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Can You Eat Raw Bacon?

By: Author William Thomas

William Thomas

Editor-in-Chief & Pitmaster

I have been smoking and grilling meat from an early age and enjoy sharing my knowledge and expertise through the hundreds of articles I have written about BBQ. I hope to make everyone’s BBQ journey that little bit easier.
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Can You Eat Raw Bacon?

You usually consume food in one of two ways. Either you can cook it, or you can eat it raw. Some foods should be cooked rather than eaten raw, which isn’t a bad thing.

By cooking it, you can get rid of bacteria with heat and also add spices and other ingredients. If you are eaten raw food, it truly depends on the food.

One kind of food people might eat raw or cooked is bacon.

In this article, we will discuss whether it’s possible to eat raw bacon and what benefits and risks there are when consuming this meat raw.

Is It Possible To Eat Raw Bacon?

Raw bacon could technically be consumed, but it’s best not to eat raw because there are so many risks that come with eating it this way.

Bacon is cured meat, which means it has been treated with salt and other preservatives.

Some say that because of this, you can eat it raw since it won’t spoil as quickly as other meat.

You could probably say this about any type of meat, though there are greater risks with eating certain types of meat over others.

Like, take chicken, for example. Eating chicken raw is not something you should do, while eating beef raw can be done in some cases.

The best thing to do is just not eat raw bacon raw because of all the possible illnesses you could end up with.

In the next second, we will touch on all the risks that come with eating raw bacon and why it should be avoided.

What Are the Risks of Eating Raw Bacon?

Eating raw bacon comes with a lot of risks. This includes:

  • Eating raw bacon can cause Trichinosis. This causes you to end up with parasitic roundworms. Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, and swelling of the eye.
  • Toxoplasmosis causes you to end up with a parasite. It’s especially dangerous for people who have weak immune systems and people who are pregnant or planning to get pregnant.
  • Food poisoning is a classic illness, but trust us when we say it can be very unpleasant. By eating uncooked bacon, you could put yourself at risk of getting food poisoning, which could leave you stuck in bed for a few days.
  • The last thing that raw bacon can cause is that it could lead to you having a greater chance of ending up with cancer. This also applied to cooked bacon as well. Because bacon is cured meat, salt and preservatives can increase the risk of it.

These are the biggest risks that come with eating raw bacon. Some of them are worse than others (especially the ones which cause you to develop worms in your body), but you don’t want to end up with any of them.

The best way to avoid it is by not eating bacon raw.

What Are the Benefits of Eating Bacon?

Please understand that when we talk about the benefits of eating bacon, we do not mean raw bacon. Nothing good comes from eating raw bacon.

It has more risks than benefits, so it’s not worth eating raw. However, it’s different from eating cooked bacon.

While eating cooked bacon in large quantities and frequently can cause health problems, there are a few benefits. If you exercise caution, you’ll end up with the following benefits:

  • Like most other meats out there, bacon is chock full of protein, and this is something your body needs. You can get this protein by eating a slice or two of bacon at breakfast.
  • Bacon contains vitamin B12, selenium, and phosphorus, which are all good for your body.
  • Some studies have claimed that eating bacon can help lower your risk of such diseases as heart disease and stroke. However, take these with a grain of salt because more research has to be done. Still, if this does end up panning out, it’s a really good thing!
  • So, cooked bacon does have a few benefits. Just make sure you are eating it in moderation. Any doctor will tell you that too much bacon is not good for you. Too much of anything is never a good idea. Moderation truly is key to a healthy life.

How To Cook Bacon

Do you still want to eat bacon? Well, fear not because you can cook it in many ways. This includes:

  • One of the most popular and classic ways to cook bacon is in a skillet. All you have to do is put some oil in the pan and then start cooking the bacon at medium heat. This only takes a few minutes. Once it’s done, drain it on a plate covered with paper towels.
  • The oven is another great way to cook your bacon. Lay out the bacon on a tray that is covered with foil or parchment paper, and then cook it at 400 degrees. Usually, this takes 20 or more minutes. Just depends on how crispy you want your bacon to be.
  • Finally, a very quick way of cooking bacon is by doing it in the microwave. If you are short on time, then this is a great method. All you have to do is lay out the strips of bacon on a plate lined with paper towels and then cook it in there for a round of 4 minutes. Again, it depends on how crispy you want your bacon to be.

Final Thoughts

And there you have it, all your bacon lovers out there! The consensus is that you shouldn’t eat raw bacon because there are just too many risks that come with it and little to no benefits.

It’s safer and healthier to eat it cooked (there are some benefits).

Cooking bacon is very easy to do, and we lined out a few ways you can do this. Just remember to eat bacon in moderation because too much of it could put your health at risk in the long run.

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