日常饮食中摄取的营养对大脑的表现至关重要。饮食对大脑有何种影响？这种影响是如何产生的？什么样的饮食有益于大脑？Mia Nacamulli的小视频或许能够告诉我们答案。
How the Food You Eat
Affects Your Brain?
If you sucked all of the moisture out of your brain and broke it down to its constituent nutritional content, what would it look like?Most of the weight of your dehydrated① brain would come from fats, also known as lipids②. In the remaining brain matter, you would find proteins③ and amino acids④, traces of micronutrients⑤, and glucose⑥.①dehydrate /diːˈhaɪdreɪt/ v. When something such as food is dehydrated, all the water is removed from it, often in order to preserve it. 使脱水
②lipid /ˈlɪpɪd/ n. any of a large group of organic compounds that are esters of fatty acids (simple lipids, such as fats and waxes) or closely related substances (compound lipids, such as phospholipids): usually insoluble in water but soluble in alcohol and other organic solvents. They are important structural materials in living organisms 脂质 (Former name lipoid)
③protein /ˈprəʊtiːn/ n. Protein is a substance found in food and drink such as meat, eggs, and milk. You need protein in order to grow and be healthy. 蛋白质
④amino acid /əˈmiːnəʊ ˈæsɪd/ n. Amino acids are substances containing nitrogen and hydrogen that are found in proteins. Amino acids occur naturally in the body. 氨基酸
⑤micronutrient /ˌmaɪkrəʊˈnjuːtrɪənt/ n. any substance, such as a vitamin or trace element, essential for healthy growth and development but required only in minute amounts 微量营养元素
⑥glucose /ˈɡluːkəʊz/ n. Glucose is a type of sugar that gives you energy. 葡萄糖
The brain is, of course, more than just the sum of its nutritional parts, but each component does have a distinct impact on functioning, development, mood, and energy. So that post-lunch apathy⑦, or late-night alertness you might be feeling, well, that could simply be the effects of food on your brain.⑦apathy /ˈæpəθɪ/ n. You can use apathy to talk about someone's state of mind if you are criticizing them because they do not seem to be interested in or enthusiastic about anything. 漠不关心
Of the fats in your brain, the superstars are omegas 3 and 6. These essential fatty acids, which have been linked to preventing degenerative⑧ brain conditions, must come from our diets. So eating omega-rich foods, like nuts, seeds, and fatty fish, is crucial to the creation and maintenance⑨ of cell membranes⑩. And while omegas are good fats for your brain, long-term consumption of other fats, like trans and saturated⑪ fats, may compromise brain health. ⑧degenerative /dɪˈdʒɛnəˌreɪtɪv/ adj. A degenerative disease or condition is one that gets worse as time progresses. 退化的
⑨maintenance /ˈmeɪntɪnəns/ n. If you ensure the maintenance of a state or process, you make sure that it continues. 维持
⑩cell membrane /sel ˈmembreɪn/ n. a very thin membrane, composed of lipids and protein, that surrounds the cytoplasm of a cell and controls the passage of substances into and out of the cell 细胞膜 (Also called plasmalemma, plasma membrane)
⑪saturated /ˈsætʃəˌreɪtɪd/ adj. Saturated fats are types of fat that are found in some foods, especially meat, eggs, and things such as butter and cheese. They are believed to cause heart disease and some other illnesses if eaten too often. （脂肪）饱和的
Meanwhile, proteins and amino acids, the building block nutrients⑫ of growth and development, manipulate how we feel and behave. Amino acids contain the precursors⑬ to neurotransmitters⑭, the chemical messengers that carry signals between neurons, affecting things like mood, sleep, attentiveness, and weight. They're one of the reasons we might feel calm after eating a large plate of pasta, or more alert after a protein-rich meal.⑫nutrient /ˈnjuːtrɪənt/ n. Nutrients are substances that help plants and animals to grow. 营养物⑬precursor /prɪˈkɜːsə/ n. A precursor of something is a similar thing that happened or existed before it, often something that led to the existence or development of that thing. 前兆⑭neurotransmitter /ˌnjʊərəʊtrænzˈmɪtə/ n. a chemical by which a nerve cell communicates with another nerve cell or with a muscle 神经传递素The complex combinations of compounds in food can stimulate brain cells to release mood-altering norepinephrine⑮, dopamine⑯, and serotonin⑰. But getting to your brain cells is tricky, and amino acids have to compete for limited access. A diet with a range of foods helps maintain a balanced combination of brain messengers, and keeps your mood from getting skewed in one direction or the other. ⑮norepinephrine /ˌnɔːrɛpɪˈnɛfrɪn, -riːn/ n. a hormone secreted by the adrenal medulla, increasing blood pressure and heart rate, and by the endings of sympathetic nerves, when it acts as a neurotransmitter both centrally and peripherally. Formula: C8H11NO3 去甲肾上腺素⑯dopamine /ˈdɒpəmɪn/ n. a chemical found in the brain that acts as a neurotransmitter and is an intermediate compound in the synthesis of noradrenaline. Formula: (HO)2C6H3(CH2)2NH2 多巴胺；在脑中发现，作为神经传递素的化学物质，是去甲肾上腺素综合法中的中级化合物⑰serotonin /ˌsɛrəˈtəʊnɪn/ n. Serotonin is a chemical produced naturally in your brain that affects the way you feel, for example, making you feel happier, calmer, or less hungry. 血清素Like the other organs in our bodies, our brains also benefit from a steady supply of micronutrients. Antioxidants⑱ in fruits and vegetables strengthen the brain to fight off free radicals that destroy brain cells, enabling your brain to work well for a longer period of time. And without powerful micronutrients, like the vitamins B6, B12, and folic acid, our brains would be susceptible to brain disease and mental decline. Trace amounts of the minerals iron, copper, zinc, and sodium are also fundamental to brain health and early cognitive development.⑱antioxidant /ˌæntɪˈɒksɪdənt/ n. An antioxidant is a substance that slows down the damage that can be caused to other substances by the effects of oxygen. Foods that contain antioxidants are thought to be very good for you. 抗氧化剂In order for the brain to efficiently transform and synthesize these valuable nutrients, it needs fuel, and lots of it. While the human brain only makes up about 2% of our body weight, it uses up to 20% of our energy resources. Most of this energy comes from carbohydrates⑲ that our body digests into glucose, or blood sugar. The frontal lobes⑳ are so sensitive to drops in glucose, in fact, that a change in mental function is one of the primary signals of nutrient deficiency.⑲carbohydrate /ˌkɑːbəʊˈhaɪdreɪt/ n. 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. （为身体提供热量的）碳水化合物；含碳水化合物的食物⑳frontal lobe /ˈfrʌntl lob/ n. the anterior portion of each cerebral hemisphere, situated in front of the central sulcus 额叶Assuming that we are getting glucose regularly, how does the specific type of carbohydrates we eat affect our brains? Carbs come in three forms: starch, sugar, and fiber. While on most nutrition labels, they are all lumped into one total carb count, the ratio of the sugar and fiber subgroups to the whole amount affect how the body and brain respond. A high glycemic food, like white bread, causes a rapid release of glucose into the blood, and then comes the dip. Blood sugar shoots down, and with it, our attention span and mood. On the other hand, oats, grains, and legumes have slower glucose release, enabling a steadier level of attentiveness.For sustained brain power, opting for a varied diet of nutrient-rich foods is critical. When it comes to what you bite, chew, and swallow, your choices have a direct and long-lasting effect on the most powerful organ in your body.
大连外国语大学高级翻译学院实习生
祁玥 整理