食療:幫你提高記憶力的食物
The art of memory has fascinated us since…well, I can’t quite remember. Nowadays however, there seem to be so many more things to keep track of. From what floor our dentist office is on, to an average of seven passwords and PIN numbers per person, we use our memories more than ever before. Improve your memory by choosing the right foods, and here is a fistful of five foods for the memory which are both respected by science and revered by the ancients.
記憶藝術的魅力讓我們深深着迷，那是從什麼時候開始的呢？唉，我都記不清了。 現實生活中有太多東西要記住了，牙醫辦公室在幾樓？各種密碼是多少？我們用到記憶力的地方太多了。提高記憶力，要選擇正確的食物，下面這五種食物受到科學和古老文明的一致推崇，是提高記憶力的不二食療法寶：
Herbs 草本植物
One of the most famous memory-enhancing herbs is Rosemary. Rosemary is rich in the anti-oxidant, carnosic acid which dilates the cerebral vascular tissues. Studies have shown that even the smell of rosemary can improve memory performance in office workers.
最著名的提高記憶力的草本植物是迷迭香。迷迭香富含抗氧化劑和鼠尾草酸，它們都有助於大腦血管組織擴張。研究證實，就算是隻是迷迭香的香味，也能提高上班族的記憶力表現。
Other herbs that may help memory include “the three Gs”: ginko, ginseng, and gotu kola.
其他可以幫助提高記憶力的草本植物包括：銀杏、人蔘和雷公根。
Tea 茶
Another food with a long pedigree and which seems to have many benefits on the brain is usually served as a beverage, tea. Tea’s benefits may spring from its healthy combination of anti-oxidants and caffeine. The antioxidants in tea are called polyphenols which have repeatedly been shown to improve cognitive function and memory.
另一種能提高記憶力的食物大家應該早就耳熟能詳了，它對大腦也多有益處，那就是作爲飲品的茶。茶的好處在於它是抗氧化劑和咖啡因的健康組合。茶裏的抗氧化劑叫做茶多酚，實驗多次證實茶多酚有助於提高認知能力和記憶。
Tea also contains a calming amino acid called theanine which helps reduce “the jitters” and keeps the mind relaxed and focused. Perhaps the best news is that tea has up to 10X the polyphenols found in foods like fruits and vegetables.
茶還含有一種鎮定情緒的氨基酸叫茶氨酸，可以幫助降低 “神經過敏”，讓大腦保持放鬆和注意力集中的狀態。不過最好的消息應該是茶內所含的抗氧化劑可是水果和蔬菜等食物中的10倍！
Fruits & Vegetables 水果和蔬菜
Let’s not knock our friends, fruits and vegetables, however. Man cannot live (or learn) on herbs and tea alone, we need food. The thing to remember about memory boosting foods is color. You want dark reds, blues and greens. Apples contain quercetin which protects against memory loss. Blueberries (and red beets) have another great anti-oxidant called anthocyanin which performs the same function. Red onions and grapes contain both.
不過我們可不能這麼打擊我們的老朋友水果和蔬菜。我們不能光靠草本植物和茶存活，還得吃東西。記住，想要提高記憶力，食物的顏色很重要，我們要的是暗紅色、深藍色和深綠色。蘋果富含槲皮素可以幫我們抵抗健忘症，藍莓（還有深紅色的甜菜）則含有花青素，這也是一種能抵抗記憶衰退的抗氧化劑。紅洋蔥和葡萄則都含有槲皮素和花青素。
Combine red and blue and you get the purple of eggplant, a food rich in nasunin which protects the lipids in our brain tissue. Dark green vegetables like broccoli, spinach, brussels sprouts and romaine lettuce are high in folic acid which several studies have show to prevent and even reverse memory loss.
紅色和藍色組合，就有了紫色的茄子，富含花翠苷，保護我們大腦組織內的脂肪。花椰菜、菠菜、甘藍和萵苣等深綠色蔬菜中含有大量葉酸，這是經研究證明防止健忘甚至提高記憶力的重要元素。
Fish & Nuts 魚和堅果
Sushi, anyone? The omega-3 fatty acids found in fish (and nuts) are great for the brain. Sea swimmers like mackerel, herring, eel and tuna are also chock full of phosphatidylserine. You don’t have to remember these fancy chemical names, just remember that these oils contain nutrients that are not made in the body, so it’s important to eat plenty.
誰想吃日本壽司？魚類中的ω-3脂肪酸對大腦很有好處，海洋魚類如鯖魚、鯡魚、鰻魚和金槍魚都含有大量的磷脂酰絲氨酸。這些複雜的化學名稱你根本不用記住，只要記住這些油脂都富含我們身體中沒有的營養物，所以需要通過大量食用來補充。
Dessert 甜點
Honey is a delightful sweet that every culture in history has enjoyed. The sweet product made by bees from flower nectar has been used for thousands of years in food, medicine and even religion. Now, based on a study by the University of Waikato in New Zealand, a diet sweetened with honey could both lower anxiety and improve memory. What an excellent excuse to not skip dessert.
蜂蜜是每個古老文化都喜歡的美味甜點，長期以來，蜜蜂從花蜜中提取的甜味產品都廣泛用於食物、醫療甚至宗教中。根據新西蘭懷卡託大學的研究，加入蜂蜜而變甜的食物既可以降低焦慮還能提高記憶，多麼完美的藉口啊，以後就能理直氣壯地吃餐後甜點啦！
It may not be entirely scientific to suggest, but a nice cup of tea and a slice of honey-soaked baklava (containing omega-3 rich nuts of course) might be the perfect snack after a healthy dinner.
可能不是很科學，但是建議在晚餐後喝杯好茶，吃塊泡過蜂蜜的果仁蜜餅（裏面當然有富含脂肪酸的堅果），絕對是最完美的小吃。
