Why We Like Bacon

What would happen if we didn't have bacon? Thousands of restaurateurs would have to change their menus to eggs &__? That would mean less sales and more layoffs. As a result, more people would loose their homes sending us into a "bacon-less, homeless" recession.

The only increase would be in the tattoo business, as millions of unemployed, bacon-less, homeless people stand in line to have "B H" stamped on their forehead.  Less children would be born because B H is ugly on your head, and a definite sex turn-off.

Our civilization could very well be in danger of crumbling like a piece of overcooked bacon.  I for one am glad we have plenty of bacon, but I wonder why we enjoy it so?

We crave salt

There’s a reason salt is often one of our top two food cravings, next to sugar. Sodium is important for our bodies to work correctly. We crave it because we’re constantly losing sodium through sweat and urine. Without enough of the mineral and water, your blood pressure can drop low enough to leave you light-headed and dizzy.

Its addictive

Researchers from the Scripps Research Institute found foods like bacon can alter the brain in ways similar to heroin and cocaine. The brain releases bursts of dopamine, the feel-good hormone, when we eat tasty foods. Rats who dined on only a high-fat diet overloaded their brain’s pleasure centers and quickly turned into compulsive overeaters—driven to keep eating to get their fix.

It helps our aggression

Chewing is a primal activity. In the same way that dogs clench their teeth when challenged, we channel aggression through our face, including our jaws. When you chew crunchy foods, like bacon, you experience a decrease in that natural tension that builds up in the body. In fact, rhythmic chewing increases levels of serotonin, making you feel more at ease and content.

Mom used to make it

When we smell bacon, it triggers memories of savoring a strip of perfectly cooked bacon during our childhood.  Our olfactory system, the part of our body responsible for our sense of smell, has a pathway to the brain close to the system responsible for emotion and memory. So when we sense familiar smells, it triggers our memories—like Dad whipping up eggs and bacon on a Saturday morning.

via Men's Health: The Power of Bacon | MH News | MensHealth.com.