VOA慢速英语2016 你可以列举四类最健康最美味的调味料吗？分享到:（在线收听）

Can You Name Four of the Healthiest, Tastiest Spices? 你可以列举四类最健康最美味的调味料吗？分享到:

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

VOA英语学习健康及生活方式报道。

Here in the United States, there is a saying: “Diversity is the spice of life.”

美国有句话是“多样化是生活的调味剂”。

This means that having a nice, healthy mix of people,thoughts, and experiences can make your life more interesting and, well, spicy.

意思是生活中融入一些和蔼健康的人、思想和经验能够让生活更加有趣更加有味儿。

Spices do the same with our meals.Every country uses spices to make cooking distinct.

对我们的食物来说，调味料的作用亦是如此。每个国家都通过调味料让烹饪变得各不相同。

Centuries ago, some spices were quite valuable.They were used as currency throughout the world.These days, most spices are reasonably priced and easy to find in stores.But they are still extremely valuable when it comes to keeping us healthy.

几个世纪之前，一些调味料相当宝贵。它们被用作货币在世界各地流通。但现在，大部分调味料的价格都比较合理，能够在商店里买到。但这些调味料对于维持我们的身体健康来说仍然非常重要。

As with many traditional or natural cures, there is little scientific evidence to prove that spices have healing qualities.The U.S. National Institutes of Health says it is possible that spices have health benefits.But there is not enough strong evidence to confirm such claims.

根据一些传统疗法和自然疗法，没有科学证据表明调味料还具备愈合的特性。美国国立卫生研究所表示调味料很可能有益于健康。但还没有充分的证据证明这些说法。

However, it does not hurt anything to add a few spices to your diet.So, here are four of the healthiest and tastiest spices.

但是在饮食中加点调味料不会有什么坏处。以下是四种最健康最美味的调味料。

1. Ginger

1. 生姜

From India to Japan to China, ginger is popular in many food dishes.

从印度到日本再到中国，很多道菜中都会有生姜。

Ginger has a hot, fragrant flavor.You can add ground ginger to many dishes, baked products and smoothies or other thick drinks.You can grate fresh ginger root, adding the small pieces to your favorite dishes.Candied ginger is a popular treat in many countries.

生姜，味辛辣芳香。很多菜、烘烤食品、冰沙或者其他浓饮中都可添加姜末。可将新鲜的生姜根研磨，添加至最爱的菜中。很多国家中，香甜姜糖在待客时也是非常受欢迎的。

Besides tasting great, ginger helps the body in many ways.Researchers have studied the anti-inflammatory qualities of ginger.An anti-inflammatory reduces swelling – the enlargement of a body part, often resulting from a build-up of fluid.So, ginger may help reduce pain in muscles and joints after you exercise.

除了美味之外，生姜在很多方面对人体都是有益的。研究人员已经对生姜的抗炎特性进行了研究。抗炎特性能够消除肿胀，即身体某部位变大，通常是因为体液的积压。因此，生姜可以缓解进行体育锻炼后肌肉和关节处的肿痛。

Thai researchers found that healthy, middle-aged women who took a ginger supplement every day for two months improved their mental ability.These women had a greater attention span and scored higher on memory tests than women who took a harmless substance or placebo.

泰国研究人员发现，健康的中年妇女连续两个月每天都进食生姜后，能够提升其智力。这些妇女的注意广度较广，有关记忆的测试得分也较高。这一结果是与那些进食无害的物质或者安慰剂的妇女相比较产生的。

Ginger is a well-known cure for nausea, motion sickness and pregnancy-related health disorders.There is some evidence that ginger might help cure joint and muscle pain.And drinking tea with ginger root can reduce sore throat pain.

生姜能够有效治疗恶心、晕动病以及与怀孕相关的各种健康问题。有证据表明生姜能够治愈关节和肌肉伤痛。饮姜茶能够缓解咽喉疼痛。

2. Turmeric

2. 姜黄

Turmeric is the main spice in curry and a relative of ginger.

姜黄是咖喱中经常用到的调味料，是与生姜相关的一种调料。

As a traditional medicine, many cultures use turmeric to fight depression, liver disease and skin disorders.This information comes from the U.S. National Institutes for Health.

姜黄是一种传统医药，很多国家都采用姜黄治疗抑郁症、肝病以及各种皮肤病。这些信息来自美国国立卫生研究院。

There is no hard-and-fast proof that spices fight disease.But the NIH says there is research showing that turmeric has helped patients with arthritis and indigestion, or heartburn.

但还没有确凿的证据证明该调料能够抵御疾病。但美国国立卫生研究院表示有调查表明姜黄对患有关节炎、消化不良以及胃灼热的患者都有帮助。

Some Indian researchers claim that a chemical in turmeric called curcumin can slow or stop the growth of tumor cells.They say it can also suppress enzymes that activate cancer-causing agents.

一些印度的研究人员表明姜黄中有一种叫姜黄素的化学物质能够降低或者终止肿瘤细胞的生长。他们表示姜黄素能够抑制激活致癌因子的酶的活性。

3. Cumin

3. 孜然

One tablespoon of cumin seeds can supply 22 percent of your daily requirement for iron.Iron helps keep your energy levels high and strengthens the body’s natural defenses against disease.

每天一勺孜然籽能够提供人类所需铁元素的22%。铁有助于保持较高的能量级，有助于增强机体天然的对疾病的抵抗力。

According to early research, cumin may also improve your brainpower.In an animal study, cumin extract was shown to improve performance on memory tests.

早先的研究表明，孜然能够促进大脑智能。一项动物实验表明孜然提取物有助于提高在记忆测试中的表现。

Cumin may help people with diabetes by keeping their blood sugar level in check.It may also have powerful germ-fighting qualities.

孜然能够保持血液中血糖的水平，因此对糖尿病患者有利。此外，孜然还有强大的抗病菌特性。

4. Cinnamon

4. 肉桂

Cinnamon is a common spice.It adds a warm, sweet taste to both sweet and savory dishes.

肉桂是常见的调料。能够为甜食或者口味重的菜增加一种温暖香甜的味道。

There are two main kinds of cinnamon.Ceylon cinnamon is considered by many to be true cinnamon.And it can be very pricey.Cassia cinnamon or Chinese cinnamon generally costs less than Ceylon cinnamon.This is the kind that we put on top of coffee or hot chocolate.Cinnamon is also found in many baked goods here in the United States.

主要有两种肉桂。很多人认为锡兰肉桂是真正的肉桂。但其价格高昂。卡西亚肉桂或者中国肉桂的价钱比锡兰肉桂低。我们在咖啡或者热巧克力中加的就是这种肉桂。美国很多烘焙的食物中也会添加肉桂。

According to the National Institutes of Health,cinnamon has been used as a spice and traditional herbal medicine for centuries.

据美国国立卫生研究院表示，几个世纪以来，肉桂一直被用作是调料和传统草药。

The NIH website says there is research to suggest that cinnamon, like cumin,may lower blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes.Cinnamon may also reduce cholesterol levels, help to reduce inflammation and kill germs that cause disease.

国立卫生研究所的官网上表示有研究表明，肉桂可能与孜然一样，能够降低二型糖尿病患者的血糖水平。肉桂还能够降低胆固醇水平，有助于缓解炎症，并能够杀死病菌。

These are only four of the many spices used around the world to flavor our food and possibly keep us healthy.

以上是四种全球各地常用来调节食物味道并有助于维持健康的调料。

Words in This Story

distinct – adj. noticeably different

affordable – adj. to be able to pay for (something)

fragrant – adj. having a pleasant and usually sweet smell

flavor – n. the quality of something that you can taste : a particular type of taste : a good or appealing taste

in check – idiomatic expression : under control

savory – adj. having a spicy or salty quality without being sweet  

placebo – n. medicine : a pill or substance that is given to a patient like a drug but that has no physical effect on the patient

nausea – n. the feeling you have in your stomach when you think you are going to vomit

hard-and-fast – adj. used to say that something (such as a rule) cannot be changed

indigestion – n. an unpleasant feeling (such as pain or a burning sensation) in your stomach or chest that is caused by difficulty in digesting food

heartburn – n. an unpleasant hot feeling in your chest caused by something that you ate

suppress – v. to restrain from a usual course or action : to inhibit the growth or development of

activate – v. to make active or more active