Outrage¹ across the UK after Broadchurchcharacter made his tea in a microwave might be misplaced, Australian researchersays, but does it pass the taste test?

澳大利亚研究者说，英国人不应该对《小镇疑云》中的角色用微波炉泡茶感到义愤填膺。但是这样泡茶的味道能够通过测试么？

The kettle’s days could be numbered.Photograph: Alamy Stock Photo

茶壶剩下的日子不多了，图片：Alamy Stock Photo

When DI Hardy², played by David Tennant,made a cup of tea in the microwave during an episode of Broadchurch in March, muchof Britain was horrified³.

在3月播出的一集《小镇疑云》中，大卫·田纳特饰演的警探哈迪把一杯茶放进微波炉里加热，这一幕让英国观众感到震惊。

But it seems that the highly unorthodoxmethod of making a cuppa could result in the best and healthiest brew⁴.

但这一似乎极其异端的方法实际上能泡出最好喝最健康的茶。

Research by an Australian scientist hasfound that using a microwave to make tea activated⁵ 80% of the caffeine,theanine and antioxidant compounds – properties that are linked to lowercardiovascular disease and cholesterol⁶, hypertension and diabetes⁷.

澳大利亚科学家发现使用微波炉加热时能够激活80%的咖啡因、茶氨酸和抗氧化物质——这些化合物能够降低患心血管疾病、胆固醇、高血压和糖尿病的风险。

Crucially, the unusual method also generatedthe best taste, he found.

最重要的是，科学家发现这种不寻常的泡茶方法能够产生最好的味道。

“Microwavingis one of the advanced technologies to get more bioactive compounds from theproducts,” Dr Quan Vuong toldthe ABC.

“微波是一种先进科技，可以从产物中提取到更多生物活性化合物，”Quan Vuong博士告诉ABC。

The exact method he used was this:

他使用的提取手段是这样的：

1. Put hot water in the cup with yourteabag.

1. 倒一杯热水，把茶包浸入水中。

2. Heat in the microwave for 30 seconds onhalf power.

2. 把茶杯放入微波炉，用中档火力加热30秒。

3. Let it sit for a minute.

3. 加热完毕后再等一分钟。

Vuong found that the health benefits weregreatest when drinking three cups of tea a day. Using bags or loose leaf tealed to the same result.

Vuong发现一天喝三杯茶对健康最有益，用茶包或茶叶泡出的茶效果都是一样的。

His research, which was conducted in 2012at the University of Newcastle, has sparked fierce debate on social media, withmany tea-lovers unable to accept the results.

Vuong的研究成果在2012年诞生于纽卡斯尔大学，并在社交媒体上激起了尖锐的争论，很多爱喝茶的人都不能接受这一理论。

In the interest of balance, the Guardiandecided to put the microwave method to the test.

为了维护平衡，《卫报》决定试验这一微波炉泡茶法。

In a blind tasting, we sampled cups ofEnglish Breakfast tea made using the usual kettle method and then brewed⁹ in themicrowave as stipulated¹⁰ by Vuong.

在盲测中，我们提供了用传统茶壶法泡出的英国早餐茶，以及Vuong研究出的微波炉茶。

No surprise that, we both preferred thetraditional method.

毫不出乎意料，我们都喜欢传统方法。

Bonnie Malkin and Bridie Jabour testing cupsof tea at Guardian⁸ Australia. Photograph: Jonny Weeks for the Guardian

Bonnie Malkin和BridieJabour在《卫报》澳大利亚分社品茶。

“The real tea was much nicer by miles,” myco-taster, Bridie Jabour, said.

“真正的茶的味道要好出几十条街，”跟我一同参加品茶试验的Bridie Jabour说。

“I take my tea black but there was almost acreamier quality and it had a more complex flavour. I felt I was enjoying allthe notes in tea that were on offer, while the microwave tea seemed to lose alot of its tea-ness to be almost tea flavoured water,” she said.

“我的茶泡得有点浓，但是它几乎像奶油一样顺滑，味道更加丰富。我觉得我在享受茶里所有的风味，而微波炉茶似乎太没有茶味了，不如说它更像带茶味的水，”她说。

“The microwave tea tasted quite thin, notquite weak but there was no robust¹¹ flavour there.”

“微波炉泡的茶味道太淡，虽然不是淡到过分，但是没有一种浓厚的风味在里面。”

I felt the normal tea was simply hotter,richer and far better.

我发现传统方法泡的茶更热，味道更醇，更好喝。

I don’t know about the physical healthbenefits, but I felt a bit depressed¹² drinking the microwave one.

我不知道微波炉茶的健康功效，我只是在喝它的时候有点沮丧。

While the science may be in, it is unlikelyto be the end of a debate that has raged through the ages.

尽管科学也加入到其中，但似乎并不能终结关于泡茶方法的贯穿古今的争论。

“The best manner of making tea is thesubject of violent disputes,” George Orwell wrote in his essay on how tomake the perfect cup in 1946 - thesame year the microwave was invented.

“最好的泡茶方法一直是激烈争论的主题，”乔治·奥威尔1946年在一篇关于如何泡出好茶的文章里写道——就在那一年人类发明了微波炉。