Jeffrey Salazar
The Auto-Immune Protocol Diet (AIP diet) is a diet and lifestyle regimen that aims to reduce inflammation, relieve symptoms of autoimmune diseases, enhance digestion, and provide nutrient-dense foods. While the AIP diet is restrictive, bacon is allowed, but there are some components to avoid, including added preservatives, sugars, and nitrates. It is important to check the ingredient list on bacon products, as some may contain nightshades in the form of seasonings like pepper and paprika, which are not AIP-compliant.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Is bacon allowed on AIP? | Yes, but with some exceptions |
| Goal | Reduce inflammation, relieve symptoms of autoimmune diseases, enhance digestion, and provide nutrient-dense foods |
| Foods to avoid | Grains, dairy, nuts/seeds, eggs, additives, preservatives, sugars, nitrates, nightshades, and most spices |
| AIP-friendly bacon brands | Niman Ranch, Applegate organic, ButcherBox, Paleo On The Go, Pederson's |
| DIY option | Cured pork belly with AIP-compliant curing salt and no pepper |
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What You'll Learn
Bacon is allowed on the AIP diet
The Auto-Immune Protocol Diet (AIP diet) is a diet and lifestyle regimen that aims to reduce inflammation, relieve symptoms of autoimmune diseases, enhance digestion, and provide nutrient-dense foods.
Nitrates and nitrites are also ingredients to be cautious of. While nitrates and nitrites are naturally occurring, they can also be added as preservatives, and these synthetic forms should be avoided. Some "AIP bacon" is cured with "healthy" alternatives to nitrates, such as celery salt or rosemary extract, but these can still cause problems for some people. Natural forms of nitrates/nitrites, like celery juice, are allowed.
It is possible to make your own bacon, ensuring that only AIP-compliant ingredients are used, and there are also some recommended brands that sell AIP-compliant bacon. For example, Niman Ranch sells uncured, no-sugar bacon that is AIP-compliant, and this can be found at Whole Foods. ButcherBox is another great source for quality AIP-compliant meats, and they occasionally offer a free bacon-for-life subscription. For those in the USA, Paleo On The Go and Amazon also carry AIP-compliant bacon.
There are many recipes that include bacon on the AIP diet, such as Butternut Bacon Browns, a nutrient-dense alternative to regular hash browns, and Bacon Mac and Cheese, a comforting, dairy-free dish.
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Avoid additives and preservatives
Bacon is allowed on the AIP diet, but it must be free of additives and preservatives. The AIP diet recommends avoiding additives and preservatives, as they can cause inflammation and negatively impact the gut lining.
Additives and preservatives are commonly found in processed and packaged foods, so it is essential to read labels and choose whole, unprocessed foods whenever possible. Here are some specific types of additives and preservatives to avoid while on the AIP diet:
- Sodium phosphates, sodium erythorbate, and sodium ascorbate: These are often used as preservatives in packaged bacon and other processed meats.
- Nitrates and nitrites: Nitrates and nitrites are commonly added to cured meats like bacon. While natural forms like celery juice are allowed, synthetic or artificial nitrates/nitrites should be avoided.
- Food additives: This includes thickeners, emulsifiers, guar gum, and artificial sweeteners such as xylitol and mannitol.
- Industrial oils: Avoid processed vegetable oils like canola, soybean, and sunflower oils.
- Refined sugars: Stay away from processed and refined sugars, including cane sugar, brown sugar, and corn syrup.
To ensure your bacon is free of additives and preservatives, look for brands that offer clean bacon with minimal ingredients, such as pork, water, salt, and celery juice. You can also make your own bacon at home using AIP-compliant ingredients, ensuring you have control over what goes into your food.
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Avoid nightshades and sugars
Bacon is allowed on the AIP diet, but only if it is free from additives, preservatives, sugars, and nitrates. It is important to check the ingredient list on bacon products, as some may contain nightshades in the form of seasonings, such as pepper and paprika.
The AIP diet, or Autoimmune Protocol Diet, is a multiphase anti-inflammatory plan that aims to reduce inflammation, relieve symptoms of autoimmune diseases, enhance digestion, and provide nutrient-dense foods. To achieve this, the diet eliminates food believed to cause inflammation and gut issues, such as nightshades and sugars, before potentially reintroducing them to identify individual triggers.
Avoid nightshades
Nightshades are plants in the Solanaceae family, which include tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, and eggplants. Nightshades are also common in spices and seasonings, so it is important to check ingredient lists for "spices" or "natural flavors". Reactions to nightshades can range from mild to severe and may include hives, itching, swelling, joint pain, and difficulty breathing.
Avoid sugars
The AIP diet recommends avoiding refined and processed sugars, which are often found in sweets, sodas, candies, chocolate, cane sugar, corn syrup, and brown rice syrup. Artificial sweeteners like stevia, saccharin, and xylitol should also be avoided. Natural sweeteners, such as honey, agave, and maple syrup, are allowed in moderation.
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Natural nitrates are okay
Bacon is allowed on the Auto-Immune Protocol (AIP) diet, a diet and lifestyle regimen that aims to reduce inflammation, relieve symptoms of autoimmune diseases, enhance digestion, and provide nutrient-dense foods. However, it is important to be mindful of the type of bacon consumed, as certain additives and preservatives commonly found in bacon are to be avoided on the AIP diet.
Natural nitrates, such as those found in vegetables like celery juice, spinach, and sea salt, are considered acceptable on the AIP diet. These natural forms of nitrates do not carry the same health risks as synthetic or artificial nitrates, which are often used as preservatives in cured meats like bacon.
The concern with synthetic nitrates is that they can break down into chemicals called nitrosamines when exposed to high heat during cooking. Nitrosamines are carcinogenic compounds that have been linked to an increased risk of cancer. However, this risk is not associated with naturally occurring nitrates found in vegetables.
When choosing bacon for the AIP diet, look for products that contain only pork, water, salt, celery juice, and possibly other AIP-compliant seasonings. Avoid bacon with added preservatives, sugars, and synthetic nitrates. Some brands may market their bacon as nitrate-free, but it is important to read the ingredient list carefully as some of these products may still contain natural nitrates derived from celery extract.
In summary, natural nitrates are generally considered acceptable on the AIP diet. However, it is always advisable to consult with a healthcare professional or a nutritionist familiar with the AIP diet before making any significant dietary changes.
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DIY bacon is an option
Bacon is allowed on the AIP diet, but it needs to be free from additives, preservatives, sugars, and nitrates. This means that most store-bought bacon is not AIP-compliant. However, you can make your own bacon at home, which gives you complete control over the ingredients and the thickness of the slices.
To make your own bacon, you will need a pork belly, curing salt (also known as Prague powder), and a smoker. You can buy curing salt at specialty food stores or online. If you don't want to buy a smoker, you can make one out of a propane grill or use your grill to smoke the bacon.
- Combine the curing ingredients in a bowl to form a paste.
- Place the pork belly in a large plastic bag and coat all sides with the cure.
- Seal the bag tightly and place it in the refrigerator for 7 days, flipping and massaging the pork belly once per day.
- After 7 days, remove the pork belly from the bag and rinse off the excess cure.
- Smoke the pork belly to your desired level of smokiness.
- Let the bacon rest for at least 4 hours in the fridge before slicing.
You can experiment with different curing ingredients and techniques to find the ones that work best for you. For example, you can use brown sugar or maple syrup instead of white sugar in the cure, or you can add spices like garlic powder, cumin, or paprika. Just make sure to avoid any ingredients that are not AIP-compliant, such as nightshades like pepper and paprika.
Making your own bacon may be a lengthy process, but it can be a rewarding experience that yields delicious results.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, bacon is allowed on the AIP diet. However, it must be free from additives, preservatives, sugars, and nitrates.
When buying bacon for the AIP diet, avoid ingredients such as sodium phosphates, sodium erythorbate, sodium ascorbate, nitrates, and nitrites. Also, watch out for "spices" on the ingredient list, as some spices like pepper and paprika are nightshades and should be avoided.
Yes, some recommended brands of bacon that are AIP-compliant include Niman Ranch Uncured No Sugar Bacon, Applegate Organic No Sugar Uncured Bacon, and Pederson's brand. You can also find AIP-compliant bacon at ButcherBox and Paleo On The Go.
Yes, you can make your own AIP-compliant bacon at home. You can cure pork belly with compliant curing salt and omit pepper or other non-compliant spices. You can also use celery juice or salt as a natural alternative to nitrates.
