拯救速食界老大 專家尋求爲方便麪正名
After decades of bad-mouthing instant noodles, arguably the most affordable and commonly consumed fast-food in China, experts in the country have suddenly changed their tune about the food, urging the media and people to refrain from labeling it as "junk food," which has led to a slump in sales in recent years.
在對中國可以說是最實惠、最大衆的快餐--方便麪其進行數十年的詆譭後，專家們最近突然改變了論調，轉而呼籲媒體和大衆不要再將其貼上"垃圾食品"的標籤。近年來，因被視爲垃圾食品，方便麪銷量大跌。For many, instant noodles are the embodiment of fast-food in China, almost becoming a cultural symbol of long train journeys and students' college dorm rooms.
對很多人來說，方便麪是中國式快餐，也差不多成爲了長途旅行和大學生宿舍文化的一種象徵。They are cheap, convenient, and available at almost any convenience story and supermarket across the country.
它們價格便宜，吃起來方便，在全國各地的便利店、超市幾乎都可以買得到。
A bag of seasoning, a pouch of oil, some hot water and hey presto – dinner is served.
一袋調料，一包油料，再來些熱水，晚飯成了！However, nutritionists in the past never ceased to remind people about the unhealthy aspects of the food, with the common refrain being that instant noodles "contain too many preservatives".
可是在過去，營養學家們從未停止過提醒大衆注意方便麪的危害，較常見的說法：方便麪含有太多防腐劑。They are also very high in salt, with just one serving of one popular brand's mushroom and chicken instant noodles containing 680mg, half of the daily recommended allowance of sodium.
方便麪含鹽量也很驚人，一家知名品牌的小雞燉蘑菇泡麪，每份含鹽量680mg，是人體每日推薦攝入量的一半。
While the smell of instant noodles still permeates through the country's commuter trains and college dorms, the popularity of the food has actually dwindled sharply in recent years, especially among urban populations, with the food gradually becoming a last resort for the poor who can't afford to eat much more.
儘管泡麪的香味依然飄蕩在中國的市郊列車上、大學宿舍裏，但近年來國人熱度實已銳減，這一點在都市羣體中尤爲明顯，目前方便麪已逐漸淪爲吃不飽飯的窮人迫不得已的果腹選擇。A fiscal report by the famous Chinese instant noodle brand Master Kong shows that their net profits in the first half of 2016 dropped by 64.75 percent compared with the previous year.
中國方便麪市場巨頭康師傅財報顯示，2016年上半年方便麪的淨利潤相較去年下滑了64.75%。Meanwhile, the popularity of instant noodles is steadily rising overseas – a report suggested that the snack has now even become a form of currency used by prison inmates in the United States.
而與此同時，海外其他國家對方便麪的青睞卻是穩步上升，有報告表明方便麪甚至已經成爲美國監獄犯之間的硬通貨。As China falls out of love with instant noodles and pushes them towards economic peril, Zhong Kai, an expert on nutrition, points out that instant noodles should not be categorized as junk food.
國人對方便麪的熱情不再，引發該產業的經濟危機。飲食營養專家鍾凱指出，人們不應將方便麪視作垃圾食品。As the noodles are deep-fried in palm oil, there's no need to add any preservatives to kill bacteria, as each pack barely contains any water content.
當方便麪在棕櫚油中煎炸時，由於水活度較低，細菌很難存活，所以生產商沒有必要添加防腐劑。Zhong also suggested that nobody should rely on a single diet in the long run, advising a balanced diet.
不過，他也認爲人們不能長期依賴單一食物，建議均衡飲食。
