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I don’t know if Science means something other than Science in the UK – but I was pointed to an article entitled “Bacon Sandwich really does cure a hangover” filed under the headings “Home > Science and Technology > Science > Science News”. They throw in the subtitle “A bacon sandwich really does cure a hangover – by boosting the level of amines which clear the head, scientists have found.”

“Bread is high in carbohydrates and bacon is full of protein, which breaks down into amino acids. Your body needs these amino acids, so eating them will make you feel good.”

Ms Roberts told The Mirror: “Bingeing on alcohol depletes neurotransmitters too, but bacon contains a high level of aminos which tops these up, giving you a clearer head.”

So yes, aminos, aminos, aminos – woohoo!  Maybe its cause I have scientists in my family, but the article reads like complete bull-crap (or perhaps the scientist invited the reporter to have a drink of ten to try out the bacon sandwich remedy for hangovers).

Let me ask you this, what kind of scientist does research on how to cure a hangover?  Ok, fine, an alcoholic scientist maybe, touche.  I didn’t realize this, but apparently the science of hangovers is so big in the UK, that there are 6 – yes, 6! – related articles with fun titles such as “The best hangover cures (from pickled eyeballs to citrus armpits)”, “The best hangover remedies tested“, “France’s hangover ‘cure’ may head to Britain“, “Hangover cures fail test (scientists get a headache in hunt for hangover cure)“, “Chemical reaction that explains the appeal of the bacon sandwich” and “10-minute mood boost“.  Fantastic, isn’t it?

I guess with a quote like the following to justify making a science out of hangovers, I can understand their perspective. I mean – 2 billion pounds lost cause of hangovers!

Hangovers cost the nation about £2 billion a year in lost earnings through sickness absence, and at Christmas higher alcohol consumption leads to a 0.4 per cent increase in fatal poisonings for every one per cent increase in sales of spirits.

So there you have it folks, drink a lot, eat bacon sandwiches.  Here’s some more mindless drivel from the article:

Ms Roberts said: “The smell of sizzling bacon in a pan is enough to tempt even the staunchest of vegetarians. There’s something deeper going on inside. It’s not just the idea of a tasty snack. There is some complex chemistry going on.

“Meat is made of mostly protein and water. Inside the protein, it’s made up of building blocks we call amino acids. But also, you need some fat. Anyone who’s been on a diet knows if you take all the fat from the meat, it just doesn’t taste the same. We need some of the fat to give it the flavour.”

She explained that the reaction released hundreds of smells and flavours but it is the smell which reels in the eater. “Smell and taste are really closely linked,” she said. “If we couldn’t smell then taste wouldn’t be the same.”

So, apparently complex chemistry that goes on when bacon is sizzling in a pan tempts even the most vegetarian vegetarians.  Also, meat is mostly protein and water.  And you also need some fat to give it flavor.  Ah, whatever, go read it yourself, I’m done laughing about the kind of crap that gets force-fed to the brits by the Telegraph.

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Tags: bacon, british science, hangover

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