What Is Turkey Bacon, and Is It Healthier Than Bacon?

Turkey bacon is a processed meat product that is similar to pork bacon. Turkey bacon is better than pork bacon because it is lower in saturated fat and calories.

Bacon — whether used as the centerpiece of a sandwich, placed beside eggs, or sprinkled as crumbles over a salad — sparks passionate feelings in many people. Whether you love or hate it, this cut of meat that is traditionally sourced from pork belly is also a staple of Western culture that predates modern civilization. However, turkey bacon was introduced during the last few decades in an effort to give people a taste of what they love while cutting out the health drawbacks of pork bacon. 

Is turkey bacon truly healthier than pork bacon, though? Read the following guide to determine when you should choose turkey bacon over a traditional cut of this beloved but infamous meat product.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the manufacturers of turkey bacon must specify whether this formed meat product has been processed with only turkey meat or if it also contains pork. 

Most brands of turkey bacon have already been fully cooked and simply need to be heated before serving, but some brands are sold raw and should be thoroughly cooked to a safe temperature before they're eaten. For poultry, the goal temperature is around 165 degrees Fahrenheit. 

It's very important to determine what type of meat your product contains and whether it has been fully cooked to avoid food poisoning and other foodborne illnesses.

Turkey bacon boasts a few health benefits when compared to traditional pork bacon. However, this doesn't mean that turkey bacon is the healthiest protein choice you could make for yourself. 

Saturated fat 

One hundred years ago, an American citizen would probably laugh if you suggested cutting fatty meat out of their diet. Even a few decades ago, it was common to eat pork bacon with eggs for breakfast, a ham sandwich for lunch, and a steak for dinner. This changed when scientists began studying the effect of saturated fat and meat on human health. In the late 20th century, saturated fat was connected to heart disease, high cholesterol, and more health conditions. 

Today, saturated fat isn't regarded as the villain it was in the 1990s, but it's still not a good idea to consume too much of this cholesterol-increasing substance, which can be found in many fatty meat products. The American Heart Association recommends that both women and men keep their consumption of saturated fat under 6% of their overall daily calories. This is around 13 grams per day. A serving of turkey bacon contains around 4 grams of saturated fat, while pork bacon might contain as many as 8 grams per serving.

Calories

Could turkey bacon help you reach your weight goals? Most experts agree that adults need around 2,000 calories per day, but depending on your weight loss plan, your exercise level, your age, and whether or not you're pregnant, you might need more or fewer.

Turkey bacon contains about 218 calories per serving, but when compared to pork bacon — which contains 268 calories per serving — there isn't a huge calorie difference. 

Sodium

Heart disease has been linked to a number of factors, including sodium consumption. Unfortunately, processed meats contain a lot of extra sodium — and turkey bacon is no exception. A two-ounce serving of regular-sodium turkey bacon may contain almost 2,000 milligrams of sodium. 

As a general rule, consider choosing reduced-sodium products to cut down on extra salt in your diet that your body doesn't need.

You might feel discouraged to learn that turkey bacon isn't too much healthier than pork bacon. It does have its advantages for certain people, though. If you fall into one of the following groups and you love bacon, consider purchasing turkey bacon instead of the traditional type:

• You follow a restricted-calorie diet where a deficit of 50 calories per serving would matter.
• You have a family history of heart disease or you're trying to lower high cholesterol.
• You have a pork allergy.
• You follow a religious dietary pattern that does not allow the consumption of pork (check the package, though, to determine whether the product meets kosher or halal certification requirements).

If you need to trim a few calories and grams of saturated fat from your diet, follow a religion that doesn't allow for the consumption of traditional pork bacon, or simply like the taste of turkey bacon, it can be a practical dietary choice. There are even brands that use higher-quality ingredients, fewer preservatives, and less sodium.

That being said, processed meat of any type isn't good for the human body. Several studies have linked processed meat to cancer. This doesn't mean you should give up processed meat altogether, but use caution when choosing your protein sources, and don't pick turkey bacon or low-sodium bacon just because of the health claims written on the package. Overall, turkey bacon isn't an extremely healthy choice, though it may be marginally healthier than pork bacon for the reasons listed here.

In the end, it's important to remember that a large amount of the health claims surrounding turkey bacon are marketing tactics that are aimed at people who would normally choose pork bacon. If you still choose turkey bacon, though, look for brands that offer a low-sodium version and only eat it in moderation.