.

Both turkey bacon and pork bacon have zinc and vitamin B complex nutrients, but pork bacon offers slightly more. Pork bacon also has more selenium, a mineral that may contribute to a lower risk of getting cancer.

When shopping for and preparing turkey, consider these things:

  • Look for turkey bacon with less sodium.
  • Don’t add salt, oil, or butter when you cook.
  • Allow the fat to drip off of your turkey bacon.
  • Blot it with paper towels to remove excess grease.

Health Benefits of Turkey Bacon

Turkey bacon does offer a high amount of protein as well as other important nutrients for your diet. However, not all protein is created equally, and there are healthier options.‌

The National Academy of Medicine recommends you get around seven grams of protein for every 20 pounds you weigh. For a 120-pound person, this equals 43 grams of protein. For a 220-pound person, this equals 77 grams of protein.

Examples of healthier protein options include salmon and lentils. Four ounces of grilled salmon will give you around 30 grams of protein. It is low in sodium and has only one gram of saturated fat. It’s also an excellent source of omega-3 fats, the kind of fat that’s good for your heart.

One cup of cooked lentils offers around 18 grams of protein plus 15 grams of fiber. Plus, it has almost no saturated fat or sodium if you don’t cook with added fats and salt. These are both much healthier options than turkey bacon while offering similar nutrition.

Potential Risks of Turkey Bacon

The reason turkey bacon has health risks is that it is considered an ultra-processed food due to the way it is packaged and preserved. This, coupled with the fact that it is deceivingly unhealthy, makes it dangerous for your health because it lends to overindulgence.‌

The World Health Organization categorized processed meat like turkey bacon as carcinogenic to humans, meaning it could potentially cause cancer. It falls into the same category of cigarettes, although it isn’t nearly as bad for you as smoking or using tobacco.‌

Still, foods like turkey bacon greatly increase your risk of health conditions like colorectal cancer by as much as 18% when you eat a 50-gram serving each day.

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