黄瓜有多健康？

今天你练听力了吗？

🤔️小作业：

1. According to the article, which of the following is TRUE about cucumbers?

A. They contain more calories than the energy needed to digest them.

B. They are a significant source of fiber for most people.

C. They have a minimal impact on blood sugar levels.

D. They are recommended as a primary treatment for diabetes.

无注释原文：

How Healthy Are Cucumbers?

From: The New York Times

When Kimberly Dong, an associate professor of nutrition and public health at the Tufts University School of Medicine, names fruits and vegetables that offer the most nutrition per bite, cucumbers aren't at the top of her list. Still, she said, there are good reasons to eat them.

Low in calories and full of water with some fiber, cucumbers are healthful, she said. And because they're crunchy, with a mild, refreshing flavor, they pair well with many foods.

Cucumbers come in many variations: standard, fat, thick-skinned garden cucumbers; longer, more slender English (or hothouse) cucumbers with thin skin and smaller seeds; bite-size and bumpy gherkins; crisp, compact Persian cucumbers.

They're hydrating.

As temperatures rise, cucumbers — which are about 96 percent water — are an excellent low-calorie source of hydration, Dr. Dong said.

A 10.5-ounce unpeeled garden cucumber, for instance, contains just over one cup of water and 45 calories.

Gina Jarman Hill, a professor of nutritional sciences at Texas Christian University, said there is a common misconception that cucumbers are “negative-calorie foods” — meaning they contain fewer calories than it takes to burn digesting them. “There's no such thing as a ‘negative-calorie food,'” she said, but because the number of calories in cucumbers is so low, they're about as close as you will get to one.

As long as you're mindful of what you pair them with, Dr. Hill said, there is no reason to curb your cucumber consumption.

They may help support metabolic health.

Because a cucumber has so few carbohydrates (11 grams) and a little bit of fiber (1.5 grams), it has a minimal effect on blood sugar and is considered safe for people with diabetes, Dr. Hill said. Fiber helps to slow digestion, which keeps blood sugar levels in check, she said.

There is also some limited research in animals and humans showing that eating cucumbers — or their extracts — may benefit insulin, cholesterol, triglyceride and blood pressure levels.

In a clinical trial published in 2016, for instance, researchers split 47 patients with slightly elevated cholesterol and triglyceride levels into two groups: one that took a daily capsule containing cucumber seed extract and another that took a placebo. After six weeks, the cucumber group had improved blood cholesterol readings compared with those in the placebo group.

These studies are promising, Dr. Dong said, but still preliminary.

They're the perfect snack and mealtime companion.

With subtle flavors and a satisfying crunch, cucumbers can be an excellent complement to — or replacement for — many foods. Slices or spears can be healthier substitutes for processed snacks like chips and crackers, and can act as vehicles for fiber-rich bean dips and hummus, Dr. Dong said.

Cucumbers can also make meals feel lighter and fresher by adding volume with minimal calories, said Isaac Bernal, a chef in New York City.

- ◆ -

注：完整题目见本文开头；中文文本为纽约时报官方译文，仅供参考

含注释全文：

How Healthy Are Cucumbers?

From: The New York Times

When Kimberly Dong, an associate professor of nutrition and public health at the Tufts University School of Medicine, names fruits and vegetables that offer the most nutrition per bite, cucumbers aren't at the top of her list. Still, she said, there are good reasons to eat them.

当塔夫茨大学医学院营养与公共卫生副教授金伯利·董（音）列举每口营养价值最高的果蔬时，黄瓜并非首选。不过，她表示，我们仍然有充分的理由去吃黄瓜。

nutrition /njuːˈtrɪʃ.ən/ 表示“营养物质；营养，滋养；营养学”，英文解释为“the substances that you take into your body as food and the way that they influence your health”举个🌰：Good nutrition is essential if patients are to make a quick recovery. 病人如果要迅速康复，必须补足营养。

🥒怎么说？cucumber /ˈkjuːˌkʌmbə/ 表示“黄瓜”，英文解释为“A cucumber is a long thin vegetable with a hard green skin and wet transparent flesh. It is eaten raw in salads.”

补充：

📍海参 sea cucumber：an invertebrate animal that lives in the sea, with a thick body that is covered with lumps.

📍(as) cool as a cucumber表示“（尤指出奇地）镇静，冷静，泰然自若”，英文解释为“very calm or very calmly, especially when this is surprising”举个🌰：She walked in as cool as a cucumber, as if nothing had happened. 她泰然自若地走进来，好像什么事也没发生过。

🎬根据石黑一雄小说改编的电影《告别有情天》（Remains Of The Day）中回来：When the butler is back to refresh the teapots, he says, cool as a cucumber, 当管家帮他们的茶续杯时，他十分镇定地说道，

Low in calories and full of water with some fiber, cucumbers are healthful, she said. And because they're crunchy, with a mild, refreshing flavor, they pair well with many foods.

她说，黄瓜热量低，水分充足且含有一定膳食纤维，对健康有益。此外，黄瓜口感清脆，味道温和清爽，所以非常适合与许多食物搭配。

calorie /ˈkæl.ər.i/ 表示“卡，卡路里（测量食物所含热量的单位）”，英文解释为“a unit of energy, often used as a measurement of the amount of energy that food provides”举个🌰：There are about 50 calories in an apple. 一个苹果大约含有50卡路里的热量。

美式 fiber 英式 fibre /ˈfaɪ.bər/ 表示“（植物或人造物的）纤维，丝”，英文解释为“any of the thread-like parts that form plant or artificial material and can be made into cloth”举个🌰：The fibres are woven into fabric. 纤维被织成织物。

crunchy /ˈkrʌn.tʃi/ 表示“（食物）脆生生的，松脆的，鲜脆的”，英文解释为“If something is crunchy, it is firm and makes a short loud noise when it is eaten, pressed, etc.”

Cucumbers come in many variations: standard, fat, thick-skinned garden cucumbers; longer, more slender English (or hothouse) cucumbers with thin skin and smaller seeds; bite-size and bumpy gherkins; crisp, compact Persian cucumbers.

黄瓜有很多品种：粗壮、皮厚的普通地栽黄瓜；更长更细、皮薄籽小的英式黄瓜（或温室黄瓜）；一口大小、表面凹凸不平的迷你黄瓜；以及口感清脆紧实的波斯黄瓜。

variation /ˌveə.riˈeɪ.ʃən/ 表示“变种，变体；变化了的东西”，英文解释为“something that is slightly different from the usual form or arrangement”举个🌰：The films she makes are all variations on the same theme. 她拍的电影围绕的都是同一主题。

thick-skinned /ˌθɪkˈskɪnd/ 表示“厚脸皮的；感觉迟钝的”，英文解释为“Someone who is thick-skinned does not appear to be easily hurt by criticism.”举个🌰：You do need to be thick-skinned to survive as a politician here. 在这里，政客要想干下去就必须脸皮厚点儿。

此处表示“外皮厚的”。

slender /ˈslen.dər/ 表示“苗条的，纤细的”，英文解释为“thin and delicate, often in a way that is attractive”举个🌰：He put his hands around her slender waist. 他双手搂住了她纤细的腰。

🎬电影《热血警探》（Hot Fuzz）中的台词提到：- Long slender neck. - Yeah. - 脖子细长  - 是。

🎬电影《美食，祈祷和恋爱》（Eat Pray Love）中的台词提到：You are slender and elegant in a distance. 你从远处看起来苗条优雅。

hothouse /ˈhɒt.haʊs/ 表示“温室，暖房”，英文解释为“a heated glass building in which plants are grown”如：hothouse tomatoes 温室西红柿。

bumpy /ˈbʌm.pi/ 表示“颠簸的，崎岖不平的”，英文解释为“not smooth”举个🌰：We drove along a narrow, bumpy road. 我们行驶在崎岖不平的小路上。

此处形容物体表面“凹凸不平、有疙瘩、不光滑”。

补充：

📍have a bumpy ride表示“经历困难；处境艰难”（to have a difficult time） 举个🌰：She's had a bumpy ride at work over the last few months. 过去的几个月里，她在工作上很不顺利。

gherkin /ˈɡɜː.kɪn/ 表示“（做泡菜用的）小黄瓜”，英文解释为“a small type of cucumber (= a long, thin, green vegetable) that is often pickled (= preserved in vinegar)”如：a pickled gherkin 醋泡小黄瓜

crisp /krɪsp/ 作名词，表示“油炸薯片”，英文解释为“a very thin, often round piece of fried potato, sometimes with a flavour added, sold especially in plastic bags”如：a packet of salt and vinegar crisps 一袋盐醋薯片。

作动词，表示“使...变脆”、“使...变得酥脆”举个🌰：The baker crisped the bread in the oven. 面包师把面包烤得酥脆。

作形容词，crisp /krɪsp/ 1）表示“脆的；易碎的”，英文解释为“hard enough to be broken easily”

2）表示“（糕点、饼干等食物）酥脆的”，英文解释为“used to describe cooked foods, such as pastry and biscuits, that are well cooked so that they are just dry and hard enough”

3）表示“（蔬果）新鲜爽脆的，脆生生的”，英文解释为“Crisp fruit or vegetables are fresh and firm.”如：a crisp apple 脆生生的苹果。

compact /kəmˈpækt/ 作动词，表示“压缩；把…压密实；把…压紧”，英文解释为“to press something together in a tight and solid way”举个🌰：Cars had compacted the snow until it was like ice. 汽车把雪碾得越来越实，直到变得像冰一样。

作形容词，指紧凑的；体积小的；作名词表示“小型汽车”，英文解释为“ A compact or a compact car is a car that is smaller than the average car, and that is economical to run.”

They're hydrating. 补充水分

As temperatures rise, cucumbers — which are about 96 percent water — are an excellent low-calorie source of hydration, Dr. Dong said.

金伯利·董说，随着气温升高，含水量约达到96%的黄瓜成为了极佳的低热量补水来源。

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。

A 10.5-ounce unpeeled garden cucumber, for instance, contains just over one cup of water and 45 calories.

例如，一根约300克未去皮的地栽黄瓜含有略超一杯的水分，而热量仅为45卡路里。

unpeeled表示“未去皮的”，英文解释为“Unpeeled fruit and vegetables have not had their peel (= skin) removed”

Gina Jarman Hill, a professor of nutritional sciences at Texas Christian University, said there is a common misconception that cucumbers are “negative-calorie foods” — meaning they contain fewer calories than it takes to burn digesting them. “There's no such thing as a ‘negative-calorie food,'” she said, but because the number of calories in cucumbers is so low, they're about as close as you will get to one.

得克萨斯基督教大学营养科学教授吉娜·贾曼·希尔表示，人们普遍存在一种误解，认为黄瓜是“负卡路里食物”——其所含热量低于消化它所需的热量。“世界上并不存在所谓的‘负卡路里食物'，”她说，但是，因为黄瓜的卡路里含量极低，它可以算是最接近这一概念的食物了。

digest /daɪˈdʒest/ 作动词，1）表示“（使）消化”，英文解释为“to change food in your stomach into substances that your body can use”举个🌰：Sit still and allow your meal to digest. 静静地坐着，让胃里的食物消化消化。

2）表示“理解，吸收（信息）”，英文解释为“to read or hear new information and take the necessary time to understand it”举个🌰：This chapter is so difficult to digest, I'll have to read it again later. 这一章不容易理解消化，稍后我还得再看一遍。

作名词，表示“文摘，摘要；文汇，简报”，英文解释为“a short written report providing the most important parts of a larger piece of writing, or one containing recent news”举个🌰：A digest of the research findings is now available. 研究成果的简报已经出来了。

As long as you're mindful of what you pair them with, Dr. Hill said, there is no reason to curb your cucumber consumption.

希尔指出，只要注意搭配的食物，就没有理由限制黄瓜的食用量。

可以作动词，也可以作名词，表示“控制，抑制，限定，约束（不好的事物）”，英文解释为“to control or limit sth, especially sth bad”举个🌰：A range of policies have been introduced aimed at curbing inflation. 为了抑制通货膨胀实施了一系列的政策。（名词）He called for much stricter curbs on immigration. 他呼吁对移民实行更为严格的限制。

They may help support metabolic health. 可能有助于维持代谢健康

Because a cucumber has so few carbohydrates (11 grams) and a little bit of fiber (1.5 grams), it has a minimal effect on blood sugar and is considered safe for people with diabetes, Dr. Hill said. Fiber helps to slow digestion, which keeps blood sugar levels in check, she said.

希尔说，由于黄瓜的碳水化合物含量极低（11克），且含有少量膳食纤维（1.5克），所以它对血糖的影响微乎其微，被认为是糖尿病患者的安全食品。她表示，膳食纤维有助于减缓消化速度，从而控制血糖水平。

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。

carbohydrate /ˌkɑːbəʊˈhaɪdreɪt/表示“碳水化合物; 含碳水化合物的食物”，英文解释为“Carbohydrates are substances, found in certain kinds of food, that provide you with energy. Foods such as sugar and bread that contain these substances can also be referred to as carbohydrates. ”如：carbohydrates such as bread, pasta, or potatoes. 含碳水化合物的食物，如面包、意大利面或马铃薯。

diabetes /ˌdaɪəˈbiːtɪs, -tiːz/ 表示“糖尿病”，英文解释为“a disease in which the body cannot control the level of sugar in the blood.”

There is also some limited research in animals and humans showing that eating cucumbers — or their extracts — may benefit insulin, cholesterol, triglyceride and blood pressure levels.

此外，在动物和人类当中进行的一些有限研究表明，食用黄瓜或其提取物可能有益于胰岛素、胆固醇、甘油三酯和血压水平。

extract /ɪkˈstrækt/ 作动词，表示“取出；拔出；提取”，英文解释为“to remove or take out something”举个🌰：The oil which is extracted from olives is used for cooking. 这种橄揽油是用于烹饪的。

作名词，1）表示“摘录；选段；引文”，英文解释为“a particular part of a book, poem, etc. that is chosen so that it can be used in a discussion, article, etc.”举个🌰：They published an extract from his autobiography. 他们刊登了他自传的一个片断。

2）表示“（尤指食物或药物的）提出物，精华，汁”，英文解释为“a substance taken from a plant, flower, etc. and used especially in food or medicine”如：malt/yeast extract 麦芽精/酵母膏。

insulin /ˈɪnsjəlɪn/表示“胰岛素”，英文解释为“a chemical substance produced in the body that controls the amount of sugar in the blood (by influencing the rate at which it is removed); a similar artificial substance given to people whose bodies do not produce enough naturally”

cholesterol /kə'lɛstərɔl/ 表示“胆固醇”，英文解释为“Cholesterol is a substance that exists in the fat, tissues, and blood of all animals. Too much cholesterol in a person's blood can cause heart disease.”如：a dangerously high cholesterol level. 危险的高胆固醇水平。

In a clinical trial published in 2016, for instance, researchers split 47 patients with slightly elevated cholesterol and triglyceride levels into two groups: one that took a daily capsule containing cucumber seed extract and another that took a placebo. After six weeks, the cucumber group had improved blood cholesterol readings compared with those in the placebo group.

例如，在2016年发表的一项临床试验中，研究人员将47名胆固醇和甘油三酯水平略有升高的患者分为两组：一组每天服用含有黄瓜籽提取物的胶囊，另一组服用安慰剂。六周后，与安慰剂组相比，黄瓜组的血液胆固醇指标得到了改善。

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。

elevated /ˈel.ɪ.veɪ.tɪd/ 1）表示“提高的；升高的；抬高的”，英文解释为“raised”举个🌰：The doctor said I was to keep my leg elevated. 医生说我要保持腿部抬高。

2）表示“高出正常水平的；偏高的”，英文解释为“greater than is normal or reasonable”举个🌰：He has a slightly elevated idea of his own importance. 他自视过高。

capsule /ˈkæp.sjuːl/ 1）表示“（装药物的）胶囊”，英文解释为“a small container which has a measured amount of a medicine inside and which dissolves when you swallow it”

2）表示“（装物或装液体的）小塑料容器”，英文解释为“a small plastic container with a substance or liquid inside”

3）表示“太空舱；航天舱”，英文解释为“the part of a spacecraft in which people travel and that often separates from the main rocket”

📍the return capsule / re-entry capsule 返回舱。

placebo /pləˈsiː.bəʊ/ 1）表示“安慰剂”，英文解释为“a substance given to someone who is told that it is a particular medicine, either to make that person feel as if they are getting better or to compare the effect of the particular medicine when given to others”举个🌰：She was only given a placebo, but she claimed she got better - that's the placebo effect. 只给她服用了安慰剂，但她说好一些了——这就是安慰剂的心理作用。

2）表示“使人宽慰的事；安抚话”，英文解释为“something that is given to try to satisfy a person who has not been given the thing they really want”举个🌰：These small concessions have been made as a placebo to stop the workers making further demands. 这些小让步就像安慰剂一样，可以避免工人们提出更多的要求。

These studies are promising, Dr. Dong said, but still preliminary.

金伯利·董说，这些研究令人充满希望，但仍处于初步阶段。

preliminary /prɪˈlɪm.ɪ.nər.i/ 表示“预备性的；初步的；开始的”，英文解释为“happening before a more important action or event”如：preliminary results / findings / enquiries 初步结果 / 发现 / 调查，举个🌰：After a few preliminary remarks he announced the winners. 说了几句开场白之后，他即宣布优胜者名单。

They're the perfect snack and mealtime companion. 它们是完美的零食和佐餐伴侣

With subtle flavors and a satisfying crunch, cucumbers can be an excellent complement to — or replacement for — many foods. Slices or spears can be healthier substitutes for processed snacks like chips and crackers, and can act as vehicles for fiber-rich bean dips and hummus, Dr. Dong said.

黄瓜味道清淡，口感爽脆，可以成为许多食物的绝佳搭配或是替代品。金伯利·董说，切片或切块的黄瓜可以作为薯片和饼干等加工零食的健康替代品，也可以蘸着富含膳食纤维的豆泥和鹰嘴豆泥食用。

crunch /krʌntʃ/ 作名词，表示“（突发的）不足，短缺；（尤指）缺钱”，英文解释为“a situation in which there is suddenly not enough of sth, especially money”如：a budget/energy/housing crunch 预算金额/能源/住房短缺。

📍the crunch 表示“严峻的形势；紧要关头；需要作出艰难抉择的时刻”，英文解释为“a difficult situation that forces you to make a decision or do something”举个🌰：The crunch came when I was forced to choose between my marriage and my career. 关键时刻到了，我不得不在婚姻和事业之间作出选择。

作动词，1）表示“嘎吱地咬嚼；嘎吱作响”，英文解释为“to crush hard food loudly between the teeth, or to make a sound as if something is being crushed or broken”举个🌰：She was crunching noisily on an apple. 她嘎吱嘎吱地嚼着苹果。

2）表示“（快速大量地）处理信息”，英文解释为“to deal with large amounts of data very quickly”

此处crunch作名词，指咬脆物时发出的“嘎吱声”，或者说爽脆的口感，英文解释为“the crisp sound or feeling when you bite something hard and fresh”

complement /ˈkɒm.plɪ.ment/ 表示“补充；补足；使完善；：为…增色”，英文解释为“to make something else seem better or more attractive when combining with it”举个🌰：Strawberries and cream complement each other perfectly. 草莓加奶油相得益彰。

📍区分：

compliment 可以作动词，也可以作名词，表示“赞美；称赞；钦佩”，英文解释为“to tell sb that you like or admire sth they have done, their appearance, etc.”举个🌰：She complimented him on his excellent German. 她夸奖他德语棒极了。

Cucumbers can also make meals feel lighter and fresher by adding volume with minimal calories, said Isaac Bernal, a chef in New York City.

纽约市的厨师艾萨克·伯纳尔表示，黄瓜还可以在几乎不增加热量的情况下增加餐食份量，使菜肴吃起来感觉更清淡、更新鲜。

- 词汇盘点 -

- 词汇助记 By AI -

LearnAndRecord

2015年2月8日

2026年7月18日

第4179天

每天持续行动学外语