Turkey Bacon vs. "Real Bacon"

2

Replies

  • killagb
    killagb Posts: 3,280 Member
    Maybe some people are cooking their turkey bacon wrong, but I can get mine crisp. Turkey bacon is def a better choice of the two, but it's really your preference. I prefer turkey bacon over pork bacon because it's not as greasy and I just like the taste.

    Pork bacon doesn't have to be greasy...leaner cuts are available. So...why is it a better choice to eat turkey bacon? They are both proteins with fat on them...
  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
    Turkey bacon doesn't crisp up like pork bacon. And now I'm reminded I have pork bacon in the fridge. Dinner!

    Pretty much this, I have to add olive oil or some other fat to get it to crisp, and the 99% lean, forget about it might as well be chewing on the sole to my running shoes. However, I do prefer the regular turkey bacon to pork bacon.
  • tebbs915
    tebbs915 Posts: 130 Member
    I like both but I always eat pork bacon because I get it from my dad for free from our own pigs (which is soooo much better than store bought...).

    Can you please send me some?!?!?!!? hehehe (seriously... i'd be your best friend!)

    I LOVE real bacon; I don't really like turkey bacon. Like others said, it just doesn't look any different when its cooked. bleh. I like my bacon crispy! :)
  • ak_in_ak
    ak_in_ak Posts: 657 Member
    Turkey bacon is nasty and processed, it is basically a hotdog in bacon shape. Turkey bacon is less cals per slice, but the slices are much thiner and weight less.

    The best thing to get is center cut bacon, it has way less salt and fat then regular bacon.
  • kmbrooks15
    kmbrooks15 Posts: 941 Member
    I am not fond of turkey bacon. If I'm going to have bacon, I want the pork bacon. I just make sure not to eat too much of it at once!

    My mother in law serves turkey bacon and cooks it in the microwave...that may be what turned me off to it to begin with. Yuck.
  • Fit4Penny
    Fit4Penny Posts: 75 Member
    Center Cut Bacon is actually the better choice based on the nutritional information. Here's the nutritional information per serving for each:

    Center Cut:
    Serving Size: 3 slices

    70 calories
    5g Fat
    2g Saturated
    15 Cholesterol
    270mg sodium
    7g protein

    Turkey Bacon:
    Serving Size: 2 slices

    70 calories
    6g Fat
    2g Saturated
    30 Cholesterol
    380mg sodium
    4g protein

    I used to pick turkey bacon but now I go with center cut!
  • Grokette
    Grokette Posts: 3,330 Member
    I love pork bacon, although I only have it at restaurants once or twice a year. I've never tried turkey bacon, but I always keep a box of Morningstar Farms soy bacon in my freezer!

    Soy bacon sounds way worse than turkey bacon.
  • jennarandhayes
    jennarandhayes Posts: 456 Member
    I HATE turkey bacon and I am a self proclaimed (pork)bacon loving vegetarian!


    Actually, I'm not a vegetarian but I've always wanted to meet a bacon eating vegetarian because really, who doesn't love bacon? I do LOVE Morningstar Farms, veggie bacon though. The flavor is really good and you can't beat the crunch, YUM! Thank you for posting about bacon, it's made my day. X
  • rmdiaz1
    rmdiaz1 Posts: 56
    Surprisingly I really liked Turkey Bacon! I just tried it two weeks ago and it's really good, so I figure if it's healthier I will eat that.
  • launawe
    launawe Posts: 60 Member
    I go with the uncured center-cut bacon. I think the real thing is tastier. I think that the turkey bacon isn't necessarily cheaper b/c it can come from all over the turkey. If it was just white meat or something, it might be healthier. I just eat the lean part of the regular bacon, and leave the fat. It's not possible to do that with turkey bacon--you have to eat it all mixed together.
  • jeanniewhitney
    jeanniewhitney Posts: 1
    I would think turkey bacon is leaner and lower in fat, and sodium so I would go for the turkey bacon. The fact that pork bacon fries up really crispy and greasy that is a dead give away that it is the less healthy choice.I like the information about center cut bacon but I have never seen this, where do you get it?
  • jperrysunlover
    jperrysunlover Posts: 96 Member
    I eat the "real" deal. Center Cut pork bacon.
  • phy40
    phy40 Posts: 260 Member
    I love real bacon. Turkey bacon is ok.
  • Grokette
    Grokette Posts: 3,330 Member
    I would think turkey bacon is leaner and lower in fat, and sodium so I would go for the turkey bacon. The fact that pork bacon fries up really crispy and greasy that is a dead give away that it is the less healthy choice.I like the information about center cut bacon but I have never seen this, where do you get it?

    Turkey bacon is much more processed and uses parts, skin and left overs - just like hot dogs.............

    Why not just eat raw, unprocessed pork belly?????

    Pork bacon is really way more healthy than turkey bacon, based on less processing alone. We need to get the whole low fat, lean is the better choice. This country has been duped as stated in my signature.
  • killagb
    killagb Posts: 3,280 Member
    Surprisingly I really liked Turkey Bacon! I just tried it two weeks ago and it's really good, so I figure if it's healthier I will eat that.

    It's not healthier.
  • Seminolegirl97
    Seminolegirl97 Posts: 306 Member
    I prefer turkey bacon. Real Bacon is salty to me.
  • ChantalGG
    ChantalGG Posts: 2,404 Member
    i dont like the turkey stuff and the real stuff isnt that good anymore. I will have a piece of ham if i have to eat meat like that for breakfast.
  • Drunkadelic
    Drunkadelic Posts: 948 Member
    I eat the real stuff and love it.

    You all can stick to that nasty turkey crap if you want, but I'm going to fully enjoy all my saturated fat, thank you :D
  • kstep88
    kstep88 Posts: 403 Member
    I only eat turkey. I don't eat pork, ever. I ate it in the past and always got sick, no matter where it came from. I prefer turkey sausage to bacon though. I think it tastes better and the products I buy have less sodium, cholesterol and overall fat. If you're looking for whats better nutritionally...google it.
  • fontrella
    fontrella Posts: 16 Member
    I like them both. It just depends what I want at the time. Your co-worker probably has the "Don't Eat this eat this" book. Which they go in details why real bacon is better for you than turkey bacon.
  • Cakepiebeer
    Cakepiebeer Posts: 392
    I use to just eat turkey bacon. But I've reached a point now where I can enjoy the real stuff now because IT TASTE SO MUCH BETTER!!

    When I eat a burger, you better bet your sweet *kitten* there's gonna have pork bacon on it!
  • ladybg81
    ladybg81 Posts: 1,553 Member
    I use butterball turkey bacon and do not have a problem with it not being crispy. I either pan "fry" it or put it in the oven on the broiler pan. It is SO good. We only eat turkey bacon now.
  • amysj303
    amysj303 Posts: 5,086 Member
    I also go for the real bacon. Two slices of thick bacon is under 100 calories and so yummy. Turkey bacon is like bologna, yuck. I saw a video of "mechanically separated poultry" it is repulsive (looks like strawberry softserve and take everything except the bones) so now I won't touch anything that says it contains mechanically separated poultry.
    Also, I saw where the "eat this, not that" book said bacon was better, nutritionally. I think it was a sodium thing, which is interesting because you thought real bacon was too salty now!
  • ahsongbird
    ahsongbird Posts: 712 Member
    I don't eat bacon at all any more unless I really have a craving for it mainly bc it does nothing to fill my stomach so to me it is just empty calories. I like the taste of turkey bacon and pork bacon equally though.
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    Turkey bacon is terrible. Pork bacon comes from pork belly, turkey bacon comes from, well that's just it, nobody knows, it's basically frankenturkey, it's just bits and pieces mashed together and pressed and formed into bacon shapes with added fat. Just because turkey breast is lean, don't think a processed item like turkey bacon is lean. As someone already pointed out, turkey bacon has more fat than pork bacon.
  • killagb
    killagb Posts: 3,280 Member
    I don't eat bacon at all any more unless I really have a craving for it mainly bc it does nothing to fill my stomach so to me it is just empty calories. I like the taste of turkey bacon and pork bacon equally though.

    It does do something to fill your stomach...it has protein.
  • afries0907
    afries0907 Posts: 36 Member
    Thank you everyone for your input. I NEVER EVEN THOUGHT ABOUT IT BEING PROCESSED. DUH on my part. and a few people compared it to HOTDOGS...I HATE HOT DOGS...barf. Got alot of input. I appreciate it all.
  • ShellyLee
    ShellyLee Posts: 293 Member
    I only eat real pork bacon, although I do try and get the low sodium kind if they have it. I've seen turkey bacon in the store and it just looks disgusting to me so I've never even tried it. And honestly two pieces of bacon is only 70 calories... and according the MFP has less fat that two large eggs. I do get turkey and chicken sausage though and they are very good.
  • waynefromphilly
    waynefromphilly Posts: 2
    Not all turkey bacon is made from "pink slime". I eat a version that is real wood smoked and made from chopped turkey thighs. Its 94% fat free and looses very little size in the pan. It is made by a company called Godshall's in Pennsylvania. It isn't as crunchy as pork but ALL the flavor is there. Their website has a locator: www.godshalls.com
  • waynefromphilly
    waynefromphilly Posts: 2
    That video was of mechanically separated turkey- there IS turkey bacon made from turkey thighs that is low in fat and very bacon tasty. The kind I get is Godshall's but Ive also seen it at Sam's Club. The slime stuff gets crispier but who knows what its made from?
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