Can You Eat Bacon and Sausage on the Keto Diet? Everything You Need to Know

If you’re considering trying the keto diet, you may be wondering if you can still enjoy beloved breakfast meats like bacon and sausage. As a fellow bacon and sausage enthusiast, I totally get it!

When I first learned about keto, I was worried I’d have to give up my morning eggs and bacon ritual. But after doing more research, I realized that most types of bacon and sausage can fit into a keto eating plan.

In this article, we’ll take a deep dive on the ins and outs of eating bacon and sausage on keto. I’ll share:

• An overview of the keto diet and how it works
• The benefits of eating bacon and sausage on keto
• How to choose the right bacon and sausage products
• Tips for preparing them the keto-friendly way
• Potential downsides to be aware of

By the end you’ll have all the info you need to enjoy bacon sausage, and other deliciously meaty foods as part of your keto diet. Let’s get started!

A Quick Primer on the Keto Diet

Before we get into the nitty gritty of bacon and sausage, let’s make sure we’re all on the same page about keto.

The keto diet is a very low-carb, high-fat diet The goal is to get your body into a metabolic state called ketosis

When you severely limit carbs (usually to less than 50g per day), your body has to find a new primary fuel source. So it switches from burning glucose to burning fat stores for energy instead.

Eating lots of fat helps kickstart and maintain this fat-burning state. On keto, around 70-80% of your daily calories come from fat sources like oils, cheese, nuts, seeds, eggs, and of course – bacon and sausage.

Because keto limits carbs so much, you have to avoid grains, starchy veggies, fruits, beans and legumes, milk, added sugars, and most processed foods.

The keto diet has been around for decades. It was originally developed to treat epilepsy. But more recently, it has surged in popularity for weight loss and managing diabetes, PCOS, and other health conditions.

Now that you’ve got the gist of how keto works, let’s look at why bacon and sausage can be great options on this eating plan.

Why Bacon and Sausage Shine on the Keto Diet

Bacon and sausage check off a lot of boxes for a solid keto food choice:

• High in fat: With 70-80% of calories from fat, you need plenty of fatty foods in your keto toolbox. Bacon and sausage certainly deliver.

• Low in carbs: Non-breaded sausages and most types of bacon are very low in carbohydrates, keeping you in ketosis.

• Packed with protein: Getting adequate protein is crucial on keto to preserve muscle mass, keep you full, and balance out all that fat. Bacon and sausage provide protein in spades.

• Nutrient-dense: In their whole food forms, bacon and sausage supply important vitamins and minerals like B vitamins, selenium, phosphorus, zinc, iron, and potassium.

• Delicious and versatile: Not only can bacon and sausage be eaten on their own, they make other foods taste amazing too! Easy to add to veggies, eggs, salads, and more for a flavor and satiety boost.

So by eating bacon and sausage on the keto diet, you get the benefits of extra fat, protein, and nutrients to keep you feeling satisfied while your body adapts to using fat for fuel. Plus, you get to keep enjoying their mouthwatering flavors. It’s a win-win!

Next, let’s look at how to pick the highest quality bacon and sausage products to maximize nutrition on your keto journey.

Choosing Keto-Friendly Bacon and Sausage

Not all bacon and sausage is created equal when it comes to keto-friendliness. Here are some tips for selecting products that fit the keto guidelines:

Look for Lower Carb Options

• Bacon: Look for uncured bacon with 0g carbs and sugar. Avoid honey smoked or maple flavored.

• Sausage: Fresh sausages like breakfast links are typically lower carb than cured sausages like kielbasa or pepperoni.

Check the Ingredient List

• Avoid added sugars & starches: Maltodextrin, dextrose, sugar, honey, maple syrup, breadcrumbs.

• Watch out for sneaky binders: Flours, soy protein, milk solids.

• Minimal extra ingredients: The fewer the better.

Select Higher Quality Cuts and Brands

• Bacon: Go for thick-cut bacon from pork belly rather than generic thin-sliced.

• Sausage: Seek out brands using fattier cuts of meat like ribeye, pork belly, or chicken thigh.

• Look for organic, pasture-raised, grass-fed. Healthier for you and more sustainable.

Shop at a Butcher or Farmers’ Market

This allows you to ask questions and get customized sausage blends or bacon slices to your preferences.

By keeping these tips in mind when shopping, you can identify quality bacon and sausage fits into your keto goals.

Next, let’s go over some quick cooking tips.

Preparing Bacon and Sausage the Keto Way

Cooking methods and preparation can also impact the carb and fat content of bacon and sausage. Here are some pointers for making them as keto-friendly as possible:

• Avoid frying bacon or sausage in vegetable or seed oils. The inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids can counteract keto’s anti-inflammatory benefits.

• Try baking or pan-frying in avocado, olive, or coconut oil instead. More keto-approved fats!

• Add extra fat: Fry eggs in leftover bacon grease. Toss Brussels sprouts in olive oil before roasting with sausage.

• Watch portions: While delicious, bacon and sausage are calorie dense. Keep portions in check to avoid overdoing it.

• Counterbalance with low-carb veggies: Serve bacon wrapped asparagus, creamed spinach alongside sausage, or put bacon bits on salad.

With some mindful preparation methods, you can enjoy bacon and sausage on keto while keeping carb intake low and healthy fats high.

However, there are still a couple potential downsides to be aware of.

Potential Drawbacks of Bacon and Sausage on Keto

Here are two things to keep in mind when incorporating bacon and sausage into your keto diet:

1. Processed and cured meats may increase cancer risk when eaten in excess.

The World Health Organization has classified processed meats including bacon, sausage, and deli meats as carcinogenic when consumed regularly in high amounts. Eating too much is associated with increased colorectal cancer risk.

Moderating portions and choosing organic, uncured varieties can help reduce this risk. But it’s still something to be mindful of in a diet centered around meat.

2. High intake may promote inflammation and raise cholesterol for some people.

There is evidence that eating a lot of processed red meat and saturated fat may increase inflammation, cholesterol levels, and heart disease risk for certain genetic subsets of the population.

Pay attention to how your body responds when you eat bacon and sausage often. Limit portions if you experience negative effects. And make sure to consume plenty of vegetables as well for a balanced keto approach.

Overall, incorporating some bacon and sausage into a well-formulated keto diet is likely fine for most people. But moderation and mindful selection of high-quality products is key to minimizing potential downsides.

Putting it All Together: A Keto Diet with Bacon and Sausage

Now that we’ve gone over the benefits, tips for choosing quality products, preparation methods, and potential drawbacks, let’s see how bacon and sausage can be incorporated into an overall keto eating pattern.

Here’s what a day on keto might look like with bacon and sausage:

Breakfast

• 2 eggs fried in bacon grease
• 2 strips uncured bacon
• 1/2 avocado

Lunch

• Big kale salad with olive oil dressing
• 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 oz grilled chicken sausage

Dinner

• 6 oz strip steak
• 1 cup roasted brussels sprouts with bacon bits
• Side salad with olive oil and red wine vinegar dressing

Snacks (if needed)

• Hard boiled egg
• 1-2 oz cheddar cheese
• Celery sticks dipped in guacamole made with bacon bits

This provides a good balance of low-carb veggies, healthy fats from olive oil, avocado, and cheese, and moderate amounts of bacon and sausage.

The takeaway? Enjoying bacon and sausage on keto is absolutely possible when chosen mindfully and paired with plenty of other nutritious, low-carb foods.

The Bottom Line on Bacon and Sausage for Keto

To wrap it all up, here are the key points to remember:

• Bacon and sausage can be stellar options on keto due to their high fat, low carb, and protein content.

• Opt for high quality, low carb products and use healthy cooking methods.

• Be mindful of portions and pair with lots of low-carb vegetables for balance.

• Limit intake of processed varieties to reduce cancer and heart disease risk.

• Pay attention to how your body responds. Adjust intake accordingly.

So go ahead and keep enjoying those tasty breakfast meats as part of your keto diet! With the right approach, bacon and sausage can be your keto comrades helping you achieve your health goals. Just make sure to choose high quality products and incorporate them as part of a varied, veggie-rich low-carb eating plan.