Lets face it: Heartburn isnt a great way to start the day. In the morning, it can be hard enough without having to deal with the burning pain in your chest that some foods cause.
In related news, the typical American breakfast doesn’t have many low-acid foods and is usually high in fatty foods. Both of these can make acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms worse.
If you have regular heartburn, especially after breakfast, you might want to reconsider what goes into your a. m. meal. Here are eight of the best breakfast foods for acid reflux.
Keep in mind that different foods trigger heartburn for different people. You can find out what works and what doesn’t in your diet by keeping a food log. This means writing down what you eat and when you get heartburn so you can see patterns.
“Keeping a food diary is very helpful to try to figure out what sets off your symptoms,” says Starr Steinhilber, MD, an internist and assistant professor of medicine at UAB School of Medicine. “Caffeine, spicy foods, chocolate, peppermint, and carbonated drinks are common culprits, and one may affect you more than another.” ”.
Turkey bacon has become a popular alternative to traditional pork bacon. With its lower fat content, turkey bacon is often promoted as a healthier choice. But some people wonder about the acidity of turkey bacon and how it compares to regular bacon. In this article we’ll take an in-depth look at the acidity of turkey bacon to help you understand how it may affect your body.
What Is Turkey Bacon?
Turkey bacon is made from sliced and processed turkey rather than pork It looks similar to regular bacon with long meaty strips But the meat itself is lighter in color,
Turkey bacon is created from turkey breast meat that’s brined smoked and cooked. The brining process helps keep the turkey moist and adds flavor. Smoking gives it that classic bacon taste and appearance.
This type of bacon provides the smoky, salty flavor of traditional bacon without the high saturated fat content of pork. It’s become an appealing alternative for those looking to reduce fat, calories and sodium in their diets.
Is Turkey Bacon More Acidic Than Regular Bacon?
In general, turkey meat is slightly more acidic than pork. Turkey has a pH of about 6.1 while pork has a pH around 6.3 to 6.5. The lower the pH, the more acidic a food is.
So turkey bacon made from turkey breast meat would tend to be somewhat more acidic than regular pork bacon. But the brining process used to cure turkey bacon can affect its final acidity.
Brines often contain ingredients like vinegar or lemon juice which increase acidity levels. So some turkey bacons may end up with pH levels close to regular bacon due to the brining.
When looking at nutrition data, turkey bacon does not appear to be considerably more acidic than regular bacon. They have fairly similar PRAL (potential renal acid load) values.
PRAL estimates the effect of a food on urine acidity levels. Regular bacon has an estimated PRAL around 8.5 while turkey bacon’s PRAL is approximately 10.0. So turkey bacon may be slightly more acidic, but not dramatically so.
Acidity In Cooked vs Raw Turkey Bacon
When meats are cooked, chemical reactions occur that often raise acidity levels. The extent of this increase depends on factors like the cooking method.
Some studies show bacon can become significantly more acidic when cooked. Pan-frying appears to have a greater acid-increasing effect than other cooking methods like baking or grilling.
So cooked turkey bacon is likely more acidic than raw turkey bacon due to these changes during cooking. However, cooked regular bacon also sees an acidity boost from cooking.
Overall, cooked turkey bacon may be moderately more acidic than cooked regular bacon. But the differences are small enough that it’s unlikely you would notice negative effects from the acidity of turkey bacon versus pork bacon.
Potential Effects of Acidity In Turkey Bacon
The greater acidity in turkey bacon compared to regular bacon is generally minimal. For most people, this small difference in acidity will not cause issues.
However, some individuals may be more sensitive. People with conditions like acid reflux or gout may find they tolerate pork bacon better than turkey bacon.
Others experience bladder or kidney problems when consuming very acidic foods. These individuals may also wish to limit turkey bacon or monitor their body’s response to it.
Highly acidic diets have been associated with increased calcium excretion and risk of osteoporosis over time. But unless you are consuming turkey bacon in extremely high amounts, its acidity is unlikely to be a major factor.
As with any food, it’s wise to pay attention to your own body responses. While turkey bacon is just mildly more acidic than regular bacon, some people may notice more reflux, bladder irritation or other signs they should moderate their intake.
Tips For Reducing The Acidity Of Turkey Bacon
If you find turkey bacon disagrees with you, there are cooking methods that can help reduce its acidity:
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Opt for baking or grilling instead of pan-frying, as this leads to less acidity increases during cooking.
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Avoid charring or overcooking the turkey bacon, as more well-done meats tend to be more acidic.
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Boil the turkey bacon briefly before cooking to lower acidity levels. Discard the water after boiling.
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Add a pinch of baking soda to the turkey bacon before cooking. The baking soda helps neutralize some of the acids.
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Consume turkey bacon as part of a larger meal. Other foods can buffer the acidity and minimize digestive irritation.
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Drink alkaline beverages like milk or water with turkey bacon to counterbalance the acidity.
Making any of these adjustments when cooking and eating turkey bacon can help reduce its acid impact, especially for those sensitive to acidic foods.
Should You Choose Turkey Bacon or Regular Bacon?
Turkey bacon makes a convenient substitute for regular bacon for those looking to cut fat, calories or sodium in their diet. Both types of bacon are highly processed foods with drawbacks as well as benefits.
The slightly greater acidity in turkey bacon is generally minimal and should not cause problems for most people. But some may find they tolerate pork bacon better, especially if prone to conditions like reflux.
No single food alone will make or break your acid levels. It’s the overall balance of acidic and alkaline foods in your diet that matters most. In moderation as part of a healthy diet, both turkey and regular bacon can fit into an acid-alkaline balance.
So the choice between turkey versus pork bacon comes down to your own nutritional needs and how each affects you personally. Try including both in a healthy dietary pattern in reasonable amounts. But monitor your body’s response, and adjust your intake accordingly if you experience any negative effects.
When consumed mindfully in moderation, both turkey and pork bacon can be enjoyed as part of an overall healthy way of eating. Focus on choosing unprocessed, whole food sources of nutrients as often as possible. Then the occasional slice of bacon can be accommodated without worry.
Whole-Grain Cereal With Milk
If you have acid reflux, oatmeal is a great breakfast. Whole grain cereal is also a great choice because it high in fiber. There’s no need for your cereal to be as serious as bran flakes or shredded wheat (though those are both good options!). Just find a cereal that is mostly made of whole grains (it should be the first thing on the list of ingredients) and has at least a few grams of fiber per serving. Cheerios is one example.
Then add your choice of milk. Most people can handle cow’s milk, but if you can’t handle fat, Johns Hopkins Medicine says to choose low-fat or nonfat milk instead of whole milk.
The American College of Healthcare Sciences says that some plant-based milks, like those made from soy or almonds, are more alkaline. This means that they may help lower stomach acid, which makes them a good choice for cereal.
Both white and sweet potatoes are so-called complex carbs. According to the IFFGD, they have a lot of different nutrients and some fiber, which makes them a good choice for breakfast if you have GERD.
Be mindful of how theyre prepared, though. Because they are cooked with a lot of fat, fried potatoes like hash browns could make acid reflux worse. Or, if the potatoes are made into a medley or hash, they may be served with onions and garlic, which can give some people heartburn.
Lean Breakfast Meats
According to the IFFGD, high-fat meats like bacon and sausage can lower the pressure in the lower esophageal sphincter and take longer to digest, which means the stomach doesn’t empty as quickly. Both of these things can increase the risk of reflux.
Instead, look to:
- Ham
- Canadian bacon
- Turkey or chicken sausage
All of these are leaner options that don’t usually make your stomach make as much acid as bacon or sausage.
This easy-to-make hot cereal is a great way to get some fiber. And eating fiber-packed foods helps you feel full, and potentially eat less, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. Thats helpful for GERD symptoms because overeating can trigger heartburn.
Plus, fiber keeps things moving, which is a good thing. Diets low in fiber are linked with slower digestion, according to a June 2018 study in the World Journal of Gastroenterology — which, as we noted above, is bad news for people with acid reflux.
Add a few tablespoons of peanut butter to your oatmeal to make it more protein-rich. Peanut butter is full of healthy fats that the IFFGD says people with GERD should eat.
Eggs are another great protein choice thats fairly lean.
Its smart to reach for protein at breakfast because, calorie for calorie, its more filling than carbs or even fat, per a February 2015 study in Nutrition Journal. That means it has the potential to help you feel full on less food — similar to fiber-packed oatmeal — and that helps with heartburn because youre less likely to overeat.
Need some inspiration? Try one of these recipes:
If you get heartburn when you eat fat, make your eggs with mostly egg whites and only a few yolks.
Thats right, the salad-for-breakfast trend gets the green light when it comes to eating for heartburn.
Fill your plate with water-rich veggies like celery and cucumber, in addition to lettuce, of course. As Johns Hopkins Medicine says, eating foods with a lot of water is thought to lower stomach acid.
You can make your salad more fiber-rich by adding green vegetables like broccoli, green beans, asparagus, and more. And consider topping it with a protein-rich poached egg.
Citrus fruits and tomatoes are common salad toppings that are high in acid. If these foods give you heartburn, you might want to avoid them.
Is turkey bacon healthier than the regular stuff?
FAQ
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