TED演讲:食物是如何影响大脑的(2)

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　　Antioxidants in fruits and vegetables strengthen the brain to fight off free radicals³ that destroy brain cells,  水果和蔬菜中的抗氧化剂能加强脑部抗击自由基的能力，防止脑细胞受损，

　　enabling your brain to work well for a longer period of time. 从而使大脑能良好运作更长的时间。

　　And without powerful micronutrients, like the vitamins B6, B12, and folic acid, 如果没有这些强大的微量营养元素，如维他命B6及叶酸，

　　our brains would be susceptible⁴ to brain disease and mental decline. 我们会易出现脑部疾病和智力下降的病症。

　　Trace amounts of the minerals iron, copper⁵, zinc⁶, and sodium⁷ are also fundamental to brain health and early cognitive⁸ development. 微量的矿物铁、铜、锌、钠，也是大脑健康和早期认知发展所需的基本元素。

　　In order for the brain to efficiently⁹ transform and synthesize these valuable nutrients², it needs fuel, and lots of it. 为了使大脑能更有效地转化和合成这些重要的营养物质，大脑需要大量的能量。

　　While the human brain only makes up about 2% of our body weight, it uses up to 20% of our energy resources. 尽管人类大脑只占到体重的2%，但它却消耗了超过20%的能量。

　　Most of this energy comes from carbohydrates¹⁰ that our body digests into glucose¹¹, or blood sugar. 大多数的能量来自于碳水化合物，我们的身体将这些碳水化合物消化成葡萄糖或者血糖。

　　The frontal lobes¹² are so sensitive to drops in glucose, 大脑前庭对葡萄糖供给下降十分敏感，

　　in fact, that a change in mental function is one of the primary signals of nutrient¹ deficiency. 实际上，心智功能产生的变化就是营养不足的一个重要信号。

　　Assuming that we are getting glucose regularly, how does the specific type of carbohydrates we eat affect our brains? 假设我们能不断获取葡萄糖，那么我们食用特定种类的碳水化合物是如何影响我们的大脑的呢？

　　Carbs come in three forms: starch¹³, sugar, and fiber¹⁴. 碳水化合物有三种形式：淀粉，糖类，和纤维素。

　　While on most nutrition labels, they are all lumped into one total carb count, 尽管在大多数营养成分表中它们都计入在碳水化合物的含量中，

　　the ratio of the sugar and fiber subgroups to the whole amount affect how the body and brain respond. 糖类和纤维素各自在总量中所占的比例会影响我们身体和大脑的反应。

　　A high glycemic food, like white bread, causes a rapid release of glucose into the blood, and then comes the dip. 高血糖食物，如白面包会迅速释放大量葡萄糖进入血液中，之后血糖含量又迅速下降。

　　Blood sugar shoots down, and with it, our attention span and mood. 当血糖含量降低时，我们的注意力和情绪也随之下降。

　　On the other hand, oats, grains, and legumes have slower glucose release, enabling a steadier level of attentiveness¹⁵. 另一方面，燕麦、谷物和豆类释放葡萄糖较为缓慢，能使注意力保持得更稳定。

　　For sustained brain power, opting¹⁶ for a varied¹⁷ diet of nutrient-rich foods is critical. 为了让脑力可持续使用，选择饮食多样化是至关重要的。

　　When it comes to what you bite, chew, and swallow, 涉及到你要吃、要咀嚼的和要吞咽的食物时，

　　your choices have a direct and long-lasting effect on the most powerful organ in your body. 你的选择会直接并长久地影响到你身体中最强大的器官。

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