托福英语阅读材料：CocoaandBloodFlow

可可，这种神奇的作物被人们做成各种产品食用或饮用。可可对人体健康的神奇疗效也使其受到广泛欢迎。

 

　　There’s nothing like a cup of hot cocoa on a blustery day.

　　大风的日子里没有什么比得上一杯热可可饮料。

 

　　According to one study, some kinds of cocoa could not only taste good, but be good for you, too.

　　一项研究表明，某些可可品种不仅味道好，而且对身体也很有益。

 

　　Evidence suggests that flavanol(1) found in cocoa can actually reverse arterial damage, increase blood flow to the brain, and lower your chances for cardiovascular disease(2)

　　相关证据表明可可中含有的黄烷醇可以逆转动脉损伤，增加至大脑的血流量，并且降低患心血管疾病的可能性。

 

　　Cocoa contains chemical compounds called flavanols. Scientists think that flavanols boost(3) the level of nitric oxide in the blood, which makes arteries(4) more flexible. The more flexible an artery, the better able it is to expand as it fills with blood and contract as it pushes blood farther down the line.

　　可可中包含一种被称为黄烷醇的化学成分。科学家认为黄烷醇可以增加血液中的一氧化氮的含量，让动脉更加的灵活。动脉越灵活，动脉能够在填充血液和推动血液流动的时候更好的扩张和收缩。

 

　　Some compelling(5) evidence for the arterial benefits of flavanols comes from the San Blas islands near Panama. The Kuna Indians who live there drink a kind of cocoa high in flavanols. Kuna who live on mainland Panama, though, don’t drink the cocoa. Researchers found that the island-dwelling Kuna have much lower rates of cardiovascular disease and cancer than the mainland dwellers.

　　黄烷醇对动脉有益的有力证据来自于巴拿马附近的圣巴拉斯岛。生活在那里的库那族印第安人饮用一种黄烷醇含量很高的可可饮料。但是生活在巴拿马主岛的库那族居民并不喝可可饮料。研究人员发现居住在岛上的库那族居民患心血管疾病的概率比居住在陆地的居民低。

 

　　This doesn’t mean that flavanols are the only reason why island-dwelling Kuna tend to be healthier, but researchers think it’s an important part of the mix. Add in several other studies showing the benefits of flavanols for blood flow, and they begin to seem pretty attractive. One study showed that flavanols can reverse arterial damage caused by smoking. Another found that when study participants over 50 drank flavanol-rich cocoa for several weeks, blood flow to their brains increased significantly.

　　这并不意味着黄烷醇是库那居民更健康的唯一原因，但是研究人员认为他是众多因素之中很重要的一个。加上其它一些表明黄烷醇有益于血液流动的研究，黄烷醇就变得相当的吸引人。一项研究表明，黄烷醇可以扭转由吸烟造成的动脉损伤。另外一项研究发现，50个研究对象在饮用黄烷醇含量高的可可饮料几周之后，脑部的血量增长了很多。

 

　　Notes

 

　　1. Flavanol: 黄烷醇

 

　　2. Cardiovascular disease: 心血管病

 

　　3. Boost: v. increase the strength or value of (sth); help or encourage (sb/sth) 增强(某事物)的力 量; 提高(某事物)的价值; 帮助; 鼓励; 促进(某人[某事物])

 

　　boost an electric current 增强电流

 

　　boost imports, share prices, the dollar, etc 增加进口﹑ 提高股票价格﹑ 提高美元汇价

 

　　boost production 促进生产

 

　　The unexpected win boosted the team's morale. 意外的胜利鼓舞了全队的士气.

 

　　4. Artery: n. any of the tubes carrying blood from the heart to all parts of the body 动脉.

 

　　important route for traffic or transport, eg a road, railway line or river 干线(交通或

 

　　运输的重要路线, 如公路﹑ 铁路线或河流).

 

　　5. Compelling: adj.引人注目的, 令人信服的