Whether you’re following a keto diet yourself or looking to be respectful of others’ dietary choices, it can be helpful to know which foods get a thumbs up in the world of keto eating. The keto diet, short for the ketogenic diet, focuses on eating large amounts of fat, medium amounts of protein, and low amounts of sugars and other carbohydrates.
Since this diet is known for allowing rich and fat-forward foods, you might be wondering if bacon is keto. The short answer is yes: bacon is keto!
Keep reading to learn more about how natural bacon can fit into a keto diet.
Can You Eat Bacon On a Keto Diet?
While you may not think of bacon as diet food, most types of bacon fit perfectly into a keto diet plan since they’re low in carbs yet high in protein and fat. That means bacon is perfect for snacking on in the afternoon or mixing into your chicken dinner dish for some extra flavoring.
However, before you go munching on bacon morning, noon, and night, recognize that not all bacon is created equal.
If you’re following a keto diet, one of your main concerns is keeping carbohydrate intake low. While the pork bacon is made from is naturally low in carbs, processors sometimes add sugars during the curing process. Therefore, it’s important to read product labels to check whether there is any sugar in your bacon.
If you’re looking for all of that rich smokey taste you love without any added sugars, try out Coleman Natural’s Sugar-Free Applewood Smoked Uncured Bacon. While this bacon is sugar-free, it’s loaded with protein and contains fat, making it fit perfectly into a keto diet—two slices of cooked bacon only contain six grams of fat and six grams of protein.
What Is a Keto Diet?
The goal of a keto diet is to force your body away from using the simple sugar glucose and instead turn to burn fat. When the body is low on carbohydrates, the liver may start burning fat to form a type of fuel known as ketone bodies. This process is known as ketosis.
To encourage ketosis, consumers aim to limit their carbohydrates so they make up only 5-10% of their daily calorie intake. On the other hand, they boost their fat consumption so fats make up 70-80% of daily calorie intake, and proteins make up 10-20% of daily calories.
How to Enjoy Bacon While Eating Keto
Crispy bacon strips indeed make a great keto snack, but there are many other ways to enjoy bacon while following a keto diet.
Enjoy with Eggs and Vegetables
While some people think eggs and bacon can only be eaten for breakfast, this classic pairing is a hit any time of day. For a keto-friendly dish, sauté some bacon, diced uncured ham, and leafy greens like spinach and kale in oil. When the filling is cooked, fold it into scrambled eggs or use it to make a frittata.
Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus
While not all vegetables are keto-friendly, asparagus is. This recipe for Oven Roasted Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus combines the tender snap of asparagus with the savory crunch of bacon. This dish is special enough for holidays or celebrations, but it’s also simple and quick to make as a snack or part of a regular meal.
Jalapeño Poppers, With a Bacon Twist
If you like a bit of spice, try these Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers. First, you’ll stuff jalapeños with cream cheese and cheddar cheese, both of which are low in carbs yet full of fat and protein. Next, you’ll wrap each stuffed pepper in bacon to add a satisfying savory crunch.
Bacon-Wrapped Pork Medallions
Whether you’re cooking for yourself or looking for a recipe the whole family will enjoy, try out these Bacon-Wrapped Peppercorn Pork Tenderloin Medallions. With flavors including rosemary, red wine, and bacon, this dish is elegant enough for a special occasion, but also easy enough to enjoy any night of the week. To keep the recipe keto-friendly, choose a dry red wine like Merlot or Pinot Noir.
What Can You Eat on a Keto Diet?
When you’re following a keto diet, stay away from foods high in sugar and carbs, including pasta, bread, crackers, and most fruit. However, you can still enjoy foods like beef, pork chops, pork tenderloin, and full-fat dairy products along with non-starchy vegetables and nuts.
Start with All-Natural Bacon
If you’re looking for keto bacon, turn to Coleman Natural’s line of uncured bacon products. Our Hickory Smoked Uncured Bacon contains only one gram of carbohydrates per serving, and our Sugar-Free Applewood Smoked Uncured Bacon is carb-free.
Coleman Hickory Smoked Uncured Bacon is free from chemical preservatives. While all bacon is cured, the ingredients used in the curing process can vary from product to product. Some companies use added nitrates or nitrites to cure their meat. However, Coleman Natural uses a blend of cultured celery powder and sea salt.
Plus, all of our bacon products are made from hogs raised without antibiotics or added hormones on American family farms.
So the next time you’re shopping for bacon for your keto diet, look for the Coleman Natural label.
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