The intangible, irresistible lure of bacon is no secret. Consider the recent proliferation of such pork-ified items as chocolate covered bacon, bacon ice cream and even bacon beer. But that temptation is exactly why vegetarians should stay away from bacon at all costs, NPR suggests.
According to NPR’s hearsay evidence, long time vegetarians frequently break their dedication by indulging in a piece of fried pig belly — more than with other meat — but the scientific evidence is there, too. Johan Lundstrom, a scientist from Monell Chemical Senses Center, told NPR that bacon’s taste, odour and caloric makeup all maximize its temptation potential. “Bacon is in the perfect position to take advantage of how the brain is wired," he said.
In other words, bacon is a gateway drug for vegetarians. Simply being in the same room as bacon could result in disaster, and we can only imagine the implications should the lure not be staunchly resisted. Eventually, former vegetarians could make their way to the hard stuff, like Big Macs.
[NPR]
