读者文摘:一个核桃的自述(1)（在线收听）

In the 16th century, a harebrained health theory circulated widely among physicians in Europe:

在16世纪的欧洲，一个愚蠢的健康理论在医生中广泛传播：

Foods that resembled body parts, they believed, were especially beneficial for the health of those parts.

他们相信，与身体部位相似的食物对这些部位的健康特别有益。

A firefly for night vision, red coral to help with your blood, and little old me for the most important organ of all, the powerful human brain.

吃萤火虫能提升夜视能力，吃红珊瑚对血液有益，而核桃则能帮助最重要的器官，人类强大的大脑。

It's true that even the most un-observant of humans couldn't miss the resemblance, with my meaty folded hemispheres tucked into a protective, skull-like shell.

的确，即使是最不善于观察的人也不会错过这种相似之处，我那厚实的、褶曲的大脑半球被塞进了一个保护性的、类似头骨的壳里。

And in the end, misguided as their theory proved to be, those scientists got lucky about me.

最后，尽管他们的理论被证明是错误的，那些科学家还是幸运地找到了我。

My plentiful poly- and monounsaturated fats, along with my enviably high level of omega-3s (I'm the only nut with significant amounts of them), really are essential for cognitive health.

我有丰富的多不饱和脂肪和单不饱和脂肪，还有我那令人羡慕的高水平的欧米加-3脂肪酸(我是唯一一个含有大量欧米加-3脂肪酸的坚果)，对认知健康真的很重要。

For the record, I'm also a star when it comes to your digestion, given that I'm plenty high in fiber.

明确来说，我也是消化方面的明星，因为我的纤维含量很高。

But humans fell in love with me before science gave me such serious health-food cred.

但在科学给我严肃的健康食品的信任之前，人类就已经爱上了我。

In America especially, my sweet, quintessentially nutty flavor and delicate texture long ago found me a place among your most delicious comfort foods,

尤其是在美国，我那甜美、典型的坚果味和细腻的口感在很久以前就为我在你们最美味、最舒适的食物中找到了一席之地，

dotting your cookies and cakes, strewn atop sundaes, nestled in brittle or chocolate, and toasted in butter and coated with sugar and spices.

点缀你的饼干和蛋糕，撒在圣代上面，放在脆饼干或巧克力里，还有用黄油烤，涂上糖和香料。

I'm no stranger to savory indulgences, either, whether pureed into soups and pestos or sprinkled on salads.

嗜好美味的人对我也不感到陌生，不管是把我用在浓汤里、香蒜酱中，还是撒在沙拉上。

My light, buttery crunch (which is all the more delightful if you toast me until I'm fragrant) allows me to add just enough texture to a dish to make it interesting without creating a strain on your jaw.

我的清淡酥脆(如果你把我烤得香喷喷的，那就更美味了)让我能够给一道菜增加足够的口感，让它变得有趣，而不会对你的下巴造成压力。

You can't say that about almonds! Speaking of my more popular (but some might say less fabulous) colleague,

杏仁则不能这样描述！说起比我更受欢迎的（但是有些人说它不如我好）同伴，

you may be interested to know that neither of us are botanically nuts at all—nor are pistachios or cashews, for that matter.

你可能想知道的是，从植物学上来说我和杏仁都不是坚果-就此而言，开心果和腰果也不是。

A nut features a seed sealed inside a hard outer shell with no flesh on the outside. Think acorns, chestnuts, and hazelnuts.

坚果的特点是种子被密封在坚硬的外壳里，外壳上没有果肉。想想橡子、栗子和榛子。

However, if you were to pick me off the tree instead of off the store shelf, you'd see I am the pit inside the green, fleshy layer of my fruit.

然而，如果你把我从树上摘下来，而不是从商店的货架上，你会看到我是我的果实绿色肉质层中的核。

And the soft stuff you eat is actually the seed inside that pit.

你吃的软的东西实际上是核里面的种子。