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If you're a fan of chocolate you're in good company. Chocolate is one of the most popular sweet - tasting treats in the world and has been for centuries. But part of the myth surrounding chocolate is that it tastes so good it must be bad for your health, which gives it an air of the forbidden.

如果你是個(gè)巧克力鐘愛(ài)者，那么你有很多志趣相投的伙伴。數(shù)百年來(lái)巧克力是世界上人們最喜愛(ài)的甜食之一。但關(guān)于巧克力有這么個(gè)說(shuō)法：它如此美味，定然有害健康，這使人們形成禁食巧克力的意識(shí)。

A beautifully wrapped box of chocolates has always been considered a very romantic gift. So if the special person in your life is a self-confessed chocoholic, you know one surefire way to please them on special occasions. But the surprising news from the scientific community is that this reputedly decadent treat actually has some health benefits, especially if you choose your chocolate wisely.

一盒包裝精美的巧克力通常被看做非常浪漫的禮物。所以如果你生命中那個(gè)特別的人坦言自己貪戀巧克力，那么你有了在特別場(chǎng)合下取悅她們的萬(wàn)全之法。但來(lái)自科學(xué)界令人驚訝的消息稱，這個(gè)據(jù)說(shuō)對(duì)我們不利的甜食實(shí)際上對(duì)人的健康益處多多，尤其是如果能夠明智地挑選適合你的巧克力。

Is Chocolate A Healthy Food?

巧克力是健康食品嗎？

Chocolate contains over 300 chemicals, and has been the subject of a number of studies by universities and other scientific organizations. Here's a quick rundown of the results. We have no way of proving or disproving these claims so we offer them here as a stimulus for further research. If you're really interested in the subject, this may provide you with a starting point.

巧克力含有300多種化學(xué)成分，已經(jīng)成為許多大學(xué)和其它科學(xué)組織研究的對(duì)象。這是一份研究結(jié)果的大致綱要。我們還沒(méi)有方法來(lái)證實(shí)或反駁這些結(jié)論，因此我們?cè)诖藶榇蠹伊谐鲆约?lì)進(jìn)一步的研究。如果你真的對(duì)這個(gè)話題感興趣，這也許可以為你提供一個(gè)起點(diǎn)。

* Cacao, the source of chocolate, contains antibacterial agents that fight tooth decay. Of course this is counteracted by the high sugar content of milk chocolate.

巧克力的原料可可含有抗菌物，可以防治蛀牙。當(dāng)然，抗菌劑與奶油巧克力的高含糖量相互抵消。

* The smell of chocolate may increase theta brain waves, resulting in relaxation.

巧克力的香味可以增加θ腦電波，使身心得到放松。

* Chocolate contains phenyl ethylamine, a mild mood elevator.

巧克力含有苯基乙胺，是溫和的情緒調(diào)節(jié)劑。

* The cocoa butter in chocolate contains oleic acid, a mono-unsaturated fat which may raise good cholesterol.

巧克力中的可可油含有油酸，這種不飽和脂肪會(huì)增加良性膽固醇。

* Drinking a cup of hot chocolate before meals may actually diminish appetite.

飯前喝一杯熱巧克力會(huì)降低食欲。

* Men who eat chocolate live a year longer than those who don't.

吃巧克力的人比不吃的人長(zhǎng)壽一年。

* The flavanoids in chocolate may help keep blood vessels elastic.

巧克力中的黃酮類物質(zhì)有助于保持血管的彈性。

* Chocolate increases antioxidant levels in the blood.

巧克力可以提高血液的抗氧化物含量。

* Mexican healers use chocolate to treat bronchitis and insect bites.

墨西哥醫(yī)生用巧克力醫(yī)治支氣管炎和蚊蟲(chóng)叮咬。

* The carbohydrates in chocolate raise serotonin levels in the brain, resulting in a sense of well-being.

巧克力中的碳水化合物可以提高大腦的血清素水平，使人感到愉悅快樂(lè)。

What Chocolate Won't Do.

巧克力不會(huì)造成的是：

* Studies show that chocolate is not a causative factor in acne.

研究結(jié)果顯示巧克力不是導(dǎo)致痤瘡/粉刺的病因。

* Cacao contains the stimulants caffeine and bromine, but in such small quantities that they don't cause nervous excitability.

可可含有興奮劑咖啡因和溴，但是含量太少，不會(huì)造成神經(jīng)興奮。

* Chocolate is not addictive.

巧克力不會(huì)使人上癮。

* Chocolate contains stearic acid, a neutral fat which doesn't raise bad cholesterol.

巧克力含有硬脂酸，一種不會(huì)增加惡性膽固醇的中性脂肪。

* Chocolate doesn't make you 'high'. You'd need to eat a huge quantity (about 25lbs at one sitting) to feel any noticeable effect.

巧克力不會(huì)使你興奮。你需要吃大量（一口氣大約吃25磅）的巧克力才能感覺(jué)到明顯的反應(yīng)。

But on the Negative Side ...

但也有負(fù)面影響……

* Chocolate may trigger headaches in migraine sufferers.

巧克力會(huì)引發(fā)偏頭痛患者頭疼。

* Milk chocolate is high in calories, saturated fat and sugar.

奶油巧克力的卡路里、飽和脂肪和糖的含量都很高。

What about Chocolate and Your Pets?

寵物對(duì)巧克力有何反應(yīng)？

* Chocolate is considered dangerous to animals because it contains a stimulant called theobromine, which they can't digest.

對(duì)動(dòng)物來(lái)說(shuō)，巧克力是個(gè)危險(xiǎn)品，因?yàn)樗幸环N叫可可堿的興奮物，動(dòng)物無(wú)法消化這種物質(zhì)。

* Dark chocolate and baking chocolate are even more dangerous because they contain higher concentrations of the substance.

黑巧克力和可可漿更危險(xiǎn)，因?yàn)樗鼈兊目煽蓧A含量更高。

* If a pet becomes ill after eating chocolate, take it to the vet immediately.

如果寵物吃了巧克力出現(xiàn)病狀，立即帶它去看獸醫(yī)。

This applies whether chocolate is in candy bar form, or an ingredient in cake, cookies, puddings or ice cream.

不管是吃了單獨(dú)包裝的巧克力棒，還是蛋糕、餅干、布丁或冰激凌中的巧克力成分，都應(yīng)立即帶寵物看醫(yī)生。

Dark Chocolate Versus Milk Chocolate

黑巧克力VS牛奶巧克力

Dark chocolate contains more cacao and less sugar than milk chocolate. It follows that any health benefits would be more pronounced in dark chocolate.

與牛奶巧克力相比，黑巧克力的可可含量更高，含糖量更低。因此有關(guān)黑巧克力有利健康的報(bào)道也就更多。

You'll need to do a little research if you have any health concerns about eating chocolate. But with products like gluten-free and sugar-free brands finding their way onto supermarket shelves, you're sure to find some form of chocolate you can enjoy with a clear conscience.

如果你擔(dān)心吃巧克力會(huì)不利健康，那么你需要研究一下。不過(guò)隨著像無(wú)麩質(zhì)和無(wú)糖面包等產(chǎn)品在超市貨架上的出現(xiàn)，你一定能找到可以盡情享用的巧克力。