Bonnie: People who start their day with Applegate’s spicy turkey sausage are 92 percent more likely to sing in the shower. At least so says its box copy, which seems a lot more questionable than its contents.

Applegate recently introduced two new precooked sausages — one turkey and one pork. Both are made from animals that have been humanely raised without the use of antibiotics. The sausages contain no nitrites (not even the vegetable kind!). And the animals have been fed a vegetarian diet of grain.

Since the turkey and pork taste fairly similar, I recommend the slightly spicy turkey instead of the pork as two turkey links contain only 90 calories, 6 grams total fat (of which 1.5 grams are saturated) and 320 milligrams sodium, compared to the pork’s 130 calories, 11 grams total fat (of which 4 grams are saturated), and 300 milligrams sodium.

I’m singing the spicy Applegate Savory Turkey Breakfast Sausage’s praises, but with one caveat: With the turkey’s lower fat content (almost half the fat of the pork), be sure you don’t overcook, as it has tendency to dry out.

Bryan: There is a time and a place for fat in any diet. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge proponent of “fat” in cuisine; it’s a major component in any chef’s quest for flavor. “Fat” as a concept is not right or wrong, it’s just about proper usage. Mixing mayonnaise with tuna fish is adding fat to a lean protein that might otherwise be too dry. Wrapping pork loin in bacon is doing much the same thing. Even the rote tossing of mixed greens in olive oil is no different. The fat is that little bit of extra flavor that makes these dishes pop, that makes them so tasty!

What good is a hamburger if the meat doesn’t have at least some element of fat ground into it? Well, sausage is much the same. Ground sausages are all about the blend, with many actually having additional fatty products ground into them in order to add richness and flavor. I’m all about this. Heck, grind some foie gras into the mix while you’re at it and slather some on top as well! All with one caveat, though: I want to eat this way only at dinner, and only once in a while! This kind of indulgence is what makes food so transcendent and memorable, but it’s not for everyday consumption. I don’t see why my breakfast sausage needs to be as decadent as my culinary splurges.

Morning is about getting going, about eating to sustain your activities for the upcoming day. A good balance of carbohydrates and lean protein is a wonderful beginning, but too often our food culture has let us down, offering fatty foods and basic sugars as a substitute for a good breakfast.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with sausage for breakfast; I love it! But if you’re going to indulge, why not try something a bit more in line with the concept of the meal. Applegate Savory Turkey Breakfast Sausage is significantly healthier for you than a traditional breakfast sausage, with only 9 grams of fat per (adjusted) serving compared to 22 grams fat in other brands. That’s two and a half times! I say “adjusted serving” because Applegate notes a serving size as only two links while many companies note theirs as three links. Assuming a serving is the heftier three links (who only wants two?) also shows that Applegate sausage only has less than 3 grams of saturated fat to the 8 grams in the traditional. Consider that it’s also only 135 calories (75 from fat) compared to 240 (200 from fat) and you’ll wonder why you’d ever again want a greasy breakfast….

Eric: There’s always been an alarm that goes off in the back of my head whenever I come in contact with sausage, and I truly don’t know why. I imagine it’s because, unlike most “natural” foods, sausage is a combination of several unknowns. This philosophy also is why I stay away from most fast-food burgers. Not knowing the filler of a sausage makes me wonder what percentage of meat I’m truly eating. Now, this isn’t to say that all sausage is created equal (I can feel most Germans scowling at me already), but in my mind, the majority of mass-produced breakfast sausage is a combination of meat, seasoning and a little bit of chemical magic. Luckily, this “magic” doesn’t apply to Applegate Savory Turkey Breakfast Sausage. It’s encouraging to see more and more companies trending towards using real ingredients. Period.

Fair warning for those die-hard sausage fans: Stay away. Although you’re not going to get the real “fat” from the Applegate turkey sausage, you will find a deliciously seasoned taste that is a healthier complement to your eggs and toast. My one recommendation is to closely follow the heating instructions on the box so as to not overcook the sausages. If you don’t heed this warning, you will be dining on a hockey puck rather than a tender, plump link of protein.