爲什麼早餐吃巧克力能增強你的腦力?
We'd probably consider ourselves borderline chocoholics here at , so imagine how delighted we were to hear that scientists have now confirmed what we've long suspected: our favourite treat actually boosts brain power...
也許根據 網站的內容，我們會認爲自己快要變成巧克力上癮者了，所以想象一下，當我們聽到科學家終於證實我們的長期以來的猜想：我們最愛的甜食真的能增強腦力時，我們該有多高興啊！As if we needed another excuse to eat chocolate, researchers from Italy have concluded that it has a positive effect on cognition - particularly for sleep-deprived women. Wait, does this mean we've just been given full licence to eat chocolate for breakfast when we're tired!?
好像我們要再找一個理由吃巧克力一樣，意大利的研究員們得出了這樣一個結論：巧克力對我們的認知有積極影響--對於睡眠不足的女性來說更是如此。等等，這是不是說當我們累的時候，我們可以肆無忌憚的拿巧克力當早餐！？Chocolate is known to be rich in flavonols, a natural compound that has protective effects on the brain, so a team from the University of L'Aquila decided to see exactly what happens to your cognitive performance after you've eaten it.
衆所周知，巧克力富含黃酮醇，這是對大腦有保護作用的天然化合物，所以拉奎拉大學的一支團隊決定一探究竟：吃了巧克力後，人們的認知能力到底會怎樣？
In a review of studies on the subject, published in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition, they concluded that cocoa flavonols seemed to enhance working memory performance and improved visual information processing.
發表在《營養前沿》雜誌上的研究報告得出這樣的結論：可可黃酮醇似乎能提高工作記憶性能、改善視覺信息處理。And, for women who'd slept badly the night before, the effects were even more impressive: the cocoa seemed to counteract the cognitive impairment caused by sleep deprivation. For older people, there's even better news: the researchers have concluded that daily intake seems to help improve cognition, including memory.
對於先前睡眠很差的女性而言，影響結果更令人印象深刻：可可似乎能抵消睡眠不足引起的認知障礙。對於老年人而言，還有更好的消息：研究員們總結出這樣的結論：每天吃點巧克力似乎能改善認知，包括提高記憶力。'Regular intake of cocoa and chocolate could indeed provide beneficial effects on cognitive functioning over time,' the team concluded. However, they were quick to highlight that eating milk chocolate probably isn't the best idea...
"定期攝入可可和巧克力會隨着時間的推移，給人們的認知功能帶來益處，"該團隊人員總結道。然而，他們很快強調：吃牛奶巧克力可能並不是最好的……'There are, however, potential side effects of eating cocoa and chocolate,' they said. 'Those are generally linked to the caloric value of chocolate, some inherent chemical compounds of the cocoa plant such as caffeine and theobromine, and a variety of additives we add to chocolate such as sugar or milk.'
"然而，吃可可和巧克力也有潛在的副作用，"他們說道。"總的來說，這與巧克力的熱量值、可可植物本身含有的化學複合物（比如咖啡因和可可鹼）以及巧克力中的添加劑（比如糖和牛奶）有關。"But great news for those of us who prefer dark chocolate, because the team fully supports us eating a small amount of it every day. Oh YES. 'Dark chocolate is a rich source of flavanols,' they said. 'So we always eat some dark chocolate. Every day.'
但這對喜歡吃黑巧克力的人而言是個好消息，因爲該團隊完全支持我們每天吃少量的黑巧克力。太棒了。"黑巧克力富含黃烷醇，"他們說道。"所以我們每天都要吃些黑巧克力。"Best advice we've heard in ages.
這真是難得聽到的最佳建議啊！
