Last Updated on by San San
The other day, I invited my best friends to lunch. I spent the whole week thinking about what I could prepare for them to eat – something that everyone loves and something that everyone will be delighted to enjoy together. While I was doing my research on the internet, I came across a recipe for bacon. Since I have health-conscious best friends, I decided to check if I can consider serving bacon in the dishes I will be preparing. So, let’s get on with it – can diabetics eat bacon? Time to find out!
I immediately remembered that all my friends love bacon, too. But, I also know that one of my friends has diabetes, so I asked myself the question, “can diabetics eat bacon?” I did a little research and because I’m sure many of you are asking the same question, I decided to write something that I can share with all of you and shorten the time you have planned to research this particular topic.
A lot of people are becoming diabetics, and almost every person on the planet knows at least one or a couple of diabetics. So, I hope this text guides you on how to protect yourself and your friends when it comes to diabetes. After all, prevention is better than cure.
A Definite Answer to the Question Can Diabetics Eat Bacon
Types of Diabetes
The answer to the question, “can diabetics eat bacon?” solely depends on the type of diabetes a person has. There is generally two types of diabetes identified. Type 1 diabetes means that the body produces very little or no insulin at all. This means that insulin injections are needed to maintain blood sugar levels.
It’s usually the part where people have to keep taking the injections because they weren’t able to help their health needs and opting for lifestyle changes is too much to ask for.
Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes and as much as 90% of all cases of diabetes are attributed to this type. Type 2 means that the body does not make good use of the insulin that it produces. This type of diabetes is treated with a healthy lifestyle, including increased physical activity, and a healthy diet. But it must also be known that over time this type of diabetic will have to take pills or insulin to cope with blood sugar. And even then, discipline with what you eat and drink and do are very important factors in keeping your body healthy.
Bacon- Should Diabetics Avoid It?
Bacon, as a regular food option, is not recommended for those diabetics who have type 2 diabetes. This is because bacon is high in saturated fats. This type of fat raises cholesterol levels and causes inflammation throughout the body, especially in diabetics.
Diabetics already have an increased risk of obtaining heart diseases, and it is the consumption of bacon that further increases that risk. So, it all boils down to substitutes, does it? We’ll have to find out for ourselves!
People with type 2 diabetes often have other health problems such as high blood pressure, high triglycerides, obesity, and other factors that put them in the group of people who should avoid bacon. Instead of bacon, it is recommended that diabetics with type 2 diabetes consume lean proteins, such as chicken, fish, and turkey.
If it cannot be helped and diabetics you know are not very keen on trying lean proteins, carrots sliced thinly like bacon and fried to the crisp can work! If you haven’t already tried this, maybe you should! You might even be the bearer of good news to diabetics you know with this awesome substitute to pork bacon!
Can Type 1 Diabetics Eat Bacon?
The above applies to people who have type 2 diabetes, but what about people who have another type of diabetes? Can type 1 diabetics eat bacon? Well, we are about to find out. Experts say that people with type 1 diabetes are also warned not to consume too much bacon, as is the case with people with type 2 diabetes. It is emphasized again that diabetics with diabetes themselves have a 19% higher chance of developing heart disease, and if foods such as bacon rich in saturated fats are ingested, that percentage increases further.
So the bottom line is… If the type 1 diabetics’ blood sugar is not the problem when they consume bacon, it’s the heart disease they should look out for.
Can Diabetics Eat Turkey Bacon? Is It a Healthier Alternative?
Almost all of us love the smell and taste of bacon, and it is especially sweet and greasy to those who are forbidden to eat it, such as diabetics. And so very often people try to find an alternative to bacon and taste at least a modified product similar to it. Exactly one such alternative is said to be the turkey bacon and its texture and appearance do look like the pork bacon everyone is so accustomed to. So, can diabetics eat turkey bacon? Turkey bacon is considered a healthier variant than pork bacon because it contains less fat and fewer calories.
It is an indisputable fact, but nutritionists recommend that this type of bacon be avoided because it is a food that is also highly processed and contains elements that can be particularly harmful to the health of diabetics. But that does not mean that diabetics should not eat pure turkey meat. Roasted turkey is especially healthy to eat and should be eaten in normal doses, avoiding eating turkey skin.
Permitted Ways of Consuming Bacon – Are There Any at All?
We have to admit that it happens to all of us that we cannot get certain food out of our minds. This is especially true for diabetics whose diet deprives them of many food, and unfortunately, bacon is one of them. For these reasons, nutritionists have several ways to offer bacon to diabetics. The most important rule is to pay attention to the quantity and not to overdo it by eating bacon like it’s popcorn at the theatre. Consume bacon at a minimum, just to keep the cravings away. Then comes the advice that bacon should be eaten with foods rich in fibre and low GI foods – so, what’s the deal with this? Well, it has to be a balanced diet. Aside from that, it’s a diabetic’s responsibility to make sure it doesn’t spike their sugar too high.
These fibres play a huge role in controlling blood sugar, so it is also recommended to consume bacon with fruit or some oatmeal. Diabetics need to know the calorie value of the bacon they consume and coordinate their diet accordingly. This is because diabetics have a special diet that limits their daily calorie intake as well.
Conclusion
After my long research, this is the brief conclusion I came to on the question can diabetics eat bacon. There is no significant difference in eating bacon when it comes to different types of diabetes. What nutritionists are constantly saying is that diabetics should avoid eating bacon because of the large number of proteins and cholesterol that this food contains and which can cause problems in the functioning of the body of diabetics. But, if there is discipline in consuming enough bacon, there shouldn’t be a problem for diabetics to eat bacon.
But at the end of the day, we are all people who, from time to time, have a craving for a certain food, even if it is a pity. That is why nutritionists say that if we are determined to consume bacon, it should be in small quantities and with full discipline to combine with other food. It is important to cancel the negative impact and minimize the risk to diabetics when consuming bacon. Moderation is the key to everything, including the diabetic diet. Always pay attention to your daily calorie intake and carefully enjoy the taste of bacon.
