Canadian Bacon vs Ham: Want to get clarity about the two most commonly used breakfast meat foods? Simply read our guide on “Canadian Bacon Versus Ham”. Canadian Bacon originated from the loin or rear end and Ham originated from the back legs of the pig.
These two pork slices of meat are high in protein and other health benefits also you can find some downsides of Canadian style bacon and regular ham. Dive into this article and learn Is Canadian bacon ham? Are they used interchangeably? What are the main differences? Other Benefits & Limitations and more.
- What is Canadian Bacon?
- What Is Ham?
- Canadian Bacon vs Ham Nutrition Facts
- Canadian Style Bacon Vs Ham Health Benefits
- Is Canadian Bacon or Ham Healthier?
- Main Difference Between Canadian Bacon and Ham
- Can I Use Canadian Bacon And Ham Interchangeably?
- FAQs on Pork Belly, Streaky bacon, Irish bacon, Canadian bacon Versus Ham
What is Canadian Bacon?
Canadian Bacon is a type of regular bacon that was taken from the pork loin part located at the center of the pork and parallel to the pig’s spine. The taste of Canadian bacon is simple as it is salt-cured in essential brine. It comes in solid form and they are usually ready-to-eat circular discs. Canadian Bacon is technically a breakfast food.
The nutritional value of pork meat is more than ham like protein, vitamins, and carbs. It is only processed in thick or thin slices. This pork loin cut is salt-cured and may be smoked or not.
Canadian people used to call Canadian bacon like Back bacon or peameal bacon. Canadian Style Bacon is famous in America, the UK, and other countries too.
Usually, Americans call it with the name Canadian Bacon but UK people call it with the name rasher or Irish bacon. You can serve Canadian-style bacon in various recipes like eggs benedict, and grilled cheese sandwiches, or you can even use it as a cornmeal rolled version
Do Check: Can Bacon Go Bad
What Is Ham?
Regular Ham and other types of ham comes from the part of the pig. You can find various forms of ham like preserved, cooked, uncooked, or the whole leg cut of the pig. Also, ham relates to processed pork products like bits of cured pork. It can be stored through smoking, wet or dry curing.
Ham can be served in many ways like thick or thin slices, or slabs. Serve ham in a deli sandwich or a grilled cheese sandwich, Omelets, and Egg McMuffins dishes, and eat ham anytime. Like Canadian bacon, ham is not a breakfast meat.
For more information about the back legs, ie. ham health & nutrition, advantages, disadvantages, and the main difference between ham and Canadian bacon jump into the below heads.
Also Read: Can Ham Go Bad
Canadian Bacon vs Ham Nutrition Facts
The tabulated information is completely about the nutrition facts of one slice of cooked Canadian Bacon vs Ham Nutrition Facts bacon and one slice of ham.
Nutrition Facts of Canadian Bacon and Ham | |
Canadian Bacon | Ham |
33.6 calories | 32.8 calories |
15.4 mg cholesterol | 14.8 mg cholesterol |
6.51 g protein | 5.04 g protein |
1.61 mg calcium | 2.52 mg calcium |
0.639 g fat | 1.23 g fat |
228 mg sodium | 333 mg sodium |
0.414 g carbohydrate | 0.44 g carbohydrate |
0.129 mg iron | 0.23 mg iron |
0 g fiber | 0 g fiber |
0.276 g sugar | 0.44 g sugar |
6.21 mg magnesium | 5.32 mg magnesium |
230 mg potassium | 88.5 mg potassium |
11.6 µg selenium | 9.58 µg selenium |
71.1 mg phosphorus | 75.6 mg phosphorus |
You can even share this informative image with your friends and dear ones as a token of spreading information about port meat or lean meat or processed meat foods called Canadian bacon and ham.
Canadian Style Bacon Vs Ham Health Benefits
Knowing about the health conditions of ham and Canadian bacon is crucial before eating them as breakfast food or other meals. Let’s look at the data about Canadian Bacon versus Ham Health:
Is Canadian Bacon Healthy?
Unlike ham, a slice of Canadian back bacon has less fat and calories. This leaner-cut meat is the perfect substitute for cured meats like regular bacon or ham. Also, Canadian bacon contains less amount of sodium and nitrites than ham.
Hence, it is a healthier alternative to all types of deli meats that holds a high amount of sodium and nitrites. The fat content in Canadian bacon is very less compared to regular bacon thus you can say that Canadian bacon is a healthy option to include in diet plans.
Sometimes, it contains more fat so measuring the fat content in it before purchase defines whether this loin meat is taken from the back lean part of a pig or not.
For getting more protein and less sodium and fat content in your breakfast, try using cooked thin slices of Canadian bacon and enjoy eating healthy food in the morning time.
Is Ham Healthy?
In many households, ham is used as regular meat for breakfast or quick lunch. Ham is highly protein-based pork meat which includes all nine fundamental amino acids. So, eat ham and intake maximum protein content and all amino acids you require.
Ham is a high-sodium cured and processed meat so taking one slice of ham on a daily basis keeps your health in good condition.
The excess intake of sodium can cause heart disease and high blood pressure. In terms of sodium, ham is not as healthy as Canadian bacon but in terms of other health benefits eating this versatile ham is the best option.
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Is Canadian Bacon or Ham Healthier?
Both foods are very similar when it comes to nutrients. But Canadian bacon is the preferred one to use when it is available and possible to avail.
Mostly, Canadian-style bacon is used for breakfast but you can even use it for lunch and dinner instead of ham for better health. Because this Canadian bacon has less sodium content so use like ham in all the recipes and cut the sodium content in your meals.
Ham includes a high source of sodium which is harmful to health so consuming the less sodium content ham is more helpful. Also, ham can raise your cholesterol, obesity, and heart disease. So, Canadian bacon is healthier than Ham.
Main Difference Between Canadian Bacon and Ham
The main difference between ham and Canadian bacon is the part of the pig that originates from. Along with this, there are a few more points of consideration between the two types of meat that should be focused on as key differences:
Cut: The cut of Canadian-style bacon is a loin and it comes from the back of the pig whereas ham comes from the butt or back legs. The cuts of both slices of meat are different and they come from different parts too.
Methods To Preserve: Like regular bacon types, this Canadian bacon also experiences brine in, while ham is smoked, wet or dry cured. The brine of the Canadian bacon regular slices includes maple syrup whereas the brine of regular ham might consist of maple syrup or honey. Generally, it includes sugar, caramel, herbs, spices, or vinegar.
Nutrition Value: Canadian bacon and ham have more protein but they differ in sodium and carbs. Ham has more sodium and high carbs than Canadian back bacon. If you want less cholesterol then choosing Canadian bacon is the right.
When & How To Eat: You can eat both port products in popular dishes at breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner but Canadian bacon is traditionally breakfast meat. Canadian bacon is likely to be leaner cut. Canadian bacon can be cut circularly into thin or thick slices and cooked in a pan for some time.
Remember to avoid frying the slices of Canadian bacon, it gets dry completely. The cooking methods for ham are baked, fried, or smoked as it is a versatile meat. The popular combination with Canadian bacon is Egg McMuffins and Benedict eggs in America.
Taste: One more difference to look at between Canadian bacon and ham is taste. Canadian bacon is lean and soft and by cooking it can always hold its juiciness and sweetness. The taste of Canadian back bacon is less salty than the regular type of bacon.
The taste of Canadian bacon and American bacon is different and it is only one kind but ham comes in numerous types and it portrays the culture of the country belongs to. Some typical kinds of ham are American-style ham, Jamón Ibérico, or Jamón Serrano in Spain, and Parma prosciutto in Italian.
The flavor of each ham is different but the original taste is sweet and soft with a smoky texture. The taste of fresh ham is the same as pork tenderloin yet it is chewier and saltier. Amerian bacon is also called streaky bacon. Eat Canadian bacon or English bacon or pork belly or Irish bacon in thin slices and maintain your healthy diet.
Canadian Bacon vs Ham Main Differences | Canadian Bacon | Ham |
---|---|---|
Origin | The United Kingdom and Ireland | Europe and China |
Uses | Breakfast and brunch | Breakfast, lunch, and dinner |
Preparation Methods | Cured in a basic brine | Dry-cured, wet-cured, or smoked |
Calories per slice | 33.6 calories | 32.8 calories |
Flavor | Neutral and slightly sweet | Can be Sweet, savory, smoky, or neutral. Also, the flavor of the ham completely depends on the preparation. |
Approximate Cost per package | $3.99 to 35.99 | $4.50 to 19.80 |
Can I Use Canadian Bacon And Ham Interchangeably?
Yes, you can use Canadian Bacon And Ham Interchangeably as they look similar and people will rarely recognize their variations.
When you are replacing the ham with Canadian bacon, ensure that the cooking time needs to be cut down to prevent drying it. On the other hand, use the middle cut of ham to mimic the same taste as Canadian bacon.
Read More:
FAQs on Pork Belly, Streaky bacon, Irish bacon, Canadian bacon Versus Ham
1. What Portion Of The Pig Is Used To Make Canadian Bacon?
The pig’s loin which is located at the center of the back is the exact portion of the pig used to make Canadian bacon. It is also called back bacon, Irish bacon/Rashers in the United States. This back bacon or Canadian bacon is a lean, meaty chop-off bacon and low in fat than other parts of bacon.
2. Why is it called Canadian bacon and not ham?
The name Canadian bacon was created prior to being introduced from Toronto to New York City. It is made from the lean eye of the loin. You can eat this Canadian bacon directly and its taste is stated like ham than other kinds of bacon due to its lean cut.
3. Can I substitute Canadian bacon for ham?
Yes, you can substitute Canadian bacon for ham and vice versa because both are similar but never think that it works great all the time. Some of the taste choices may differ so they won’t like to substitute one for another and kill the originality of the recipe.
4. Is Ham From Canada The Same As Bacon From Canada?
The simple answer is No. Ham from Canada is not the same as bacon from Canada. Ham is the part of the hind leg of the pig whereas Canadian bacon is made from the rear part called the loin cut of the pig.
Canadian bacon is available mostly in cylindrical slices while Ham is available in various forms and thicknesses, like thick slices or very thin slices, round slices, thick slabs, and complete and standard slices too.
Final Outcomes
At last, we can say that this guide will help you understand Canadian bacon and Ham. Still, if you’re confused about Canadian bacon vs Ham then explicitly mention your doubt in the comment section so that our team will help you clear that up ASAP.
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