Introduction
If you’re looking for a delicious way to reduce your cholesterol levels, then you’ve come to the right place. Eating the right type of bacon can help lower your cholesterol levels and improve your overall health. In this article, we’ll discuss the #1 best bacon for high cholesterol, according to a dietitian. We’ll also provide some tips on how to incorporate this bacon into your diet in a healthy way. So, if you’re looking for a delicious way to reduce your cholesterol levels, read on to learn more about the #1 best bacon for high cholesterol.
The #1 Best Bacon for High Cholesterol, Says Dietitian — Eat This Not That
If you’re looking for the best bacon for high cholesterol, a dietitian has the answer. According to registered dietitian nutritionist, Amy Gorin, the best bacon for high cholesterol is turkey bacon.
Turkey bacon is a great alternative to traditional pork bacon because it is lower in saturated fat and calories. It also contains more protein than pork bacon, which can help you feel fuller for longer.
Gorin recommends looking for turkey bacon that is nitrate-free and made with minimal ingredients. She also suggests avoiding turkey bacon that is high in sodium, as this can increase your risk of high blood pressure.
If you’re looking for a healthier alternative to pork bacon, turkey bacon is a great option. It’s lower in saturated fat and calories, and higher in protein, making it a great choice for those with high cholesterol. Just make sure to look for turkey bacon that is nitrate-free and made with minimal ingredients, and avoid those that are high in sodium.
Cholesterol gets a bad rap, but our bodies actually need certain levels of it in order to create hormones and cell membranes. The reason this fatty substance in our blood has a negative connotation attached to it is that many people in the U.S. have cholesterol levels that are too high, which can lead to heart disease, heart attacks, or strokes.
According to the American Heart Association, high cholesterol can come from “unhealthy” lifestyle choices—including our daily diet. While it’s normal to assume that foods high in cholesterol are the leading causes of high cholesterol in our bodies, foods that are high in saturated fats, added sugar, and sodium are more to blame for increasing LDL cholesterol (“bad” cholesterol) levels in the body.
Because of this, it’s often suggested that those trying to lower their cholesterol should steer clear of processed red meats like sausage, deli meat, or bacon—but are there alternatives to these red meat products that are healthier for those with high cholesterol?
To learn more, we asked Lauren Manaker, MS, RDN, author of The First Time Mom’s Pregnancy Cookbook and Fueling Male Fertility, about a type of bacon she recommends for those needing to manage their cholesterol.
“I recommend Applegate Naturals Uncured Turkey Bacon because it is free from saturated fat, free from added sugars, and it only contains 150 milligrams of sodium per serving, which is far less than the 1,500-milligram limit of sodium that the American Heart Association suggests.”
According to the National Health Society, cutting down on saturated fat and eating healthier, unsaturated fats can help improve your cholesterol significantly. Most regular pork bacon products are extremely high in saturated fat, so it’s helpful to stay away from your typical types of bacon when you can. But this turkey bacon only has 1.5 grams of total fat and zero grams of saturated fat.
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Too much added sugar is another common culprit of higher cholesterol levels, and some people don’t realize that many bacon options have sugar added to them. Thankfully, this Applegate option has zero added sugar.
“Applegate Turkey Bacon is also made with zero antibiotics, the animals are humanely raised, and it contains no fillers,” says Manaker, “so as long as the bacon is consumed as part of an overall heart-healthy diet, including this variety will be your best bacon choice for healthy cholesterol.”