未來的五種超級食物
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在健康食品方面，刮起了一股新的“復古風”——專家表示，這是好的趨勢。了解一下五種由來已久的原材料，最近如何成為新的烹飪趨勢，以及這些流行的超級食物如何降低疾病風險，改善腸胃道健康，保持纖細身材。 康普茶 有學者認為，這種發酵茶起源于公元前220年左右的中國，古代人飲用這種茶用來解毒，它也被冠以“長生不老藥”的稱號?？灯詹韪缓瑢ι眢w有益的益生菌，因為這種細菌會在發酵過程中大量生長。但在選擇品種時一定要慎重。馬薩諸塞州倫諾克斯終極健康中心（UltraWellness Center ）的醫學主任、醫學博士伊麗莎白?寶漢姆表示，有些康普茶飲品的含糖量可能超過了預期，所以要選擇每一份含糖量不超過5克的品牌。 韓國泡菜 這種經過發酵的圓白菜突然出現在全美各地的菜單上； 有一項分析估計，美國餐廳每50份菜單中，便會有1份提供韓國泡菜。韓國泡菜的原材料是高纖維的蔬菜，并添加了富含抗氧化劑的調味料，最重要的是，其中含有對腸胃有益的益生菌。博客Nutrition Unplugged的作者、芝加哥的營養學家、注冊營養師珍妮特?赫爾姆表示：“研究已經證明，人體的微生物平衡會影響免疫力，因此攝入益生菌是腸胃健康的一個重要部分?！毖芯堪l現，食用韓國泡菜可以幫助避免便秘，甚至能夠增強免疫系統。 奇亞籽 據說阿茲特克勇士在出征之前，會吞下幾勺可以提供能量的種子。今天，你可以在各種食物中發現這種種子，從希臘酸奶到茶，以及水果風味水擠壓包等。奇亞籽富含一種歐米伽-3脂肪酸，可幫助改善膽固醇和高血壓，降低心臟病風險。此外，每盎司奇亞籽有11克纖維，所以，食用奇亞籽可幫助控制胃口和減肥。 傳統谷物 我們的祖先早在約75,000年前便開始補充碳水化合物。我們之所以說他們食用的谷物（如 奎奴亞藜、卡姆小麥和青麥等）是“傳統谷物”，是因為在過去幾百年間，它們一直沒有發生過太大變化，這與經過雜交的現代小麥截然不同。多數古代谷物均營養豐富，可以補鈣（埃塞俄比亞畫眉草在所有谷物中的含鈣量最高）、纖維（大麥富含纖維）和一種可幫助身體燃燒脂肪的氨基酸——賴氨酸（莧菜是主要來源）。雖然“傳統谷物”是一個營銷術語，而不是科學術語，但它代表了健康的、未精致的全谷物。 海藻 海藻從數千年前開始便是亞洲飲食的一種原材料。寶漢姆博士表示：“海藻最大的好處在于其含碘量；人體甲狀腺和健康的乳腺組織，需要攝入充足的碘?！焙Ｔ暹€可以提供其他重要的礦物質，如鈣和鐵等。 （財富中文網） 譯者：劉進龍/汪皓 |
When it comes to health food, everything old is new again—and experts say that can be a good thing. Find out five age-old staples that have recently become new culinary trends and how these popular superfoods can benefit your body, from lowering your risk of disease to improving your digestive health to keeping you slim. Kombucha Some scholars say the fermented tea was born around 220 B.C. in China, where it was sipped for detoxification and dubbed the “tea of immortality.” Kombucha is bursting with good-for-you probiotics, since the bacteria thrive during fermentation. Just be careful which kind you choose. Some kombucha drinks may contain more sugar than you bargained for, so look for brands that have 5 grams or fewer per serving, says Elizabeth Boham, MD, medical director of the UltraWellness Center in Lenox, Mass. Kimchi The fermented cabbage dish is popping up on menus nationwide; one analysis estimates that it’s offered on 1 in 50 menus at U.S. restaurants. Kimchi is made from a fiber-packed veggie, loaded with antioxidant-rich spices and, most importantly, teems with gut-friendly probiotics. “Research has shown how the balance of microbes in your system can impact immunity, so eating probiotics is an important part of digestive health,” says Janet Helm, RD, a Chicago-based nutritionist and author of the blog Nutrition Unplugged. Studies have found that eating kimchi can help ward off constipation and even strengthen the immune system. Chia Seeds Aztec warriors are said to have scarfed down spoonfuls of the energy-boosting seeds before heading into battle. Today, you can find them in everything from Greek yogurt to tea to fruit-infused squeeze packs. Chia seeds are rich in a form of omega-3 fatty acids that may help improve cholesterol and high blood pressure and lower the risk of heart disease. They also have 11 grams of fiber per ounce, so eating them can help curb your appetite and keep extra pounds away. Ancient Grains Our ancestors began carbo-loading about 75,000 years ago. We call the grains they ate (such as quinoa, Kamut, and freekeh) “ancient” because they’ve remained largely unchanged over the last several hundred years, unlike modern types of wheat, which have been crossbred. Most ancient grains are nutritional powerhouses, boasting calcium (teff has the most of any grain), fiber (barley is full of it), and an amino acid called lysine, which helps your body burn fat (amaranth is a top source). While “ancient grains” is a marketing term, not a scientific one, it does denote healthy whole, unrefined grains. Seaweed Seaweed has been a staple of Asian diets for thousands of years. “One of the biggest benefits is its iodine content; you need sufficient iodine for your thyroid and healthy breast tissue,” says Dr. Boham. Seaweed can also provide other key minerals, such as calcium and iron. |
