How you cook bacon influences how healthy it is in the long run. 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.
Oven baked bacon is easier to make, healthier, and produces better results than fried bacon (Air Fryer Bacon is another great method).
So what is the proper way to eat bacon? According to experts on all things manners such as the Emily Post Institute, bacon can be consider finger food if it is dry, crisp and served whole. However, if it is broken into pieces, served in thick slices, or cooked but still limp, it should be eaten with a knife and fork.
Do you need oil for cooking bacon on the stove? No, you don't. Your bacon might stick to the pan initially, but it's quite a fatty cut of meat and will release its own juice to cook in pretty quickly.
“Bacon fat has many similarities, nutritionally speaking, to other oils, despite its bad reputation,” she told me. “It has similar calorie and fat content, 40 calories and 5 gram of fat per teaspoon.”
Nutritionally speaking, bacon fat is actually lower in saturated fat and higher in the good monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats than butter.
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.
It's actually explained by chemistry. When bacon is heated, it undergoes the Maillard Reaction, which causes food to brown and gives it its flavor. With bacon, the reaction causes sugars to react with amino acids, that when combined with bacon fat, creates unique aroma compounds that together make your mouth water.
Science Backs Bacon
In order to reduce abdominal fat, high triglyceride levels, and insulin resistance (all of which are linked to weight gain), a higher fat breakfast comprising bacon may be the way to go.
For example, eggs typically are eaten with other foods high in salt, saturated fat and cholesterol, such as bacon, cheese and butter. These foods are known to increase heart disease risk and should be eaten sparingly.
Bacon is safe to cook in the air fryer, but you need to make sure that you use the proper temperature and that your air fryer is clean before you begin. The best bacon air fryer temperature is 350 degrees F. This will crisp the bacon without causing it to smoke or burn.
Healthiest Way to Cook Bacon
The healthiest way to make bacon is to pan-fry it until crispy so that most of the fat melts off it. Be careful not to burn the bacon, increasing your carcinogen consumption.
Fried eggs are absolutely good for you if you use the right things to cook them. Of course, cooking a fried egg in bacon grease or heavy oils will make them less good for you. If you use a healthy alternative like olive oil, sunflower oil, or canola oil then you improve their benefits.
While a pan is on, he simply heats olive oil, brown sugar, salt, pepper and butter in a pan before adding the bacon. After the bacon begins to sizzle in the pan, Gordon Ramsay explains why this method helps create tastier bacon. He said: “As it cooks, it becomes irresistibly caramelised and golden brown.”
According to Epicurious, par-cooking it in the oven is the preferred method of many restaurant owners. Once it's cooked, they layer the bacon slices on paper towels to absorb the fat and refrigerate. When you're ready to eat, simply re-heat the bacon on the stovetop to the desired crispness.
Eggs are not only high in protein, they also contain many vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. So, bacon and eggs really can be a healthy breakfast option, if eaten in moderation.
While bacon is flavorful and a breakfast favorite among many, it shouldn't be something you eat regularly. High in saturated fat, just 3–4 slices of bacon represents about a fifth of your daily limit for saturated fat.
Olive oil is generally considered a healthier option than butter, as it contains beneficial fats that can improve heart health, while butter contains saturated fats that can be harmful in excess. However, moderation is key when it comes to using any type of oil or fat in cooking.
Margarine often tops butter when it comes to heart health. Margarine is a blend of oils that are mostly unsaturated fat. Butter is made from cream or milk. The type of fat found in animal products, such as cream, is mostly saturated fat.
Because olive oil has more monounsaturated fats (the heart-healthy fats) than butter, it stands to reason it's also healthier to cook with.