A banana for breakfast, one for lunch and one in the evening would provide enough potassium to reduce the chances of suffering a blood clot on the brain by around 21 per cent.

科学家称，每天吃3个香蕉可以降低中风的风险。

早上、中午和晚上各吃一个香蕉能提供足够的钾而减少大脑形成血块21%的几率。

The findings, by British and Italian researchers, suggest thousands of strokes could be prevented by the consumption of other potassium-rich foods such as spinach, nuts, milk, fish and lentils.

英国和意大利研究者从调查结果中发现许多中风者可以通过吃其他富含钾的食物如菠菜、坚果、牛奶、鱼和扁豆进行预防。

Although some previous studies have suggested bananas could be important for controlling blood pressure and preventing strokes, results have not always been consistent.

尽管先前一些研究表明香蕉对控制血压和预防中风很重要，但是结果还不总是一致。

In the latest research, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, scientists analysed data from eleven different studies - dating back to the mid-Sixties - and pooled the results to get an overall outcome.

发表在《美国心脏病协会杂志》的最新研究，科学家们分析了11个不同研究数据（可追溯到60年代中期），把结果结合起来得到一个全面的答案。

They found a daily potassium intake of around 1,600 milligrammes, less than half the UK recommended daily amount for an adult of 3,500mg, was enough to lower stroke risk by more than a fifth.

他们发现每天摄入钾约1600毫克就可以减少1/5中风风险，这个摄入量还没有英国推荐的成人每天摄取3500毫克钾的一半。

The average banana contains around 500 milligrammes of potassium, which helps to lower blood pressure and controls the balance of fluids in the body.

一根香蕉平均含有500毫克钾，可以帮助降低血压和控制体内水分的平衡。

Too little potassium can lead to an irregular heartbeat, irritability, nausea and diarrhoea.

钾摄入量太少会造成心跳不正常、兴奋性、恶心和腹泻.

 Researchers from the University of Warwick and the University of Naples said potassium intake in most countries is well below the recommended daily amount.

华威大学和那不勒斯大学的研究者称大部分国家中钾的摄入量远远低于日推荐量。

But if consumers ate more potassium-rich foods and also reduced their salt intake, the annual global death toll from strokes could be cut by more than a million a year.

如果人们多吃富含钾的食物并减少盐的摄入量，全球每年因中风死亡的人数将减少超过1百万人。

Researchers said in their report: 'It would translate into a reduction of as many as 1,155,000 stroke deaths a year on a worldwide scale.'

研究人员在报道中说：“这将体现在在全球范围内每年减少115.5万中风死亡人数。

Strokes, which are usually caused when a clot forms and blocks the blood supply to the brain, kill around 200 people every day in the UK.

中风通常是由于血块形成阻止血液流向大脑造成的，在英国每天约200人因中风而死亡。

Many more are left disabled and in danger of a second or even third attack which could kill them.

更多人变成残疾，而且有可能遭受第二次或第三次中风以致死亡。

Treating and looking after the 100,000 people affected by strokes each year in the UK costs the NHS an estimated ?2.3 billion. Only cancer and heart disease kill more people.

英国NHS每年医治和照顾10万个中风者需花费23亿美元。只有癌症和心脏病死亡人数比这更多。

A spokesman for the Stroke Association said: 'This research suggests eating lots of potassium-rich foods, such as bananas, dates and spinach, could reduce your risk of having a stroke.  

英国中风协会一个发言人说：“该研究表明多吃富含钾的食物，如香蕉、大枣和菠菜，可以减少中风的风险。”

'High blood pressure is the single biggest risk factor for stroke and past research has indicated that potassium could help to lower blood pressure. 

“高血压是中风唯一最大的威胁，过去的研究也表明钾能够减低血压。”

'This could go some way to explain the positive effects of potassium demonstrated in this study.'

“这样能从某种程度上解释该研究所证明的钾的积极作用。”