VOA慢速英語：吃堅(jiān)果有利健康

20 July, 2015

From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report.

People have long known that nuts are part of a healthy diet. However, scientists in the Netherlands recently found that you do not need to eat many to get all the health benefits.

長(zhǎng)期以來，人們一直都知道堅(jiān)果是健康飲食的一部分。然而，荷蘭科學(xué)家最近發(fā)現(xiàn)人們并不需要吃很多的堅(jiān)果來獲取全部健康養(yǎng)分。

In this 2013 file photo, an Indian worker holds walnuts at a market on the outskirts of Jammu, India. India is a major producer of walnuts along with China, Iran and the U.S. (AP Photo/Channi Anand)

The researchers found that eating a handful of nuts or peanuts every day is linked to a lower risk of death from several major diseases.

研究者發(fā)現(xiàn)每天吃點(diǎn)堅(jiān)果或者花生有助于降低一些重大疾病死亡危險(xiǎn)。

Piet van den Brandt, a professor of epidemiology at Maastricht University, led the research. He says that eating nuts protects the health of both men and women.

馬斯特里赫特大學(xué)傳染病學(xué)教授Piet van den Brandt,帶頭進(jìn)行此次調(diào)查。他表示吃堅(jiān)果有助于男女健康。

"Nut intake seemed to be protective for both men and women, and that was on total mortality – any cause of death."

“對(duì)所有由于任何原因會(huì)死亡的男男女女來說，吃堅(jiān)果似乎保護(hù)身體。”

Professor van den Brandt adds that you do not need as many nuts as health experts earlier suggested.

Piet van den Brandt,教授補(bǔ)充道，人們不必像之前專家建議那樣吃過量的堅(jiān)果。

"What we found is that the beneficial effect(s) of nuts and peanuts is already apparent at a lot lower levels of intake than has been suggested before."

我們發(fā)現(xiàn)，吃少量的堅(jiān)果和花生就已經(jīng)獲取了食物中的營(yíng)養(yǎng)，比之前建議的食用量養(yǎng)分明顯。

About 10 grams a day is enough to get the full health benefits of nuts. That is about an average-sized handful.

一天吃10克的堅(jiān)果能夠獲取堅(jiān)果中的所有養(yǎng)分。這大概是一手掌的量。

Nuts are high in fat and calories. So, eating a handful before dinner can help you to eat less. But eating too many can ruin yourappetite altogether.

堅(jiān)果富含高脂肪和卡路里。因此，晚飯前吃一把堅(jiān)果能使你少吃點(diǎn)飯。但是吃過量的堅(jiān)果可以破壞你的胃口。

However, the researchers found that many peanut butters did not give the same health benefits as plain peanuts. That is because most peanut butters contain added oils and sugars.

然而，研究者發(fā)現(xiàn)花生黃油所含營(yíng)養(yǎng)不如普通花生。這是因?yàn)榻^大多數(shù)花生黃油富含脂肪和糖的添加劑。

Also, when choosing which nuts to eat, avoid those stored or roasted in oil. Dry-roasted is better but still the high temperatures can kill the healthy nutrients. Nuts are most healthy if you eat them raw.

同樣，選擇堅(jiān)果時(shí)，應(yīng)當(dāng)避免那些儲(chǔ)存過的或者油炸過的。干烤的堅(jiān)果最好，但是高溫能夠破壞其中的營(yíng)養(yǎng)。生吃堅(jiān)果最有利于健康。

Not all nuts are created equal

不是所有的堅(jiān)果都一樣

Nuts differ in their fat and nutrient content.

不同堅(jiān)果所含的脂肪和營(yíng)養(yǎng)不同

Almonds are among the least fatty nuts. Almonds also have calcium and are high in Vitamin E. Vitamin E helps to protect the body from disease. And it's good for skin and eyes.

杏仁是脂肪含量最少的堅(jiān)果，杏仁富含鈣質(zhì)和維他命E。維他命E能夠保護(hù)皮膚免受皮膚病，對(duì)皮膚和視力都非常好。

Chestnuts are the nut with the least fat and fewest calories. Chestnuts are rich in carbohydrates and fiber. And in their raw form, chestnuts are a good source of vitamin C. Roasted chestnuts are a popular treat in the winter.

板栗所含脂肪和卡路里數(shù)量較少。板栗富含碳水化合物和纖維素。生吃板栗是獲得豐富VC最好的渠道。在冬季，烤板栗是最受歡迎的食物。

If you do not eat meat, cashews are a good substitute. Cashews have lots of protein and minerals, like iron and zinc. They also have the mineral magnesium, which may help to improve memory.

如果你不吃肉，那么腰果則是很好的替代品，腰果含有大量的蛋白質(zhì)和礦物質(zhì)，比如鐵和鋅。它們也富含能夠改善記憶力的礦物質(zhì)——鎂。

Walnuts are loaded with antioxidants, compounds that may help protect against cancer. They are also loaded with heart-friendly fats and omega-3s. So, walnuts are a good choice for people who do not eat fish.

核桃含有豐富的抑制癌癥的抗氧化劑和復(fù)合物。它們含有大量的保護(hù)心臟的脂肪——omega-3s。核桃是不吃魚的人們的最好的選擇。

Pecans are good if you want to feel less tired and pistachios can help balance your hormone levels.

薄殼核桃能夠減輕疲倦感，開心果能夠平衡荷爾蒙。

And that's the Health & Lifestyle report.

I'm Anna Matteo.

Which are your favorite nuts? And how do you use them in recipes. Let us know in the comments section.

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Words in This Story

epidemiology– n. medical : the study of how disease spreads and can be controlled

mortality– n. the number of deaths that occur in a particular time or place

appetite– n. a physical desire for food

nutrient – n. a substance that plants, animals, and people need to live and grow

omega-3 – n. science essential fatty acids that are found in fish, green leafy vegetables and some nuts and vegetable oils

substitute – n. a person or thing that takes the place of someone or something else