吃坚果有助保持健康

Eat Nuts to Stay Healthy 吃坚果有助保持健康

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.

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.

Piet van den¹ Brandt, a professor of epidemiology at Maastricht University, led the research. He says that eating nuts protects the health of both men and women.

“Nut intake² seemed to be protective for both men and women, and that was on total mortality – any cause of death.”

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

“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.”

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

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 your appetite altogether.

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.

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 nutrients⁴. Nuts are most healthy if you eat them raw.

Not all nuts are created equal

Nuts differ in their fat and nutrient³ content.

Almonds are among the least fatty nuts. Almonds also have calcium⁵ and are high in Vitamin E. Vitamin E helps to protect the body from disease. And it’s good for skin and eyes.

Chestnuts⁶ are the nut with the least fat and fewest calories. Chestnuts are rich in carbohydrates⁷ and fiber⁸. And in their raw form, chestnuts are a good source of vitamin C. Roasted chestnuts are a popular treat in the winter.

If you do not eat meat, cashews are a good substitute. Cashews have lots of protein and minerals, like iron and zinc⁹. They also have the mineral magnesium¹⁰, which may help to improve memory.

Walnuts¹¹ 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.

Pecans are good if you want to feel less tired and pistachios can help balance your hormone¹² levels.

And that’s the Health & Lifestyle report.

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

1 den   

n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室

参考例句：

• There is a big fox den on the back hill.后山有一个很大的狐狸窝。
• The only way to catch tiger cubs is to go into tiger's den.不入虎穴焉得虎子。

2 intake   

n.吸入，纳入；进气口，入口

参考例句：

• Reduce your salt intake.减少盐的摄入量。
• There was a horrified intake of breath from every child.所有的孩子都害怕地倒抽了一口凉气。

3 nutrient   

adj.营养的，滋养的；n.营养物，营养品

参考例句：

• Magnesium is the nutrient element in plant growth.镁是植物生长的营养要素。
• The roots transmit moisture and nutrient to the trunk and branches.根将水分和养料输送到干和枝。

4 nutrients   

n.（食品或化学品）营养物，营养品( nutrient的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a lack of essential nutrients 基本营养的缺乏
• Nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream. 营养素被吸收进血液。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 calcium   

n.钙(化学符号Ca)

参考例句：

• We need calcium to make bones.我们需要钙来壮骨。
• Calcium is found most abundantly in milk.奶含钙最丰富。

6 chestnuts   

n.栗子( chestnut的名词复数 )；栗色；栗树；栗色马

参考例句：

• A man in the street was selling bags of hot chestnuts. 街上有个男人在卖一包包热栗子。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Talk of chestnuts loosened the tongue of this inarticulate young man. 因为栗子，正苦无话可说的年青人，得到同情他的人了。 来自汉英文学 - 中国现代小说

7 carbohydrates   

n.碳水化合物，糖类( carbohydrate的名词复数 )；淀粉质或糖类食物

参考例句：

• The plant uses the carbohydrates to make cellulose. 植物用碳水化合物制造纤维素。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• All carbohydrates originate from plants. 所有的碳水化合物均来自植物。 来自辞典例句

8 fiber   

n.纤维，纤维质

参考例句：

• The basic structural unit of yarn is the fiber.纤维是纱的基本结构单元。
• The material must be free of fiber clumps.这种材料必须无纤维块。

9 zinc   

n.锌；vt.在...上镀锌

参考例句：

• Brass is formed by the fusion of copper and zinc.黄铜是通过铜和锌的熔合而成的。
• Zinc is used to protect other metals from corrosion.锌被用来保护其他金属不受腐蚀。

10 magnesium   

n.镁

参考例句：

• Magnesium is the nutrient element in plant growth.镁是植物生长的营养要素。
• The water contains high amounts of magnesium.这水含有大量的镁。

11 walnuts   

胡桃（树）( walnut的名词复数 )； 胡桃木

参考例句：

• Are there walnuts in this sauce? 这沙司里面有核桃吗？
• We ate eggs and bacon, pickled walnuts and cheese. 我们吃鸡蛋，火腿，腌胡桃仁和干酪。

12 hormone   

n.荷尔蒙，激素，内分泌

参考例句：

• Hormone implants are used as growth boosters.激素植入物被用作生长辅助剂。
• This hormone interacts closely with other hormones in the body.这种荷尔蒙与体內其他荷尔蒙紧密地相互作用。