Can Vegetarians Eat Turkey Bacon? A Definitive Guide

Turkey bacon has become a popular alternative to traditional pork bacon but is it suitable for vegetarians? While turkey bacon is lower in fat than pork bacon it still contains animal products. Most vegetarians avoid all meat, so turkey bacon would not align with a vegetarian diet.

In this definitive guide we’ll explain what turkey bacon is how it compares nutritionally to pork bacon, and whether vegetarians can eat it. We’ll also suggest some vegetarian-friendly bacon alternatives to consider.

What is Turkey Bacon?

Turkey bacon is a processed meat made from chopped and formed turkey. To make it, turkey meat is combined with brine and injectable marinades. It’s then pressed into strips and smoked to take on a bacon-like flavor and texture.

The goal of turkey bacon is to provide the smoky, salty taste of bacon while being lower in fat than pork bacon. It emerged as a product in the 1980s and 1990s when consumers became more concerned about fat and cholesterol in their diets.

Today, turkey bacon can be found in any major grocery store, often right next to regular pork bacon. It looks very similar to traditional bacon with its signature red strips. Popular brands include Oscar Mayer, Hormel Black Label, and Jennie-O.

How Does Turkey Bacon Compare to Pork Bacon?

While turkey bacon aims to provide a “healthier” alternative to pork bacon, the two are fairly comparable in terms of nutritional value. Let’s look at how 2 slices of turkey bacon stack up against 2 slices of pork bacon:

• Calories: Turkey bacon has 43 calories per slice, while pork bacon has 54 calories.
• Fat: Turkey bacon has 3.5g of fat per slice compared to pork bacon’s 7g.
• Saturated Fat: Turkey bacon has 1g per slice. Pork bacon contains 2.6g.
• Protein: 6g per slice in both turkey and pork bacon.
• Sodium: Turkey bacon has 369mg per slice. Pork bacon has 302mg.

As you can see, turkey bacon is slightly lower in calories and fat compared to pork bacon. However, it’s still a high sodium, high fat processed meat. It just has slightly fewer grams of fat per serving compared to regular bacon.

Both types of bacon are considered unhealthy foods and should be consumed sparingly as part of a balanced diet. The American Heart Association recommends no more than 2 servings of processed meats like bacon per week.

Can Vegetarians Eat Turkey Bacon?

Now that we’ve compared turkey bacon to pork bacon, let’s get to the key question: can vegetarians eat turkey bacon?

The simple answer is no. Most vegetarians avoid all meat, poultry, fish and seafood as part of their diet. This includes turkey meat, which turkey bacon is made from.

There are different types of vegetarian diets:

• Lacto-ovo vegetarians eat eggs and dairy products but avoid all animal flesh.
• Lacto vegetarians eat dairy but avoid eggs and all meats.
• Ovo vegetarians eat eggs but avoid dairy and all meats.
• Vegans avoid all animal products including meat, eggs, and dairy.

While definitions vary, a true vegetarian diet excludes all types of animal meat, including turkey. Therefore, turkey bacon would not be considered vegetarian.

However, there are some exceptions. Semi-vegetarians or flexitarians may eat poultry and fish occasionally while avoiding other meats. Some in this category do consume turkey bacon as an infrequent treat.

Similarly, pescatarians who avoid all meat except fish and seafood may occasionally eat turkey bacon, though this would be rare. Overall, turkey bacon should be avoided by most who follow vegetarian or vegan diets.

Health and Environmental Impacts of Turkey Bacon

In addition to not aligning with a vegetarian diet, there are other downsides to consider with turkey bacon.

While turkey bacon only contains slightly fewer calories and fat compared to pork bacon, it’s still considered an unhealthy processed meat. The preservatives used in processed meats may increase cancer risk when consumed in excess.

The high sodium content can also contribute to high blood pressure and heart disease. From an environmental perspective, all meat production including turkey has greater impacts than plant-based foods in terms of land use, water use, and pollution.

Though turkey bacon aims to provide a healthier alternative to pork, its minor nutritional advantages do not outweigh the cons of highly processed meat for your health or the planet. Vegetarians avoid it for these reasons as well as ethical concerns over animal welfare in meat production.

Vegetarian Bacon Alternatives to Consider

So if turkey bacon is off the table, what vegetarian-friendly options can satisfy a bacon craving? Here are some of the top substitutes to try:

• Coconut bacon – Made from thinly sliced coconut flakes seasoned with smoked spices. Has the crispy, smoky texture of bacon.
• Tempeh bacon – Thinly sliced tempeh seasoned with soy sauce, maple syrup, and smoked paprika. Tempeh is made from fermented soybeans.
• Eggplant bacon – Slices of eggplant baked with spices and maple syrup to get a bacon-like crunch.
• Shiitake mushroom bacon – Sliced shiitake mushrooms marinated in tamari and maple create the perfect umami, savory flavor.
• Tofu bacon – Tofu is pressed and marinated in bacon-esque flavors then baked to create crispy strips.
• Rice paper bacon – Crunchy rice paper seasoned with smoked spices and oil to mimic bacon when baked.
• Vegetarian bacon – Pre-packaged vegetarian bacon made from soy, wheat or other proteins. Brands include MorningStar Farms and Lightlife.

These creative alternatives let vegetarians enjoy the smoky, salty, crispy bacon taste using only plant-based ingredients. They can be used as a substitute any time traditional bacon is called for, like in a BLT sandwich, pancake topping or baked potato. With so many options now available, vegetarians certainly don’t have to miss out.

The Verdict: Should Vegetarians Eat Turkey Bacon?

When it comes down to it, turkey bacon is not considered suitable for vegetarian or vegan diets due to containing poultry meat. The vast majority of vegetarians avoid all meat, including turkey.

While turkey bacon does have slightly less fat and calories than pork bacon, it still has similar amounts of sodium and concerning preservatives like other processed meats. It provides no substantial nutritional advantage.

For vegetarians who want to enjoy the flavor of bacon, there are now many innovative plant-based bacon alternatives made from coconut, mushrooms, eggplant and more that capture the taste and texture of traditional bacon.

Turkey bacon may be an infrequent treat for some semi-vegetarians. But for those following true vegetarian and vegan diets, turkey bacon would conflict with ethical reasons for avoiding meat as well as potential health and environmental implications. With so many great plant-based bacon options now available, vegetarians can happily skip the turkey bacon.