Turkey Bacon vs. "Real Bacon"

KnM0107

I can't eat pork or beef without getting extremely ill, so I stick with turkey bacon.

FreeToBreathe

So I was discussing what I had eaten the last 2 days with a co-worker and I told her that I eat turkey bacon. She looked at me with a little discus and told me that "Real Bacon" is better than turkey bacon. I came back with, for one I don't really like "Real Bacon" anymore. I tore a peice off of my husbands piece that he had last night for dinner and I spit it out b/c it was so freakin salty I could hardly stand it. SOO..What are other peoples thought on this?? Thanks in advance

Sorry to say I too have heard regular bacon is better for you than turkey bacon. Although turkey-based foods may have less fat, etc in them than hamburg or pork, it doesn't necessarily mean it's better for you. Turkey this, turkey that -- doesn't mean turkey is the best option at all times. I think it's part gimmick TBH. Just like this organic stuff. Of course organic is better...more natural...so they say, but it's all about marketing. Is organic food really, fully organic 100% time? Ummm...I don't think so.

This is just my 2 cents of course...right/wrong?!

I rather go with pork bacon or no bacon. lol

DavidHusky

Shouldn't the quotes be around "Turkey Bacon" (since it is the impostor)?

BigGuy47

Bacon. The best part of the pig.

Turkey bacon. It's just not right.

Carnivor0us

Pork isn't inherently less healthy than turkey - and higher fat isn't always bad, especially if you're staying within the serving size.

kenzietate

I love real bacon and eat it often. The sodium isn't a big deal to me because I drink enough water and process sodium well so I don't worry about it. Turkey bacon doesn't have enough fat to make it taste good to me! Plus crispy is absolutely necessary to me! As in almost burnt crispy. Turkey bacon will never get that way!

ETA: I feel like real bacon is way less processed than turkey bacon. Good bacon is literally sliced off the hog and smoked, then brought home and cooked. Turkey bacon is smoked, taken off the bird, chopped into tiny pieces and then reformed into bacon shapes. I don't know it is only a few extra steps but they have to use something to hold the pieces together right. Personally I would rather just eat the real stuff!

thmgoodw

Going on 20 straight days with real bacon for breakfast. mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

danimalkeys

real bacon for me too. How salty it is depends on the brand. we usually get a thick cut brand from Sam's but I forget what the name is. I love turkey, just not in bacon form. Roasted thighs with the skin on and nice and crispy is great. And of course the whole bird slow roasted or done on the smoker.

neanderthin

Hornsby

Summer_Lunatic

No contest. Real bacon twice a day and three times on Sunday. :bigsmile:

jshaps7

Center cut pork bacon is the way to go! Has the same grams of fat as the turkey bacon I tried and I just can't get over the texture of turkey bacon. Didn't even think about the processed food issue.

Also - if you follow any Hungry Girl recipes she uses center cut bacon and turkey bacon interchangeably in her menus as many of the nutritional stats are very close.

Great... now I want BACON!!!

aimforhealthy

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.

Yep! It crisps just fine. Both my kid and I prefer turkey bacon although we both like real bacon, too. But we prefer the taste, smell and texture of turkey bacon. It's more consistent. I've never been too fond of the fatty parts of real bacon - only ever ate the red parts. I know, I know, that's the best part for some people.

Now, veggie "bacon" is pretty much thinly rolled, salted cardboard, sent express via Satan.

Adw7677

It depends on the brands of bacon.

I tried turkey bacon in my Grand Slam breakfast at Denny's. Their turkey bacon is *AMAZING*. I felt good after eating that breakfast. Next trip to Costco, we picked up a multipack of turkey bacon. It tasted like nitrates and preservatives - and absolutely nothing else but that. I felt like crap after eating it - slightly nauseaus, headache, and needed a nap. And now I get sick when I smell it cooking.

I have heard others say that the amount of sodium in turkey bacon makes it worse than regular bacon. Again, that would likely depend on the brands that you're comparing. I think any meat bacon would be better than any chemical bacon, regardless of what they call it.

SweetlyVague

I'll always love a good, thick piece of quality real bacon.

But honestly, I agree. Most of the time bacon is just WAY too salty. I can barely handle it now.

I LOOOOVE Turkey bacon!

cwolfman13

This bad boy is like 2 years old...

That said, if you look at the nutritional value per serving of either it's pretty much 6 of 1 unless your really seek out like 95% fat free turkey bacon...which is pretty much like cardboard. A lot of people don't look too closely but usually with pork bacon the serving size is 2 fried slices...with turkey it's 1 fried slice and the numbers are roughly 1/2 of what pork bacon is (thus everyone is like oooohhhh this is some healthy ****)...for 1 slice...but most people are going to go ahead and fry up 2 slices and will be eating the exact same thing as 2 slices of pork bacon without the benefit of it actually being bacon.

I personally eat thick cut, center cut, apple smoked bacon...it's awesome. I don't know how people stomach that weird thin film of "turkey bacon"

bmqbonnie

Turkey bacon only has slightly less calories and is way less tasty. Both about the same (turkey possibly worse) sodium wise. Both have saturated fat. Why on earth would I eat turkey bacon?

I do use turkey sausage when I make biscuits and gravy because there is a big difference in calories there and it tastes the same. But bacon? NO. I get some quality *kitten* bacon.

Bacon on turkey, now that's acceptable.

youcantfakeawesome

Real food is always better than processed. I am not sure that turkeys have a bacon.