培根背后的科学！：英语精读讲义

Mmm, bacon.

嗯，培根。

Few of us can resist its temptation. 語法

我们当中很少有人能抵挡它的诱惑。

I mean,

我的意思是，

did you know that

你知道吗，

43% of Canadians would choose bacon over sex? 語法

43%的加拿大人会在培根和性爱之间选择培根？

At least that's what a 2010 survey found. 表達脈絡

至少2010年的一项调查是这么发现的。

Or did you know that

或者你知道吗，

it was included in the first meal ever consumed on the moon 語法

培根还出现在人类于月球上享用的第一顿饭中，

by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin?

而享用它的正是 Neil Armstrong 和 Buzz Aldrin？

This single strip of bacon alone is 43 calories.

仅这一片培根就有43卡路里。

In perspective,

为了让你有个概念，

here's the same amount of calories in apples and broccoli.

这些苹果和西兰花所含的热量也是这么多。

It's easy to see which might fill you up more easily. 短語動詞

哪一种更容易让你吃饱，一目了然。

But then again, 表達脈絡

但话说回来，

who eats just one piece of bacon?

谁会只吃一片培根呢？

Looking at this another way, 表達脈絡

换个角度来看，

100 g of apple is around 50 calories

100克苹果大约有50卡路里，

while 100 g of bacon is around 550 calories.

而100克培根大约有550卡路里。

68% of these calories come from fat

这些热量中有68%来自脂肪，

with almost half being saturated. 語法

其中近一半是饱和脂肪。

So it may or maybe not surprise you that

所以，下面这件事可能会让你吃惊，也可能不会：

the average American consumes nearly 18 lb

美国人平均每年要吃掉近18磅，

or 8 kg every year.

也就是8公斤培根。

That's 44,000 calories every year,

这相当于每年44,000卡路里，

making sliced bacon a 4 billion dollar industry in the US alone. 語法

也让切片培根仅在美国就成了一个价值40亿美元的产业。

Even 65% of Americans said they would support bacon as their national food.

甚至有65%的美国人表示支持把培根定为国民食品。

But different countries around the world

不过，世界各国

actually use different cuts of a pig for bacon. 用詞

实际上会用猪身上的不同部位来制作培根。

For example,

例如，

Canadian bacon is from the loin.

加拿大培根取自猪里脊。

The British use shoulder and ham bacon,

英国人会用猪肩肉和猪后腿肉制作培根，

and Americans make belly bacon.

而美国人则用猪五花肉制作培根。

Overall,

总体来说，

around 11% of a pig's standard weight can be used for bacon.

一头猪的标准体重中，大约有11%可以用来制作培根。

So why are we so obsessed? 表達脈絡

那我们为什么如此痴迷于培根呢？

Well,

这是因为，

when bacon is heated,

培根受热时，

the fats melt and the sugars and amino acids have a very unique chemical reaction.

脂肪会融化，糖和氨基酸则会发生一种非常独特的化学反应。

This specific reaction releases a medley of around 150 volatile organic compounds from the bacon, 講解

这种特殊反应会让培根释放出约150种挥发性有机化合物，

which float through the air and create the amazing smell,

它们飘散在空气中，产生那股诱人的香味，

ultimately stimulating your mouth-watering response. 用詞

最终让你垂涎欲滴。

So it's not just the snack you desire,

所以，你想要的不只是这份小吃，

but the smell itself is a perfect example of chemistry at work, 習語

这种香味本身也是化学作用的绝佳实例，

stimulating your brain and body.

它会刺激你的大脑和身体。

Our modern culture loves bacon so much 語法

现代文化对培根的热爱如此狂热，

that bacon mania is a classified movement.

以至于“培根热”已被归类为一种社会运动。

From bacon toothpaste to bacon air fresheners and even bacon condoms, 表達脈絡

从培根味牙膏、培根味空气清新剂，到培根味安全套，

some people can't get enough of it. 習語

有些人怎么都嫌不够。

But bacon isn't all good.

但培根也并非全是好处。

Not only are four strips of cooked bacon worth nearly half your recommended daily intake for salt, 講解

仅仅四片煎熟的培根，含盐量就接近每日建议摄入量的一半，

but most bacon and other things like lunch meats 用詞

而且大多数培根，以及午餐肉等食品，

are treated with a chemical called sodium nitrite.

都会用一种叫亚硝酸钠的化学物质处理。

This keeps the meat looking red and fresh instead of turning its natural gray, 語法

它能让肉保持鲜红新鲜的外观，而不是变成天然的灰色，

but has also been implicated in a lot of health concerns. 用詞

但它也与许多健康问题有关。

These nitrites react with amino acids during cooking,

这些亚硝酸盐在烹饪过程中会与氨基酸发生反应，

forming nitrosamines,

形成亚硝胺，

which are known carcinogens,

而亚硝胺是已知的致癌物，

increasing your risk of developing cancer. 短語搭配

会增加患癌风险。

A diet high in sodium nitrites

亚硝酸钠含量高的饮食

may also lead to a decrease in your body's ability 短語搭配

还可能削弱人体

to transport oxygen properly in your red blood cells.

通过红细胞正常输送氧气的能力。

On the other hand, 表達脈絡

另一方面，

nitrites help to prevent bacterial growth that can cause botulism.

亚硝酸盐有助于防止可导致肉毒中毒的细菌繁殖。

Bottom line is, 表達脈絡

归根结底，

when you do pig out, 短語動詞

当你大吃特吃时，

keep it in moderation. 短語搭配

也要适可而止。

And a few antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables to go along with it won't hurt either. 講解

同时搭配一些富含抗氧化物的水果和蔬菜，也没有坏处。

Hungry from looking at all this bacon?

看了这么多培根，饿了吗？

Find out why food porn or photos of amazing food is so stimulating 用詞

想知道“美食色情”，也就是诱人美食的照片，为什么如此刺激人，

in our newest AsapTHOUGHT.

答案就在我们最新一期的 AsapTHOUGHT 中。

There's some yummy science behind it.

这背后藏着一些美味的科学。

So click the screen for that.

点击屏幕即可观看。

Special thanks to Audible for supporting this episode

特别感谢 Audible 对本期节目的支持，

and giving you a free audiobook at audible.com/asap.

也感谢它通过 audible.com/asap 为你提供一本免费有声书。

This week,

本周，

we wanted to recommend the book The Dorito Effect by Mark Schatzker 語氣意圖

我们想推荐 Mark Schatzker 的《The Dorito Effect》，

because we'll take any chance we can get 短語搭配

因为只要有机会，

to read a book about science and chips at the same time.

我们就乐意读一本同时讲科学和薯片的书。

But seriously, 語氣意圖

不过说真的，

it's an interesting look at the link between nutrition and flavor

这本书以有趣的视角探讨了营养与风味之间的联系，

and how we've modified foods through the years.

以及这些年来我们如何改造食物。

You can get a free copy at audible.com/asap

你可以在 audible.com/asap 免费获取这本书，

or any others of your choice from a massive selection.

也可以从海量书目中任选一本。

Don't forget to ask your burning questions 習語

别忘了提出那些让你好奇不已的问题，

and subscribe for more weekly science videos.

并订阅我们的频道，每周观看更多科学视频。