News broke today that Oxford University Press has given the ludicrous advice to its authors to refrain from mentioning bacon or pork in any books because to do so would offend Muslims. In the interest of free speech and to show that Americans will not be bullied and intimidated into silence by religious extremists, here is some information that is all about bacon and pork, because bacon is the best food in the world and pork in all other forms is also pretty fantastic.
Many people may think of bacon as being a highly unhealthy food. However, some might be surprised to find out that bacon is not all that high in calories. A regular serving of bacon, three slices, contains about 135 calories and 10 grams of protein. That is actually fewer calories than are contained in most leading protein bars on the market, and nearly as much protein. A slice contains just 3.6 grams of saturated fat, well below the recommended daily allowance for saturated fat, which is roughly 15 grams for a 1,900 calorie diet.
Bacon is a dream for those following a low carbohydrate diet as it weighs in at 0.1 carbs per slice. Dieters following this lifestyle can eat almost unlimited amounts of bacon without adding many carbs to their eating plan. However, those following this type of plan should be aware that any sort of honey-roasted bacon will be much higher in carbs due to the sugar content contained therein. Be sure to check labels carefully before purchasing.
This is not to say that bacon is a health food, but it can be incorporated into a healthy diet when eaten in moderation. It is extremely flavorful; so much so that some vegetarians have been known to joke that they have given up meat except for bacon. More than one vegetarian has fallen off the wagon due to the deliciousness of bacon.
Bacon is a versatile food, too. It can be eaten plain, cooked extra crunchy and served alongside eggs, or it can be crumbled up on top of a salad to give the dish excellent flavor and texture. It can be incorporated into many recipes and is especially divine wrapped around scallops or pork hot dogs.
Which bring us to a discussion of pork in general. Pork is nutritious and can even be considered a healthy food when prepared as lean chops baked in the oven. A four ounce pork chop has roughly 250 calories and a whopping 26 grams of protein. It has 0 grams of carbs and is high in many vitamins and minerals. In fact, it contains 55 percent of the recommended daily allowance for vitamin B-6, 22 percent RDA of vitamin D, 10 percent RDA of iron, and 11 percent RDA of magnesium. That is a whole lot of porky goodness!
So consider enjoying some bacon and pork today; or just writing and talking about it, because those who do not follow Islam should not be forced to live as Muslims wish us to live. We can eat bacon and pork, and write about it all day long every day if we so choose. Vive la bacon! Vive la pork!