论饮食与情绪变化的微妙关系

英语中有一句话，叫做“All sorrows are less with bread”。这本是劝慰之语，但是今天研究证实某些食物确实有缓解忧伤的作用。吃什么、什么时候吃都有可能会对你的情绪造成一定的影响。接下来，就让我们看一看饮食是如何影响情绪的吧。

What you decide to eat can play an important role on your emotional state of mind. Research has revealed that what you eat and when you eat can help to determine how you feel throughout the day. People consume food for a variety of reasons. While the primary reason we eat is to provide caloric intake and energy for daily activity, sometimes people will eat “comfort” food during times of stress.

你决定吃什么东西会在很大程度上影响你的情绪。研究表明你吃什么、什么时候吃都会对你这一天的感觉有所影响。人们吃东西出于很多原因。吃东西最首要的目的是提供日常活动必备的热量和能量，有时人们也在压力大的时候用吃东西来安慰自己。

People have also used food as a social medium for thousands of years in many cultures. Celebrations and other large events are often centered on some type of feast. It’s evident that food can have powerful social aspects, but how can certain nutrients from food we eat affect our mood changes? Let’s have a look.

几千年来，在很多文化中，人们都把吃作为一种社交手段。庆祝活动和其他一些大型活动往往围绕某种宴会展开。显然，食物有很强的社交性质，但是我们所吃的食物中的某些营养成分是如何影响我们的情绪的呢?让我们来看一看吧。

The Glycemic Index

According to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the glycemic index is a measurement of the effects that carbohydrates have on blood sugars in the body. Foods that rate high on this index are typically higher in carbohydrates and simple sugars. A low glycemic index food releases glucose more slowly into your bloodstream. When blood sugars are high, you will experience increased energy and often elevated mood. Conversely, when blood sugars are low, energy levels usually decline along with a decrease in mood. Foods that cause a stable blood sugar can often help to prevent this unstable shift in moods.

血糖生成指数

根据麻省理工学院的说法，血糖生成指数是衡量碳水化合物对你身体中血糖影响的一个标准。该指数较高的食物通常碳水化合物和单糖含量都较高。该指数低的食物释放葡萄糖到血液中的速度会慢得多。血糖高时，你会感到体内能量的增长，通常情绪也会很高昂。相反，当血糖低时，能量水平会降低，情绪也开始低落。能够稳定血糖的食物通常能够预防情绪的不稳定变化。

Today, the use of many energy drinks is on the rise. These drinks can cause a rapid increase in blood sugar. While this may cause a temporary elevation of mood along with increased energy, too often the feelings are short in duration, and are followed by a decrease in blood sugar. This usually results in a rapid energy decrease and a decline in mood.

如今，很多能量饮料越来越畅销，这些饮料可以导致血糖的迅速升高。这或许会让你的能量增加，从而使你的情绪短暂高涨，但很多时候你的好情绪只能持续一小会儿，随后伴随着血糖的降低，你的能量迅速减少，情绪也会低落下来。

Timing of Meals

When you skip a meal, your blood sugar can drop. This often results in feeling lethargic and tired. To avoid this undesirable condition, eat small frequent meals and snacks throughout the day. Additionally, when you eat meals on an empty stomach, you’re more likely to notice changes in mood.

吃饭时间

你错过一顿饭，血糖就会降低。这经常会使你感到困倦和劳累。为了避免这种惹人心烦的状态，平日可以少吃多餐或吃些小零食。另外，空腹吃饭的时候，你更容易察觉到情绪的变化。

What to Eat

The ideal food will provide effective nutrients that will give you the necessary caloric intake and at the same time help stabilize your mood. According to Dr. Richard Wurtman of MIT, certain nutrients in foods can affect the neurotransmitters in our brains. According to his research, these brain chemicals transmit messages between nerve cells that are responsible for mood and performance. Simple adjustments to the following diet components can have a profound impact on the way you feel throughout the day:

吃什么

理想的食物会为你提供有效的营养，使你摄入足够的热量，同时帮你稳定情绪。麻省理工学院的理查德•威特曼博士说：食物中的一些营养会影响我们大脑中的神经传导素。根据他的研究，大脑中的这些化学物质会让信息在那些控制人类情绪状态的神经细胞之间进行传递。只要你按下面的饮食结构安排饮食，你一天的感觉就会有很大不同。

Protein

Protein breaks down in our bodies in the form of amino acids. Foods high in protein, such as eggs, meat, fish and milk increase an amino acid known as tyrosine. Tyrosine can increase production of dopamine. This pleasure hormone helps to ease stress and anxiety. Tyrosine also increases norepinephrine. This neurotransmitter helps to keep your mind sharp and alert. Harvard psychiatrist, Dr. Alan Gelenberg conducted research that revealed that norepinephrine can also help to regulate mood changes and control depression.

蛋白质

蛋白质在我们体内被分解成氨基酸。蛋白质含量高的食物，如蛋、肉、鱼、牛奶等会增加一种名为酪氨酸的氨基酸含量。而酪氨酸会增加多巴胺的释放。多巴胺是一种愉悦激素，可以帮助缓解压力和焦虑。酪氨酸同样也可以增加去甲肾上腺素的释放，有利于你头脑敏锐和警觉。哈佛大学心里学家，艾伦•盖伦博格博士的研究表明：去甲肾上腺素有助于控制情绪变化并抑制忧郁。

Tryptophan

Foods that are high in protein also contain the essential amino acid tryptophan. This amino acid can increase serotonin levels in the brain. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that can have a calming effect and helps to play an active role in sleep. This explains why you want to crash on the couch after your Thanksgiving feast. Poultry such as turkey are high in tryptophan.

色氨酸

蛋白质含量高的食物中同样也包含着必需氨基酸色氨酸。色氨酸会提高大脑中血清素的水平。血清素是一种神经传递素，有镇定效果，在睡眠中起着重要作用。这就解释了为什么感恩节大餐后你总是想一头躺在沙发上。像火鸡这样的禽类的肉中色氨酸含量非常高。

Another possible benefit of tryptophan is that it can help people who are in pain. A Temple University study showed that patients who were suffering from chronic facial pain experienced significant pain relief when treated with tryptophan.

色氨酸的另一个益处是它可以帮助人们缓解病痛。天普大学的一项研究表明经受慢性面部疼痛的人在接受色氨酸治疗后症状明显减轻。

Folic Acid

Foods that are rich in folic acid such as fruits, vegetables, seeds and nuts have been known to help combat depression. According to the University of Minnesota, many people who suffer from depression have low levels of folic acid in the body. Low levels of folic acid can cause serotonin levels in the brain to drop.

叶酸

富含叶酸的食物如水果、蔬菜、种子、坚果等有减轻抑郁的作用。明尼苏达大学的研究认为，很多饱受抑郁折磨的人身体中的叶酸含量都很低。叶酸含量过低可以导致大脑中血清素水平下降。

Problem Foods

Foods that contribute to blood sugar spikes should be minimized or avoided. Limit your intake of sugar, corn syrup and other sugar like substances. Also avoid excessive intake of foods that are high in fat. Along with the obvious cardiac issues, these foods can cause inflammation in the body and lead to a feeling of sluggishness.

问题食物

减少或避免食用能让血糖迅速升高的食物。限制你的糖、玉米糖浆和其他类似糖的食物的摄入。同时也要避免摄入太多高脂肪的食物。这些食物不仅容易引起心脏问题，还能够引起身体的发炎，导致人感觉萎靡不振。

Vocabulary

glycemic 血糖的

carbohydrate 碳水化合物

simple sugar 单糖

amino acid 氨基酸

tyrosine 酪氨酸

dopamine 多巴胺

tryptophan 色氨酸

serotonin 血清素

neurotransmitter 神经传递素

inflammation 发炎;炎症

sluggishness 呆滞、懒洋洋