Bacon is one of the essential and popular food items in all parts of the world. And if you are a food enthusiast, trying out new recipes and discovering unique combinations would be a passion. Ever wondered what happens if you eat a slice of raw bacon?
It would be odd to deny since that’s one of the answered questions everyone has sinking in their minds. Well, not anymore. In this article, we shall briefly discuss the possibility of eating raw bacon, the outcomes and more facts and tips.
Bacon is salt-cured pork belly cut into thin strips and stacked into packages to preserve the meat and to consume safely. It would not be an offence to assume that it’s one of the favorite food items of people all around the world, given its incredible flavor and nutritional content. And also since it can ideally serve breakfast, lunch and dinner.
In restaurants, hotels, buffet places and even at home, people love creating new dishes and unique recipes out of bacon and rewarding their taste buds and themselves. It is common for every bacon consumer/ lover to bump into questions like, “can I eat bacon raw?” or “what happens if I eat raw bacon?” And here we are to discuss everything related to the topic.
Can You Eat Raw Bacon?
The straight-up answer is a NO. You cannot eat any meat in raw form as it harbors hazardous health consequences and injustice to your body. It is because raw bacon or meat contains harmful bacteria, viruses and many other parasites. Consuming it raw can prevent you from getting rid of them and thus lead to health threats and other disadvantages.
Cured bacon is just regular uncooked bacon coated in salt, sodium and nitrates. Is it safe to consume? No, neither is it!
The purpose of allowing raw bacon to get through cleaning, sanitizing and coating procedures in cured pork is to reduce its potential harms and preserve it for a long time. According to food scientists, sodium and salt in cured bacon help to reduce the water content in the slices.
Why? Because bacteria need an environment with water to grow. Removing the ideal setting for their growth makes it possible to cut their survival off the bacon. T
he nitrated coating on the bacon helps to preserve the meal by preventing the latest spoilage. It also gets rid of Clostridium botulinum toxin from the bacon. In addition to these, the bacon will also contain other added ingredients to ensure appearance, color, texture and flavor. And none of them certifies it as suitable to eat raw. It is plain and unsafe to ingest.
Since it is evident that consuming bacon in raw form is not a safe option, you might now ask why. Well, let us analyze why we should not consume raw bacon.
What Happens If You Eat Raw Bacon?
Ingesting raw bacon can lead to many health concerns. Let me list all of the issues it might cause if you plan to add raw bacon as a dish to your next meal.
System Exhaustion
The human digestive system is vulnerable. Introducing a new eating habit can cause alarming reactions in the body and cause discomfort and foodborne illnesses at worst.
Weak digestive juices are not trained to break down complex substances like raw meat. And by forcing the cells to perform such hard work, the system can get strained. Since it is your system, you will have to experience the consequences. It can result in any diseases and illnesses linked to the gut.
Trichinosis
Raw pork is likely to contain a type of roundworm named Trichinella. When consumed raw, these immature microscopic parasites can enter your body. These larvae can grow within and cause serious consequences. And we call this disease trichinosis. The symptoms are not instant, as the parasite has yet to grow and reproduce within the body.
It can be avoided if you make sure never to consume raw bacon. The most common symptoms of trichinosis include stomach/ abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, fatigue and weakness in the early stage and fever, headache, muscle pain, irritation and joint aching later. In mild cases, with proper care, it might go away. In other cases, consulting a doctor and undergoing prescribed processes in advised to avoid any issues.
Food Poisoning
Raw bacon is always on the verge of danger of becoming contaminated until it’s boiled and adequately cooked. Ingesting raw bacon can cause food poisoning, which can result in a range from normal to severe conditions.
You could experience constipation, vomiting, bloating, diarrhoea and other gaseous problems if you are subjected to food poisoning when consuming raw bacon.
Infections
There is more than just one microorganism residing in raw meat. Consuming it can infect you and cause diseases related to your digestive tract. Microorganisms such as Staphylococcus aureus, Toxoplasmosis gondii, Campylobacter, Yersinia enterocolitica, and Listeria monocytogenes are highly likely to contaminate the raw meat and pose potential harm to the body.
Unusual Thirst
Ingesting raw meat can significantly dehydrate your system and make you feel very thirsty. It can affect your daily routine and cause discomfort in many forms.
Weakness
Your whole body can end up weak as the raw bacon may have been foreign to the body, and cells might have had to work hard to digest and accept the ingestion. This weakness includes sores in the muscles and even joints.
How to Eat Bacon?
You can consume bacon once it is properly cooked. Keep in mind that overcooking can also lead to undesirable outcomes. Stay in the middle line and refrain from uncooking and overcooking.
To destroy the remaining microorganisms from the bacon slices, professionals advise heating it at a temperature of up to 145 degrees Fahrenheit. Since there are multiple recipes to turn bacon into a delicacy, you may go for anything you prefer. But you only need to ensure that it doesn’t harm your health in any way.
Here’s An Interesting Video,
VIDEO CREDITS: PLANT BASED NEWS YouTube Channel
Discover More: Related Articles You Can’t Miss
