Why Women Love Bacon

Bacon, along with all high salt and fat content foods, should be eaten in moderation. The high calorie load can result in weight gain if consumed in extreme amounts, but in moderation there are benefits to eating bacon. Many dietitians recommend a low carb-high fat diet, commonly seen in people living the 'cave-man' or 'primal' lifestyle, which is very common amongst athletes who do crossfit and other similar types of fitness.

Before analysing the reasons WHY women love bacon, it is first important to understand what exactly bacon is, and where it comes from.

Bacon is a meat product that is prepared from a number of different cuts of pork meat (Pig). It is most often cut from the side of back cuts of the pig, but in the United States it is almost always cut from the pork belly. This type of bacon that most people in North America are used to is called "American Style" bacon, and has a higher fat content than most bacon found in the rest of the world.

Most bacon is cured. Curing is a preservation and flavouring process that involves adding salt, nitrates or sugar to the meat. Bacon is almost always cured with Salt, either in a brine (salt water mixture) or using dry methods. Curing the meat results in a delicious salty flavour, which has become so iconic in today's typical breakfast foods. Bacon can also be smoked, which ads another dimension of flavour to the meat.

Not only is Bacon delicious, but it is also scientifically understood to have addictive properties.

Bacon is recognized as having SIX ingredients that possess the "umami" flavour.

Don't know what Umami is? Easy. Umami is one of the five basic tastes (sweet, sour, bitter, salty and umami), and can be described as a savoury or 'meaty' taste that triggers salivation and stimulates the throat, the roof and the back of the mouth.

Umami flavours triggers an addictive neurochemical response in human beings, and has a high flavour profile that no other product has been able to rival.

So next time you desperately reach for that next piece of bacon, don't blame yourself. You're only human!

There have been studies conducted in a number of countries, but it seems the general consensus is that Bacon shows up on the top ten food lists for both men and women, on average. When dissecting the results closer, it ranks about seventh for men, and quite a bit lower for women.

That being said, I've known many women who just can't seem to have enough bacon. When asking if they want bacon on their burgers, salads or any other meal for that matter, it always seems to illicit an eye-roll look that says "DUH!". So what is it about bacon that attracts women to it like a bad breakup to ice-cream?

Now, this is just a generalization, but the key element that seems to draw women to bacon is the level of saltiness in the food. Women crave salty foods when they exhibit dehydration, mineral deficiencies and hormonal imbalances. Bacon not only tastes great, but has an extremely high salt content that results in it being the go-to food for women experiencing any of the aforementioned ailments.

Dehydration

Dehydration is very common amongst women, and can result in salty food cravings. Ever wonder why athletes drink Gatorade or other electrolyte-rich drink when they exercise? People lose water and salt when they exert themselves, and that not only applied to athletes. The human body requires salt to maintain a healthy balance of nutrients and to function normally. When your body ingests certain types of salt, it turns into electrolytes when they dissolve in the fluid in your body. Craving salt is a natural response to your body's need for electrolytes, which can explain why so many women are drawn towards the salty flavour of bacon, especially first thing in the morning after going a long night without consuming water.

Mineral Deficiencies

Studies have demonstrates that low-calcium diets (low calcium is very common in women, especially to those who have lactose intolerances) can result in women craving salty foods, as the salt temporarily tricks your body into thinking it has higher levels of calcium. Craving certain flavours can be your body's way of telling you it is deficient in a certain mineral. Notable in ageing women, low calcium can be a major reason why bacon cravings can be so strong. Try having a glass of milk or a plate of spinach, and see is the cravings continue. If they do, perhaps you just want bacon because, well, it's delicious.

Hormonal Imbalance

There is no doubt that women have to deal with the shit end of the stick when it comes to anything hormone related. We women have to deal with monthly inconveniences since puberty, we have to deal with the uncontrollable hormonal effects of pregnancy, and to top if all off we have to go through menopause, which just acts as the icing on the cake. Hormone levels control a whole whack of things in the human body, and for women who are prone to experiencing spikes and dips in certain hormones over their lives, this can result in severe salt cravings. Aldosterone is the salt-retaining hormone in the woman body, and deficiencies in this hormone result in the desire to eat salty foods... and, as bacon is high in salt, it is often a go-to food item for women experiencing these types of cravings.

'Just Because'

All aforementioned reasons aside, women like bacon because it is just SO damn good. Not only does it taste great, but there is also this hidden element of sexiness to it that seems to attract men to women who eat bacon. There is no doubt that men love bacon (in a study conducted in the UK, men were found to prefer the smell of bacon than to their baby), and studies have shown that women who eat bacon are recognized as being more attractive than women who don't. Not that women need this excuse to eat bacon, but for something that tastes delicious and they were going to eat ANYWAY, it can be an added bonus knowing that that extra slab of bacon on your burger makes you just that tiny bit sexier.

There are SO many great recipes out there that utilize bacon in unique and delicious ways, apart from the simple perfection of just eating bacon on its own. One of my favourite ways toeat bacon, is to wrap it around another great slab of meat, and smother it in sauce.

This link will take you to a great recipe for Bacon Wrapped Brisket !

Rock on, bacon lovers!