英语听力文摘 English Digest 679 吃坚果有益于你的心脏（在线收听）

Nuts, Nuts, Good for Your Heart

Today’s program starts with a word association game. What comes to mind when you hear these words: almonds, walnuts, cashews, pistachios. Are you thinking scrumptious and satisfying? Or unhealthy and extravagant?

Healthy Nut

For many health-conscious folks, nuts are on the list of foods to avoid because they’re high in fat. And eighty to ninety percent of the calories in nuts do come from fat. But not all fats are created equal. The fat in nuts is unsaturated fat, which acts differently in the body than the saturated fat found in meat and dairy products. While saturated fat can raise harmful LDL cholesterol levels in the blood, the unsaturated fat in nuts can have the opposite effect, actually lowering the level of harmful cholesterol.

The saturated fat in meat and dairy products has long been associated with an increased risk of heart disease. But in several recent studies, folks who regularly ate nuts had a decreased risk of heart disease–anywhere from 35 to 50% lower, depending on the study.

Great Snack!

So nuts aren’t the nutrition bad-guys that many people think. Quite the opposite–a handful of nuts makes a great snack or substitute for meat in a main course, and not only because of the benefits of the unsaturated fat. Nuts also contain a substantial amount of protein and tend to satisfy hunger. Of course, as with any high fat food, eating too much can put on the pounds. But taken in moderation, nuts are not only tasty, but good for your heart!

吃坚果有益于你的心脏

今天的节目从一个单词联想游戏开始。当你听到杏仁、核桃、腰果、开心果等单词时会联想到什么呢?是美味的满足感，还是不健康和放任自己?

有益健康的坚果

许多注重健康的人不吃坚果，因为它们脂肪含量高。坚果中百分之八十到九十的热量源自脂肪。但并非所有脂肪都一样。坚果中的脂肪是不饱和脂肪，它在人体内发挥的作用与肉奶类产品含有的饱和脂肪大不相同。饱和脂肪能引起血液中有害健康的低密度脂蛋白胆固醇水平升高，而坚果中的不饱和脂肪则恰恰相反，事实上它可以降低有害胆固醇的水平。

长期以来，人们都把肉奶类产品中的饱和脂肪与心脏病的高发风险联系起来。但最近的一些研究表明，经常吃坚果的人们其患心脏病的风险降低百分之三十五至五十。

很好的零食

因此，坚果并非许多人认为的是营养坏东西。正相反，一把坚果是不错的零食或者可以替代主菜中的肉食，这不仅是因为不饱和脂肪具有的好处。坚果还含有大量蛋白质，能产生饱腹感。当然，同其它高脂肪食物一样，坚果吃多了也会增加体重。但适度食用，坚果不仅美味，而且有益于你的心脏。