After decades of bad-mouthing instant noodles, arguably the most affordable¹ 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 slump² in sales in recent years.

在对中国可以说是最实惠、最大众的快餐--方便面其进行数十年的诋毁后，专家们最近突然改变了论调，转而呼吁媒体和大众不要再将其贴上"垃圾食品"的标签。近年来，因被视为垃圾食品，方便面销量大跌。

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.

对很多人来说，方便面是中国式快餐，也差不多成为了长途旅行和大学生宿舍文化的一种象征。

They are cheap, convenient, and available at almost any convenience story and supermarket across the country.

它们价格便宜，吃起来方便，在全国各地的便利店、超市几乎都可以买得到。

A bag of seasoning³, a pouch⁴ of oil, some hot water and hey presto⁵ – dinner is served.

一袋调料，一包油料，再来些热水，晚饭成了！

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 preservatives⁶".

可是在过去，营养学家们从未停止过提醒大众注意方便面的危害，较常见的说法：方便面含有太多防腐剂。

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 sodium⁷.

方便面含盐量也很惊人，一家知名品牌的小鸡炖蘑菇泡面，每份含盐量680mg，是人体每日推荐摄入量的一半。

While the smell of instant noodles still permeates⁸ through the country's commuter⁹ trains and college dorms, the popularity of the food has actually dwindled¹⁰ 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.

尽管泡面的香味依然飘荡在中国的市郊列车上、大学宿舍里，但近年来国人热度实已锐减，这一点在都市群体中尤为明显，目前方便面已逐渐沦为吃不饱饭的穷人迫不得已的果腹选择。

A fiscal¹¹ 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.

中国方便面市场巨头康师傅财报显示，2016年上半年方便面的净利润相较去年下滑了64.75%。

Meanwhile, the popularity of instant noodles is steadily¹² rising overseas – a report suggested that the snack has now even become a form of currency used by prison inmates¹³ in the United States.

而与此同时，海外其他国家对方便面的青睐却是稳步上升，有报告表明方便面甚至已经成为美国监狱犯之间的硬通货。

As China falls out of love with instant noodles and pushes them towards economic peril¹⁴, Zhong Kai, an expert on nutrition, points out that instant noodles should not be categorized as junk food.

国人对方便面的热情不再，引发该产业的经济危机。饮食营养专家钟凯指出，人们不应将方便面视作垃圾食品。

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.

当方便面在棕榈油中煎炸时，由于水活度较低，细菌很难存活，所以生产商没有必要添加防腐剂。

Zhong also suggested that nobody should rely on a single diet in the long run, advising a balanced diet.

不过，他也认为人们不能长期依赖单一食物，建议均衡饮食。