Whether it’s on a BLT or paired with eggs, bacon is often a crowd-pleaser had by all. Turkey bacon is a variety of bacon coming from, you guessed it, turkey. While many love this form of bacon, is okay for keto-dieters to indulge? Keep reading to find out if turkey bacon is keto!
Turkey Bacon is keto-friendly as it is a high fat, low carb food. The keto diet is a nutrition plan that is very high in fat and very low in carbohydrates. If you are looking for other keto friendly meats, the best alternatives to turkey bacon include Oscar Mayer Bacon and Jones Dairy Farm Hickory Smoked Canadian Bacon.
Keep reading to learn more about turkey bacon, the keto diet, and other alternatives that you can try for the keto diet.
Contents
What is Turkey Bacon?
Turkey bacon is a meat product made from chopped turkey that has been shaped, cured, and smoked. It is made to resemble pig bacon and may include pork. Due to religious constraints prohibiting the consumption of swine, turkey bacon is sometimes preferred to pork bacon. While turkey bacon is sometimes touted as a low-fat substitute for swine bacon, it has a comparable nutritional profile and includes substantial levels of saturated fat. This is a positive thing about the keto diet.
The Keto Diet
The keto diet aims to force your body into using a different type of fuel. Instead of eating lots of carbohydrates including grains, legumes, vegetables, and fruits, keto dieters eat a lot higher fat foods, from things like avocados, fatty seafood, bacon, eggs, and high-fat dairy. This is because the keto diet relies on ketone bodies, a type of fuel that the liver produces from stored fat rather than glucose from carbohydrates for energy. This process is called ketosis.
Ketosis and the keto diet have been studied in recent years. Outcomes of these studies suggest the keto diet can reduce the risk for diseases like diabetes, Alzheimer’s, cancer, and epilepsy. It also often leads to rapid weight loss while on the diet. That being said, the keto diet relies purely on ketosis, and when any extra carbohydrates are eaten above the daily maximum, the body reverts back to using carbohydrate stores, and weight is often regained.
Nutritional Content of Turkey Bacon
Turkey bacon is produced by a few different major name brands. It is easily found in most grocery stores in the deli section. Here we’ll discuss some of the different brands and forms of turkey bacon and their nutritional content, as well as go into exactly why turkey bacon is suitable for the keto diet. We’ll also discuss some of turkey bacon’s benefits and add some other keto-friendly alternatives to try at the end!
Butterball Turkey Bacon
The list of ingredients in Butterball Turkey Bacon are:
- Turkey
- Mechanically Separated Turkey
- Water
- Salt
- Sugar
- Contains 2% or Less of:
- Canola Oil
- Sunflower Oil
- Natural Flavor
- Sodium Phosphate
- Potassium Acetate
- Acetic Acid
- Sodium Erythorbate
- Sodium Nitrite.
Nutrition Facts (per 1 slice/ 14 g):
- Calories: 30
- Total Fat: 2.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Cholesterol: 10 g
- Sodium: 135 mg
- Carbs: 0 g
- Dietary Fiber: 0 g
- Sugars: 0 g
- Protein: 2 g
Butterball Lower Sodium Turkey Bacon
The list of ingredients in Butterball Lower Sodium Turkey Bacon are:
- Turkey
- Mechanically Separated Turkey
- Water
- Sugar
- Contains 2% or Less of:
- Salt
- Canola Oil
- Sunflower Oil
- Natural Flavor
- Sodium Phosphate
- Potassium
- Acetate
- Acetic Acid
- Smoke Flavor
- Sodium Erythorbate
- Sodium Nitrite
Nutrition Facts (per 1 slice/ 14 g):
- Calories: 30
- Total Fat: 2.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 15 g
- Sodium: 80 mg
- Carbs: 1 g
- Dietary Fiber: 0 g
- Sugars: 0 g
- Protein: 2 g
Oscar Mayer Turkey Bacon
The list of ingredients in Oscar Mayer Turkey Bacon are:
- Turkey
- Sugar
- Salt
- Contains Less Than 2% of:
- Potassium Lactate
- Water
- Potassium Chloride
- Sodium Diacetate
- Sodium Phosphates
- Smoke Flavor
- Sodium Ascorbate
- Autolyzed Yeast Extract
- Sodium Nitrite
- Soy Lecithin
Nutrition Facts (per 1 slice/ 15 g):
- Calories: 35
- Total Fat: 2.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 15 g
- Sodium: 140 mg
- Carbs: 0 g
- Dietary Fiber: 0 g
- Sugars: 0 g
- Protein: 2 g
Oscar Mayer Smoked Uncured Turkey Bacon with Sea Salt
The list of ingredients in Oscar Mayer Smoked Uncured Turkey Bacon with Sea Salt are:
- Turkey
- Sugar
- Sea Salt
- Contains Less Than 2% of:
- Distilled White Vinegar*
- Cultured Celery Juice*
- Water
- Natural Flavor
- Natural Hickory Smoke Flavor
- Cherry Powder
- Soy Lecithin
Nutrition Facts (per 1 slice/ 15 g):
- Calories: 30
- Total Fat: 2.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Cholesterol: 15 g
- Sodium: 140 mg
- Carbs: 0 g
- Dietary Fiber: 0 g
- Sugars: 0 g
- Protein: 2 g
Applegate Natural Uncured Turkey Bacon
The list of ingredients in Applegate Natural Uncured Turkey Bacon is:
- Turkey***
- Water
- Contains Less Than 2% Of The Following:
- Sea Salt
- Celery Powder
- Onion Powder
- Spices
Nutrition Facts (per 1 slice/ 15 g):
- Calories: 30
- Total Fat: 1.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Cholesterol: 20 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Carbs: 0 g
- Dietary Fiber: 0 g
- Sugars: 0 g
- Protein: 5 g
Review of Turkey Bacon Nutrition
Turkey bacon is a high-fat food with ingredients that vary depending on the brand and variety. As you can see, some of the original forms have additional preservatives and flavoring, while some of the more natural forms have natural flavoring and fewer preservatives. While both forms are keto-friendly, you may opt for the natural forms for more natural flavoring.
You may have also noticed that this is a high sodium food. If you are trying to reduce your sodium intake, try to go for low sodium varieties of turkey bacon.
Turkey Bacon’s Health Benefits
Turkey bacon packs a few health benefits that are beneficial not only for those on the keto diet but for any lifestyle. Turkey bacon does offer some B vitamins, which are important in energy metabolism and cell function. It also offers some protein which is useful for meal satiety and tissue building.
Alternatives to Turkey Bacon
Oscar Mayer Thick Cut Fully Cooked Bacon
This form of bacon is the most classic and regularly found, more so than turkey bacon. It has a similar nutrient make up; however, it is slightly high in total fat, saturated fat, and protein than most turkey bacon varieties. That being said, both are still suitable for the ketogenic diet.
The list of ingredients in Oscar Mayer Thick Cut Fully Cooked Bacon are:
- Pork Cured with:
- Water
- Salt
- Sugar
- Sodium Ascorbate
- Sodium Nitrite
Nutrition Facts (per 2 slices/ 14 g):
- Calories: 60
- Total Fat: 4.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Cholesterol: 15 g
- Sodium: 270 g
- Carbs: 0 g
- Protein: 5 g
Jones Dairy Farm Hickory Smoked Canadian Bacon
Canadian bacon also called back bacon, is cut from the pork loin on the back of the pig. It can also include a portion of the pork belly in the same cut. Canadian bacon is said to be leaner than regular pork bacon, however, when compared to the brand above, it presents about the same. From the nutrient information, we can see it is higher in protein and leaner in saturated fat than some forms of turkey bacon. It can be used as an alternative for turkey bacon in most recipes.
The list of ingredients in Jones Dairy Farm Hickory Smoked Canadian Bacon are:
- Pork Cured with:
- Water
- Potassium Lactate
- Salt
- Sugar
- Natural Flavor
- Sodium Diacetate
- Sodium Phosphates
- Sodium Ascorbate
- Sodium Nitrite
Nutrition Facts (per 2 slices/ 14 g):
- Calories: 60
- Total Fat: 4.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Cholesterol: 15 g
- Sodium: 270 g
- Carbs: 0 g
- Protein: 5 g
Kellogg’s Morningstar Breakfast Veggie Bacon Strips
If you are vegetarian, vegan, or just not a fan of animal-derived bacon, veggie bacon might be the alternative for you. This particular brand and version is vegetarian, not vegan, and offers a pretty similar nutrient composition as regular turkey bacon. It does have a lot of preservatives and additives, though, so you may want to avoid this form if that is something you are concerned about.
The list of ingredients in Kellogg’s Morningstar Breakfast Veggie Bacon Strips are:
- Water
- Soybean Oil
- Modified Corn Starch
- Egg Whites
- Soy Flour
- Wheat Gluten
- Hydrolyzed Corn Protein
- Contains 2% or Less of:
- Vegetable Glycerin
- Salt
- Soy Protein Isolate
- Sodium Citrate
- Sodium Phosphate
- Sugar
- Yeast
- Caramel Color
- Natural and Artificial Flavors
- Monocalcium Phosphate
- Sodium Tripolyphosphate
- Malic Acid
- Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
- Guar Gum
- Lactic Acid
- Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
- Yeast Extract
- Spice
- Locust Bean Gum
- Sodium Sulfite (for Freshness)
- Disodium Inosinate
- Disodium Guanylate
- Carrageenan
- Red 3
- Nonfat Milk
- Yellow 6
- Citric Acid
- Vitamins and Minerals: Niacinamide, Iron (Ferrous Sulfate), Vitamin B1 (Thiamin Mononitrate), Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine Hydrochloride), Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), Vitamin B12.
Nutrition Facts (per 2 slices/ 14 g):
- Calories: 60
- Total Fat: 4.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Cholesterol: 0 g
- Sodium: 220 g
- Carbs: 2 g
- Protein: 2 g
Conclusion
Turkey bacon is a high-fat, low carbohydrate food that is suitable for the ketogenic diet. It comes in many different brands and varieties, each offering different ingredients and nutrient compositions. Make sure to read the label to get the best turkey bacon for your needs. You can also swap turkey bacon out for regular pork bacon, Canadian bacon, or veggie bacon.
Related Questions
Is turkey bacon vegetarian?
No, turkey bacon is made from turkey meat and therefore is an animal-derived product. You can find vegetarian-friendly bacon alternatives at most supermarkets, though, just make sure to check the label.
Is turkey bacon better than regular bacon?
Turkey bacon is slightly lower in calories and saturated fat than bacon from pork. However, not substantially. Therefore, I suggest choosing for taste rather than health for this decision, as it won’t make much of a difference.
Is turkey bacon okay for hypertension?
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, can be expedited by foods high in saturated fat and sodium. Unfortunately, turkey bacon is often both of those things. Therefore, try to eat this food less than once per week if you have hypertension.