研究发现吃西瓜或有助于心脏健康

今天你练听力了吗？

🤔️小作业：

1. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a benefit of lycopene in the passage?

A. Fighting free radicals.

B. Reducing the risk of premature aging.

C. Preventing dementia.

D. Improving heart rate variability.

无注释原文：

The surprising health benefits of watermelon

From: The Independent

New research has unearthed a range of unexpected health benefits from watermelon and its juice.

Multiple studies published in the science journal Nutrients found that those who regularly eat the fruit tend to have diets with more vitamins and antioxidants and less sugar and saturated fat.

A long-time summer favorite because of its high water content, one report found that watermelon juice may also help enable blood vessel function and support heart health.

That's according to a placebo-controlled clinical trial from Louisiana State University involving 18 healthy young adults drinking watermelon juice daily for two weeks.

Researchers focused on two watermelon compounds involved in producing nitric oxide – L-citrulline and L-arginine – which helps blood vessels relax and expand, a crucial characteristic of healthy circulation and cardiovascular function.

They found that the watermelon juice supported vascular function during periods of hyperglycemia (period of excess glucose, often associated with diabetes) and influenced heart rate variability.

“We acknowledge that while the sample size was small (18 healthy young men and women) and more research is needed, this study adds to the current body of evidence supporting regular intake of watermelon for cardio-metabolic health,” said Dr Jack Losso, Ph.D., professor at Louisiana State University's School of Nutrition and Food Sciences.

Red watermelon should be especially sought after as they contain the highest levels of antioxidant lycopene.

It was found to be especially effective at fighting 'free radicals' in the body, highly reactive molecules which can lead to premature aging, cancer, and dementia.

Lycopene is also a naturally occurring pigment which gives many other fruits and vegetables like tomatoes their red color.

“Watermelon is a rich source of antioxidants, vitamin C and lycopene – all of which can help reduce oxidative stress and play a role in heart disease prevention,” Dr Losso added.

Data analysed by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found that regular watermelon eaters consumed high amounts of dietary fiber, magnesium, potassium, vitamin C, vitamin A, and lycopene.

A two cup serving is only 80 calories yet it provides 25 percent of the daily recommended intake for vitamin C and 8 percent for vitamin B6.

The fact the fruit is also made up of about 92 percent water also makes it an easy hydrating option during warm weather or after a work out.

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注：完整题目见本文开头；中文文本为AI翻译，仅供参考

含注释全文：

The surprising health benefits of watermelon

From: The Independent

New research has unearthed a range of unexpected health benefits from watermelon and its juice.

最新研究揭示，西瓜及其汁液竟蕴藏着诸多出人意料的健康裨益。

unearth /ʌnˈɜːθ/ 作动词，1）表示“挖掘；发掘；使出土”，英文解释为“to find sth in the ground by digging”

2）表示“（经努力）发现”，英文解释为“If someone unearths facts or evidence, they discover them with difficulty.”举个🌰：A private detective has unearthed some fresh evidence. 一个私家侦探已经找到了新的证据。

Multiple studies published in the science journal Nutrients found that those who regularly eat the fruit tend to have diets with more vitamins and antioxidants and less sugar and saturated fat.

《营养素》（Nutrients）期刊上刊载的多项研究指出，习惯食用西瓜的人群，其膳食结构往往更优：维生素与抗氧化剂含量更为丰富，而糖分与饱和脂肪则相对较少。

vitamin /ˈvɪt.ə.mɪn/ 表示“维生素；维他命”，英文解释为“any of a group of natural substances that are necessary in small amounts for the growth and good health of the body”如：a vitamin pill 维生素片。

antioxidant /ˌæn.tiˈɒk.sɪ.dənt/ 表示“抗氧化剂，阻氧化剂，防老（化）剂”，英文解释为“a substance that slows down the rate at which something decays because of oxidization”

saturated fat /ˌsætʃ.ər.eɪ.tɪd ˈfæt/ 表示“饱和脂肪”，英文解释为“a type of fat found in meat, eggs, milk, cheese, etc. that is thought to be bad for your health”举个🌰：Butter and cream contain a lot of saturated fats. 黄油和奶油中含有大量饱和脂肪。

A long-time summer favorite because of its high water content, one report found that watermelon juice may also help enable blood vessel function and support heart health.

西瓜凭借其充沛的水分，历来是夏日里的宠儿。而一份研究报告更指出，西瓜汁或许还能助力血管功能，为心脏健康保驾护航。

blood vessel /ˈblʌd ˌves.əl/ 表示“血管”，英文解释为“any of the tubes through which blood flows in the body”

That's according to a placebo-controlled clinical trial from Louisiana State University involving 18 healthy young adults drinking watermelon juice daily for two weeks.

这一发现源自路易斯安那州立大学（Louisiana State University）开展的一项安慰剂对照临床试验。18名健康的年轻受试者连续两周每日饮用西瓜汁，为研究提供了关键数据。

placebo-controlled /pləˌsiː.bəʊ.kənˈtrəʊld/ 表示“（药品的临床试验中）有服用安慰剂的对照组的”，英文解释为“relating to a drug trial in which the drug being tested is compared with a placebo (= a substance containing no medicine)”

clinical trial /ˌklɪn.ɪ.kəl ˈtraɪ.əl/ 表示“临床试验”，英文解释为“a scientific test of the effectiveness and safety of something such as a drug or medical treatment, which involves using it with patients in a controlled way”举个🌰：Scientists are conducting large-scale clinical trials to test whether aspirin can reduce the risk of bowel cancer. 科学家们正在开展大规模临床试验，研究阿司匹林是否能降低大肠癌风险。

Researchers focused on two watermelon compounds involved in producing nitric oxide – L-citrulline and L-arginine – which helps blood vessels relax and expand, a crucial characteristic of healthy circulation and cardiovascular function.

研究人员的目光聚焦于西瓜中两种参与一氧化氮生成的化合物——L-瓜氨酸（L-citrulline）与L-精氨酸（L-arginine）。一氧化氮能促使血管舒张、扩张，这正是血液循环顺畅与心血管功能健全的关键所在。

compound /ˈkɒm.paʊnd/ 作名词，1）表示“化合物，复合物，混合物”，英文解释为“a chemical that combines two or more elements”举个🌰：Salt is a compound of sodium and chlorine. 盐是钠和氯的化合物。

2）表示“（围起来的）场地，楼群，院落”，英文解释为“an area surrounded by fences or walls that contains a group of buildings”举个🌰：They marched into the compound. 他们进入大院。

作动词，表示“使加重，使加剧，使恶化”，英文解释为“to make a problem or difficult situation worse”举个🌰：Her terror was compounded by the feeling that she was being watched. 她有种被人监视的感觉，这加剧了她的恐惧感。

🎬电影《盗梦空间》（Inception）中的台词提到：And when you enter a dream within that dream, the effect is compounded. 当你进入梦中梦，效果会更强。

作形容词，表示“复合的”，英文解释为“consisting of two or more parts”或者表示“（利息）以复利计算的”，英文解释为“used to refer to a system of paying interest in which interest is paid both on the original amount of money invested (= given to companies hoping to get more back) or borrowed and on the interest that has collected over a period of time”如：compound interest 复利。

circulation /ˌsɜː.kjəˈleɪ.ʃən/  1）表示“（血液的）循环”，英文解释为“the movement of blood around the body”举个🌰：Exercise helps to improve circulation. 运动有助于促进血液循环。

2）表示“（信息）流传，传播；（货币或商品）流通”，英文解释为“the process in which something such as information, money, or goods passes from one person to another”

3）表示“（报纸杂志的）发行量，销售量”，英文解释为“the number of people that a newspaper or magazine is regularly sold to”举个🌰：The paper has a circulation of 100,000. 这份报纸发行量有10万份。

cardiovascular /ˌkɑːdɪəʊˈvæskjʊlə/ 表示“心血管的”，英文解释为“Cardiovascular means relating to the heart and blood vessels.”举个🌰：Smoking places you at serious risk of cardiovascular and respiratory disease. 吸烟会严重增加罹患心血管和呼吸道疾病的风险。

They found that the watermelon juice supported vascular function during periods of hyperglycemia (period of excess glucose, often associated with diabetes) and influenced heart rate variability.

他们发现，在高血糖（即血糖浓度过高，常与糖尿病相伴）状态下，西瓜汁能有效支持血管功能，并调节心率变异性。

vascular /ˈvæs.kjə.lər/ 表示“血管的；（植物）维管的”，英文解释为“relating to the vessels (= tubes) that carry blood or other liquids in a person's or animal's body”如：the vascular system 脉管系统 如：a vascular surgeon 血管外科医师。

“We acknowledge that while the sample size was small (18 healthy young men and women) and more research is needed, this study adds to the current body of evidence supporting regular intake of watermelon for cardio-metabolic health,” said Dr Jack Losso, Ph.D., professor at Louisiana State University's School of Nutrition and Food Sciences.

路易斯安那州立大学营养与食品科学学院教授杰克·洛索（Jack Losso）博士坦言：“我们承认，本次研究的样本量有限（仅18名健康的年轻男女），尚需更多研究加以佐证。然而，这项成果无疑为‘定期食用西瓜有益心脏代谢健康’的现有证据链增添了新的一环。”

cardio- /ˈkɑː.di.əʊ/ 表示“心脏的；心脏病的”，英文解释为“of the heart”如：cardiovascular 心血管的。

metabolic /ˌmɛtəˈbɒlɪk/ 表示“新陈代谢的”，英文解释为“Metabolic means relating to a person's or animal's metabolism.”举个🌰：People who have inherited a low metabolic rate will gain weight. 因遗传而新陈代谢速度慢的人会发胖。

Red watermelon should be especially sought after as they contain the highest levels of antioxidant lycopene.

红瓤西瓜尤应受到青睐，因其富含抗氧化剂番茄红素（lycopene），且含量冠绝群瓜。

It was found to be especially effective at fighting 'free radicals' in the body, highly reactive molecules which can lead to premature aging, cancer, and dementia.

研究发现，番茄红素在对抗体内“自由基”方面表现尤为出色。这些高活性分子如同体内的“捣乱分子”，可能诱发早衰、癌症乃至痴呆。

free radical /ˌfriː ˈræd.ɪ.kəl/ 表示“自由基，游离基”，英文解释为“a molecule that has an extra electron and therefore reacts very easily with other molecules”举个🌰：Free radicals have been implicated in cancer and many other serious diseases. 游离基是罹患癌症和许多其他严重疾病的潜在原因之一。

molecule /ˈmɒl.ɪ.kjuːl/ 表示“分子”，英文解释为“the smallest unit, consisting of a group of atoms, into which a substance can be divided without a change in its chemical nature”举个🌰：A molecule of water consists of two atoms of hydrogen and one atom of oxygen. 水分子由两个氢原子和一个氧原子构成。

形容词性：

📍molecular /məʊˈlɛkjʊlə/ 表示“分子的”，英文解释为“Molecular means relating to or involving molecules.”如：the molecular structure of fuel 燃料的分子结构。

Lycopene is also a naturally occurring pigment which gives many other fruits and vegetables like tomatoes their red color.

番茄红素还是一种天然色素，正是它赋予了西红柿等众多果蔬那一抹鲜亮的红色。

pigment /ˈpɪɡ.mənt/ 表示“色素；颜料”，英文解释为“a substance that gives something a particular colour when it is present in it or is added to it”举个🌰：Melanin is the dark brown pigment of the hair, skin, and eyes that is present in varying amounts in every human being. 黑色素是头发、皮肤和眼睛中的黑褐色色素，每个人体内或多或少都有这种色素。

“Watermelon is a rich source of antioxidants, vitamin C and lycopene – all of which can help reduce oxidative stress and play a role in heart disease prevention,” Dr Losso added.

洛索博士补充道：“西瓜是抗氧化剂、维生素C与番茄红素的宝库——这些物质均能有效减轻氧化应激，在预防心脏病方面扮演着重要角色。”

Data analysed by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found that regular watermelon eaters consumed high amounts of dietary fiber, magnesium, potassium, vitamin C, vitamin A, and lycopene.

美国国家健康与营养调查（National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey）的数据分析表明，常吃西瓜的人群，其膳食纤维、镁、钾、维生素C、维生素A及番茄红素的摄入量均显著偏高。

A two cup serving is only 80 calories yet it provides 25 percent of the daily recommended intake for vitamin C and 8 percent for vitamin B6.

两杯西瓜仅含80卡路里，却能满足每日推荐摄入量中25%的维生素C和8%的维生素B6，堪称“低热量、高营养”的典范。

serving /ˈsɜː.vɪŋ/ 作名词，表示“（供一人食用的）一份；一客”，英文解释为“an amount of one type of food that is given to one person”举个🌰：The quantities given in the recipe should be enough for four servings. 食谱上给出的量足够4个人吃。

作形容词，表示“目前任职的；（尤指）现役的”，英文解释为“employed at the present time in a particular organization, especially the armed forces”如：serving and retired military officers 现役和退役的军官。

The fact the fruit is also made up of about 92 percent water also makes it an easy hydrating option during warm weather or after a work out.

更妙的是，西瓜含水量高达约92%，这使其在炎炎夏日或挥汗如雨的运动之后，成为随手可得的补水良伴。

hydrate /haɪˈdreɪt/ 作动词，表示“（身体）补充水分”，英文解释为“to make your body absorb water or other liquid”如：oils that help hydrate your skin 帮助你的皮肤补水的油。

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