科学表明,想吃的就是最健康的

Say you get home after a long day of work and realize you're hungry. You open the fridge, craving a cupcake. No, you tell yourself. Do not eat that cupcake. You understand that despite your craving, you've read again and again that it's not a healthy choice. So you scour your pantry for alternatives - foods that pass your "health" screening, that you can eat without the pang of guilt and grease weighing you down after you've dined and devoured.

比方说，漫长的一天工作到家后，你发现自己饿了。你打开冰箱，想吃一个纸杯蛋糕。但却告诉自己：不能吃，千万别吃那个纸杯蛋糕。你明白，尽管自己很想吃，但你却一次又一次地看到过纸杯蛋糕不是健康选择的说法。所以你在餐盘里放了其它食品--你认为的健康食品，这样吃的时候你就不会感到内疚，油脂也不会使你变胖。

You find rice cakes. Sure, you think. I can make those taste good. You've read that they're good for you. Maybe you slather one with peanut butter. Maybe you slice a banana.

你找到了米糕。当然，你觉得你可以将米糕做的很好吃。你看到过米糕有益健康的说法。也许你会涂上花生酱，也许你会将香蕉切片后和米糕一起吃。

But let's be honest: Who has ever enjoyed a rice cake when they really want, well… a real cake? The chances are good that you don't enjoy your snack. You're physically full, but unsatisfied.

但说实话：有谁在想吃蛋糕的时候，会享受一块米糕呢。很有可能你一点都不享受吃米糕的过程。你的身体是饱了，但你还是不满足。

You're still consuming carbs and fats from that snack - and a little arsenic, but you know that's no big deal. In theory, a nice balance.

吃米糕的时候，你仍在摄入碳水化合物和脂肪--还有少量的砷，但你知道这没什么大不了。理论而言，这是一个很好的平衡。

But according to science, you might not actually be absorbing the benefit from that unsavory snack you choked down. According to science, you might have been better off nutritionally having eaten and enjoyed the heck out of a cupcake instead.

但科学表明，也许你并没有吸收到你吃下的不好吃的零食中的营养。据科学表示，也许享受一个纸杯蛋糕能给你带来更多的营养。

You see, the science tells us that nutrient absorption is somewhat reliant on enjoyment. If you're on a diet and eating a bunch of bland, banal food, you could actually be eating less healthily than you would be if you just ate the food you wanted. According to a relatively overlooked study conducted in 1977, people absorb more nutrients from food they savored than from food they didn't enjoy.

明白了吗？科学告诉我们：营养是否能吸收在一定程度上取决于我们是否享受。如果你在节食，吃一些平淡无味的食物，那这样做可能并不如吃你想要吃的食物健康。1977年开展的一项相对被忽视的研究表明：相比吃一些不爱吃的食物，吃些爱吃的食物能使人们吸收更多营养。

The study collected nutrient absorption data from two groups: A group of Thai women and a group of Swedish women. They fed both groups a Southeast Asian dish reportedly adored among the Thai women and not so popular among the Swedes. The Thai women absorbed nearly 50 percent more nutrients than the Swedish women, resulting in better nutrition and health benefit from the meal overall.

该项研究收集了两组人员的营养吸收数据：一组是泰国女性，一组是瑞典女性。据报道，两组女性在研究期间吃的都是东南亚食物，泰国女性喜欢这种食物，但瑞典女性并不喜欢。泰国女性吸收的营养物质比瑞典女性多了近50%，因此从膳食中获得的营养和健康益处也就更多。