巧克力是否有益健康？

Ｍａｒｇｕｅｒｉｔａ　Ｂｏｎｎｅｖｉｌｌｅ

If you're a fan of chocolate you're in good company. Chocolate is one of the most popular sweet - tasting treats in the world and has been for centuries. But part of the myth surrounding chocolate is that it tastes so good it must be bad for your health, which gives it an air of the forbidden.

如果你是個(gè)巧克力鐘愛者，那么你有很多志趣相投的伙伴。數(shù)百年來巧克力是世界上人們最喜愛的甜食之一。但關(guān)于巧克力有這么個(gè)說法：它如此美味，定然有害健康，這使人們形成禁食巧克力的意識(shí)。

A beautifully wrapped box of chocolates has always been considered a very romantic gift. So if the special person in your life is a self-confessed chocoholic, you know one surefire way to please them on special occasions. But the surprising news from the scientific community is that this reputedly decadent treat actually has some health benefits, especially if you choose your chocolate wisely.

一盒包裝精美的巧克力通常被看做非常浪漫的禮物。所以如果你生命中那個(gè)特別的人坦言自己貪戀巧克力，那么你有了在特別場(chǎng)合下取悅她們的萬全之法。但來自科學(xué)界令人驚訝的消息稱，這個(gè)據(jù)說對(duì)我們不利的甜食實(shí)際上對(duì)人的健康益處多多，尤其是如果能夠明智地挑選適合你的巧克力。

Is Chocolate A Healthy Food?

巧克力是健康食品嗎？

Chocolate contains over 300 chemicals, and has been the subject of a number of studies by universities and other scientific organizations. Here's a quick rundown of the results. We have no way of proving or disproving these claims so we offer them here as a stimulus for further research. If you're really interested in the subject, this may provide you with a starting point.

巧克力含有300多種化學(xué)成分，已經(jīng)成為許多大學(xué)和其它科學(xué)組織研究的對(duì)象。這是一份研究結(jié)果的大致綱要。我們還沒有方法來證實(shí)或反駁這些結(jié)論，因此我們?cè)诖藶榇蠹伊谐鲆约?lì)進(jìn)一步的研究。如果你真的對(duì)這個(gè)話題感興趣，這也許可以為你提供一個(gè)起點(diǎn)。

* Cacao, the source of chocolate, contains antibacterial agents that fight tooth decay. Of course this is counteracted by the high sugar content of milk chocolate.

巧克力的原料可可含有抗菌物，可以防治蛀牙。當(dāng)然，抗菌劑與奶油巧克力的高含糖量相互抵消。

* The smell of chocolate may increase theta brain waves, resulting in relaxation.

巧克力的香味可以增加θ腦電波，使身心得到放松。

* Chocolate contains phenyl ethylamine, a mild mood elevator.

巧克力含有苯基乙胺，是溫和的情緒調(diào)節(jié)劑。

* The cocoa butter in chocolate contains oleic acid, a mono-unsaturated fat which may raise good cholesterol.

巧克力中的可可油含有油酸，這種不飽和脂肪會(huì)增加良性膽固醇。

* Drinking a cup of hot chocolate before meals may actually diminish appetite.

飯前喝一杯熱巧克力會(huì)降低食欲。

* Men who eat chocolate live a year longer than those who don't.

吃巧克力的人比不吃的人長(zhǎng)壽一年。

* The flavanoids in chocolate may help keep blood vessels elastic.

巧克力中的黃酮類物質(zhì)有助于保持血管的彈性。

* Chocolate increases antioxidant levels in the blood.

巧克力可以提高血液的抗氧化物含量。

* Mexican healers use chocolate to treat bronchitis and insect bites.

墨西哥醫(yī)生用巧克力醫(yī)治支氣管炎和蚊蟲叮咬。……