《中英對照讀新聞》Eating chocolate can reduce stress, study says 研究指出，吃巧克力可降低壓力

◎陳正健

The next time you feel stressed, grab a bar or two of chocolate - as new research suggests eating chocolate can actually help lower your stress levels.

當您下次感到壓力時，不妨抓起一、兩塊巧克力─一項新研究指出，吃巧克力確實可以幫助您降低壓力水平。

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According to researchers at Loma Linda University in Southern California, consuming dark chocolate can have a positive effect on your brain health. They found that eating dark chocolate with a high percentage of cacao, typically chocolate over 70 per cent, reduces stress levels and inflammation.

南加州羅馬林達大學研究人員表示，攝取黑巧克力對您的大腦健康有正面功效。他們發現，食用高可可含量的黑巧克力─通常是可可含量70％以上的巧克力，可減輕壓力水平及發炎。

They also found eating dark chocolate improves your mood, memory and immunity - confirming chocolate is the greatest invention on the planet. Cacao contains flavonoids, which are potent antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents that can help both brain and cardiovascular health.

他們也發現，食用黑巧克力可改善您的情緒、記憶與免疫能力─證實巧克力是地球上最偉大的發明。可可含有黃酮類化合物，是有力的抗氧化劑及抗炎劑，對大腦及心血管健康有益。

Lead researcher Lee Berk said the higher the concentration of cacao, the more positive the impact on cognition, memory, mood and immunity but it is only dark chocolate that has the benefits.

首席研究員李．伯克指出，可可的濃度愈高，對認知、記憶、情緒與免疫愈有正面影響，但只有黑巧克力有這些益處。

新聞辭典

potent ：形容詞，有力的，強大的。例句：Beauty is potent, but money is more potent.（美貌固然有力，但金錢的力量更大。）

agent：名詞，劑。例句：Nerve agents are usually deadly and colorless.（神經毒劑通常致命且無色。）

concentration：名詞，濃度，濃縮。例句：High concentrations of toxic elements were found in the areas.（這些地區發現高濃度的有毒物質。）