The sizzling, smoky flavor of bacon is hard to resist at breakfast. But the classic pork-based strips come with concerns about fat, sodium, and cancer risks. Enter turkey bacon – the leaner alternative promising a healthier way to get your bacon fix.
But does swapping out pork for turkey really make your morning meal that much better for you? I compared the nutrition facts and ingredients to uncover which bacon truly deserves the “health halo.”
Here’s an in-depth look at how turkey bacon stacks up against regular pork bacon when it comes to nutrition, ingredients, and health effects.
Nutrition Profile
First, let’s examine the calorie fat, and other nutrient differences between pork and turkey bacon.
Calories
- 2 slices pork bacon = 153 calories
- 2 slices turkey bacon = 60 calories
Turkey bacon contains far fewer calories per serving. Those watching their calorie intake for weight management will save almost 100 calories by choosing turkey over pork.
Total Fat
- 2 slices pork bacon = 12g fat
- 2 slices turkey bacon = 1g fat
The lower fat content is another big advantage of turkey bacon for dieters You trim over 10 grams of fat by opting for the turkey variety.
Saturated Fat
- Pork: 4.5g saturated fat
- Turkey: 0.5g saturated fat
Saturated fat increases unhealthy LDL cholesterol levels, so turkey bacon’s minimal saturated fat provides heart health benefits.
Sodium
- Pork: 551mg sodium
- Turkey: 678mg sodium
Despite the leaner nutrition profile, turkey bacon actually packs more salt per serving. Excess sodium can exacerbate high blood pressure.
Sugar
- Pork: 0g sugar
- Turkey: 1g sugar
Since pork meat is cured with salt during processing, turkey bacon needs added sugar to improve flavor. The extra sugar drives up the carbohydrate content.
Protein
- Pork: 11g protein
- Turkey: 7g protein
You’ll get nearly 40% more protein from pork bacon. Turkey is leaner but doesn’t pack the same protein punch.
Winner?
For calories, fat, and sodium, turkey bacon wins. But pork provides more protein and zero sugar. Ultimately, turkey bacon has a better overall nutrition profile if you don’t mind the added sodium.
Ingredients Comparison
Aside from the nutrition numbers, it’s important to dive into the ingredients that make up each type of bacon.
Pork Bacon Ingredients
- Pork cured with water, salt, sugar, sodium phosphate, flavoring, smoke
- May contain sodium nitrite and other preservatives (BHA, BHT, citric acid)
Turkey Bacon Ingredients
- Turkey thigh and breast meat
- Water, sea salt, contains 2% or less of: brown sugar, sodium phosphate, natural flavorings
- May contain sodium nitrite and preservatives
Turkey bacon ingredients are very similar to pork. Both need sodium phosphate to help cure the meat. And turkey bacon requires sugar additions to compensate for the leaner meat.
Preservatives like sodium nitrite and BHA may be present in both types, which pose health concerns explored later.
Overall, turkey bacon doesn’t offer a radically different ingredient profile from pork bacon, just slightly fewer additives. But it still qualifies as a highly processed food.
How is Bacon Processed and Prepared?
To fully compare pork and turkey bacon, it helps to understand exactly how bacon is made:
Pork bacon processing
- Pork belly is cured in a brine solution containing salt, sodium nitrite, and spices
- Smoked to add flavor
- Cooked at low temperature to render fat
- Chilled to firm the fat so bacon holds its shape
- Sliced and packaged
Turkey bacon preparation
- Ground turkey thigh and breast meat combined
- Shaped into strips and cured in a wet brine with salt, sugar, and sodium phosphate
- Smoked and cooked at low heat like pork
- Chilled until firm enough to slice
- Cut into “strips” to mimic pork bacon shape
Both types involve curing, smoking, and cooking to achieve the distinctive bacon flavor, texture, and shelf life. But turkey is more fabricated since it requires ground meat shaped into strips rather than whole pork belly slices.
Potential Problems with Processed Meats
The curing, smoking, and cooking steps that bacon undergoes create some possible concerns:
- Carcinogens – Curing with sodium nitrite can produce cancer-causing nitrosamines, especially when charred at high temps.
- Inflammation – Smoking and high-heat cooking create advanced glycation end products (AGEs) that promote inflammation.
- Sodium – Salt and sodium phosphate boost the sodium content significantly.
- Preservatives – Added preservatives like BHA may have neurotoxic effects with regular intake.
These risks apply equally to both pork and turkey bacon as highly processed meats. The American Cancer Society recommends limiting processed meat intake to 18 oz or less per week.
Moderation is key, but turkey bacon may be slightly preferable if you eat bacon regularly.
Nutrition Winners: Turkey or Pork Bacon?
- Calories: Turkey
- Fat & Saturated Fat: Turkey
- Sodium: Pork
- Sugar: Pork
- Protein: Pork
- Ingredients: Pork (fewer additives)
The verdict? Turkey bacon takes the edge for calories, fat, and sodium. But pork bacon offers more protein and fewer unhealthy additives.
When consumed in moderation, both can have a place in a healthy, well-rounded diet. But I recommend turkey bacon if you’re limiting calories and fat intake.
Health Impact Comparison
Beyond just nutrients, what do the experts say about how pork and turkey bacon affect your health?
Heart Health
The American Heart Association recommends limiting processed pork products due to the high sodium and nitrates.
Turkey bacon has markedly less saturated fat, which is the biggest dietary culprit for elevated LDL cholesterol levels that increase heart disease risk.
Winner: Turkey
Weight Management
With 90 fewer calories and 10 fewer grams of fat per serving, turkey bacon fits better into a reduced calorie diet for weight loss.
The majority of fat calories in pork bacon come from less satiating unsaturated fat. The protein in pork bacon helps with appetite control.
Slight edge to turkey
Diabetes Risk
The nitrates used to cure pork bacon can inhibit insulin response, which may increase diabetes risk.
Turkey bacon is lower on the glycemic index, meaning less insulin spike.
Winner: Turkey
Cancer Risk
The World Health Organization classifies all processed meat as “carcinogenic to humans.”
But pork bacon poses a slightly higher risk according to the NIH due to specific links between consumption and colorectal cancer.
Slight edge to turkey
Sodium Intake
Turkey bacon contains over 20% more sodium per serving than pork.
Higher sodium intake is associated with high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke.
Winner: Pork
Overall for health impacts, turkey bacon looks to be a slightly better choice, especially for diabetes and heart disease risk reduction. But as always, moderation is key with any processed meat.
Who Might Want to Choose Turkey Bacon?
Based on its nutrition profile, ingredients, and potential health impacts, turkey bacon may be a better choice for:
- Those managing their weight – 90 fewer calories per serving
- Anyone at risk for diabetes – lower glycemic index
- Those concerned about heart health – 90% less saturated fat
- People limiting sodium – still contains over 600mg per serving
- Anyone avoiding pork for religious/dietary reasons
- Children – less fat without as much added sugar as “maple” pork bacon
Just remember that turkey bacon is still highly processed and high in sodium. It should be consumed in moderation as part of a whole food-based diet.
Who Might Prefer Pork Bacon?
Pork bacon remains a smart choice in moderation for those who:
- Don’t want added sugar – turkey bacon contains 1g per serving
- Follow lower carb diets – fewer net carbs than turkey
- Need more protein – 40% more protein than turkey bacon
- Want more satiating fat – pork has more unsaturated fat
- Don’t restrict pork for religious/dietary reasons
- Enjoy the richer pork flavor
- Exercise regularly – can help process excess sodium
How Much Bacon Should You Eat?
No matter which type you prefer, bacon should be enjoyed in moderation as part of a healthy diet:
- 2-3 servings pork or turkey bacon per week
- 1 serving = approx 2 slices or 1 oz
- Limit portion to 1-2 slices (about 1 oz) at a meal
- Avoid eating it every day or multiple times a day
- Use it as a flavor enhancer in dishes, not food’
Pork vs. turkey bacon by the numbers
Protein: Each 2-ounce serving of pork or turkey bacon has roughly the same amount of protein. Pork bacon offers 20 grams per serving. Turkey bacon provides 17 grams.
Calories: Turkey bacon has fewer calories than pork bacon, but only by a small amount (218 vs. 228) per 2-ounce serving. 268 calories.
Fat: The overall fat content in turkey bacon is significantly lower than pork bacon – 14 grams vs. 22 grams. The level of saturated fat is still high, however, with 4 grams vs. 8 grams, respectively. High saturated fat content contributes to heart disease.
Sodium: If you don’t select reduced-sodium bacon, just a few slices can max out your daily recommended intake of salt – less than 1,500 milligrams according to the American Heart Association. Two ounces of turkey bacon has more than 1,900 milligrams of sodium. The same amount of pork bacon contains roughly 1,300 milligrams. In addition to increasing your risk of heart disease, high sodium intake raises the likelihood of kidney stones.
Vitamins: Turkey and pork bacon both provide vitamin B complex nutrients, but pork bacon offers more. Pork also contains more selenium, a mineral that activates certain proteins associated with preventing cancer. Turkey and pork bacon contain roughly the same amount of zinc, which helps control gene activity.
Is turkey bacon healthier than the regular stuff?
FAQ
Which bacon is the healthiest?
Is turkey bacon healthier than pig bacon?
What is a healthier option for bacon?
Is turkey bacon bad for cholesterol?
Is turkey bacon healthier than pork bacon?
Traditional pork bacon is slightly higher in some nutrients like saturated fat—2 grams per two slices—but has almost exactly the same amount of sodium—324 milligrams per two slices—per the USDA. Other important nutrients, like protein, carbohydrates and even calories, are very comparable to turkey bacon. Is Turkey Bacon Healthy?
Does turkey bacon have more calcium than pork bacon?
Turkey bacon has more Calcium, however, Pork bacon has more Selenium, Vitamin B3, Phosphorus, Vitamin B1, Copper, Zinc, and Vitamin B5. Daily need coverage for Selenium from Pork bacon is 79% higher. Pork bacon has 8 times less Calcium than Turkey bacon. Turkey bacon has 80mg of Calcium, while Pork bacon has 10mg. Turkey bacon is lower in Sodium.
Does turkey bacon have more calories than regular bacon?
A table comparing the nutritional values of turkey bacon with American (pork belly) bacon and Canadian (pork loin) bacon As we can see from this data, turkey bacon contains approximately 33% fewer calories than regular bacon. This difference in calorie provision is primarily due to the lower amounts of fat in turkey bacon.
Is turkey bacon good for You?
But when it comes to whether turkey bacon is a good-for-you choice, the answer is less clear. Just like pork bacon, turkey bacon contains a hefty amount of saturated fat and sodium—two nutrients that, when consumed in excess, can potentially result in some unsavory health outcomes.