托福閱讀材料之黑巧克力的妙用

　　Dark chocolate has been shown to have a beneficial effect on the heart in numerous studies, and now scientists from Linkoping University in Sweden know why.

　　經(jīng)過數(shù)次科學實驗，黑巧克力已被證明為“護心”食品。而如今，瑞典林雪平大學的科學家們發(fā)現(xiàn)了黑巧克力的“護心”奧秘。

　　Because they found snacking on a slab of the cocoa-rich treat inhibits an enzyme in the body that is known to raise blood pressure.

　　原來，一小塊可可含量高的甜點便會抑制一種酶的活性，而這種酶正是讓血壓升高的“元兇”。

　　Researchers recruited 16 healthy non-smoking volunteers for the study. Two days before the study they were not allowed to eat chocolate or anything containing similar compounds, including many berries, nor could they drink coffee, tea, or wine. Everyone in the group gave a blood sample both before and after eating 75 grams of unsweetened chocolate with a cocoa content of 72 percent.

　　研究人員們招募了16名志愿者，他們均不吸煙。在實驗開始的兩天前，這些志愿者不得吃巧克力以及任何含有相似成分的食物(包括各種漿果)，也不能喝咖啡、茶或者酒類。實驗開始，每個人進行了血液樣本檢測，然后服用75克無糖巧克力(可可含量達72%)，隨后再進行一次血液樣本檢測。

　　Scientists found ACE enzyme activity was reduced by 18 percent three hours after the cocoa dose. This is comparable to the effect of drugs that inhibit ACE and are used as a first-choice treatment for high blood pressure.

　　科學家們發(fā)現(xiàn)，一種叫做血管緊張素轉(zhuǎn)換酶的酶類活性在志愿者服用可可三小時后降低了18%。這樣的效果幾乎可與此前抑制血管緊張素轉(zhuǎn)換酶活性、并用來治療高血壓的首選藥物效果相匹敵。

　　Drug researcher Ms. Persson said: "Our findings indicate that changes in lifestyle with the help of foods that contain large concentrations of catechins and procyaninides prevent cardiovascular diseases."

　　藥物研究人員帕森女士稱：“這些發(fā)現(xiàn)表明了，食用含有高濃度兒茶酚及前花青素的食物有助于人們遠離降低心血管疾病。”