Processed meats are meats that have been preserved by smoking or salting, curing or adding chemical preservatives. They include deli meats, bacon and hot dogs. Eating processed meats increases your cancer risk.
“About 68% of the calories from bacon come from fat—and about half of those are from saturated fat—so it's definitely not the healthiest meat you can choose.” Bacon and other smoked, cured and processed meats are usually treated with nitrates or nitrites—chemical added to preserve shelf life and enhance color.
Fresh chicken, turkey, beef, pork and fish that have not been modified are considered unprocessed meats.
In light of the more recent evidence, it's best to reduce your intake of all processed meats to once every couple of weeks. Therefore, keeping your bacon intake to a minimum is recommended – eating it every couple of weeks is best.
The healthiest way to cook bacon is to cook it until crispy (but not burned), which allows the most fat to melt off. Then, drain it on a paper towel or brown paper bag to remove even more fat before eating.
The healthiest deli meats are preservative free and would be those derived from poultry; turkey, and chicken breast instead of beef or pork because the saturated fat content and calories per serving are much lower.
2) Luncheon meat
Any meat that has been cured, smoked, canned or salted is a processed food, and these types of meats, including hot dogs, salami and cured bacon, are associated with increased risk of conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and certain cancers such as bowel or stomach.
Choose the least processed cuts: Look for "whole" meats, such as chicken breast, steak cuts, pork chops, ground turkey, etc., and avoid packaged meats, such as hot dogs, bologna and sausage. Processed meats tend to be higher in sodium and unhealthy fats.
Unprocessed or minimally processed foods: Think vegetables, grains, legumes, fruits, nuts, meats, seafood, herbs, spices, garlic, eggs and milk. Make these real, whole foods the basis of your diet.
Bacon Grease vs.
Nutritionally speaking, bacon fat is actually lower in saturated fat and higher in the good monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats than butter. According to the USDA, a tablespoon of unsalted butter has 102 calories, 12 grams of fat and 2 miligrams of sodium; salted butter has 90 miligrams of sodium.
Poultry, such as chicken and turkey, is also great protein source, low in calories and saturated fat. Keri Gans, registered dietitian and author of “The Small Change Diet, ” used to recommend light meat over dark, but the fat difference is actually quite minimal.
However, in general, bacon, sausage, hot dogs, pastrami, and many other processed meats are fattier, saltier, higher in calories, and contain more additives than unprocessed red meats such as beef, pork, and lamb.
Liver. Liver, particularly beef liver, is one of the most nutritious meats you can eat. It's a great source of high-quality protein; vitamins A, B12, B6; folic acid; iron; zinc; and essential amino acids.
In general, fresh vegetables, fruits, pasteurized milk, chicken, fish, beans, and eggs are considered unprocessed or minimally processed ( 2 ). This is because these foods go through no or minimal processing before you buy them or harvest them yourself.
There is no way to completely eliminate your risk of cancer. However, the American Institute of Cancer Research recommends avoiding processed meats. That means eat as little processed meat as possible. They are considered carcinogens and eating them increases your cancer risk.
Steaks, pork chops, and other whole-muscle meats are the safest bet. That's because the cooking process can easily kill off bacteria on the cut's surface, while the inside of the meat is essentially sterile, protected from any potential pathogens—in theory.
Uncured bacon is bacon that hasn't been cured with sodium nitrites. Usually, it's cured with a form of celery, which contains natural nitrites, along with plain old sea salt and other flavorings like parsley and beet extracts. Uncured bacon has to be labeled “Uncured bacon.
Turkey bacon has fewer calories per serving (about 220 calories versus pork's 270 calories) and less total fat (about 8 grams less than pork). But it still has about 4 grams of saturated fat per serving.
Prosciutto, pancetta, and bacon are all cured meats that look and taste somewhat similarly; but their appearance, texture, and taste differ depending on where the meat comes from, the breed of pig it comes from, and how it's cured.