A handful of nuts a day can keep hunger at bay and beat belly fat, according to scientists.

根據科學家研究，每天一把堅果可以遠離饑餓感，減少腹部脂肪。

 

This is the first time a link between eating nuts and higher levels of serotonin - a substance that decreases appetite, boosts happiness and improves heart health - has been detected.

這還是第一次將食用堅果與高水平血清素相關聯——血清素已經被證實能夠降低食欲、增進幸福感以及改善心臟健康。

 

Researchers from the University of Barcelona say that it only took one ounce of raw and unpeeled walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts a day to produce the positive health effects.

巴塞羅那大學的研究人員說，每天只要吃一盎司生的去皮核桃仁、杏仁和榛子，就能對身體產生積極健康的影響。

 

It is hoped the findings, published in the Journal of Proteome Research, will benefit patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS) which is characterised by excess abdominal fat, high blood sugar and high blood pressure.

人們希望刊登在《蛋白質組學研究雜志》上的這一研究成果，能夠使代謝綜合癥（MetS）患者受益，這種疾病的特點就是腹部有多余脂肪、血糖高、血壓高。

 

Dietary changes along with the regular consumption of nuts, which contain healthy fats and antioxidants, may help patients shed excess weight, decreasing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

改變飲食習慣，經常食用富含健康脂肪和抗氧化成分的堅果，能夠幫助患者擺脫多余的體重，減少罹患2型糖尿病和心臟病的風險。

 

Scientists put 22 MetS patients on a nut-enriched diet for 12 weeks and compared them to another group of 20 patients who were following a nut-free diet.

科學家們讓22名代謝綜合癥患者連續十二周食用富含堅果的飲食，并將他們與另一組沒有吃堅果的20名病人做對比。

 

Compounds excreted in the patients' urine were then examined.

然后檢測了病人的尿液中所含的排出人體的化合物。

 

Those consuming 30 grams of mixed nuts a day displayed higher serotonin levels.

那些每天食用30克堅果的病患的檢驗結果顯示出較高的血清素水平。

 

Approximately 90 percent of the body's serotonin is located in the gut while the remainder is found in the central nervous system where it regulates mood and appetite.

人體內的血清素大約90%在腸道中，其余部分則分布于中樞神經系統，用以調節情緒和食欲。

 

Most prescribed drugs used to treat conditions such as depression, anxiety disorder and social phobia treat are designed to alter serotonin levels.

最常用的治療抑郁癥、焦慮癥和社交恐懼癥的處方藥，其原理都是調節血清素水平。

 

Meanwhile a study by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), published in the British Journal of Nutrition earlier this year also found that pistachios can help weight loss and support a healthy heart.

同時，今年早些時候發表在《英國營養學雜志》上的由美國農業部主持的一項研究報告也顯示，食用開心果有助于減輕體重，維持心臟健康。

 

Lead researcher David Baer said: "Pistachios convey a variety of health benefits, including weight management support and cardiovascular support."

首席研究員大衛·拜爾說：“開心果有許多益于健康的優點，包括有助于體重管理以及促進心臟健康。”

 

He added that the findings contradict the "common misperception to exclude nuts from the diet to reduce caloric intake."

他還補充道，這一研究結果也與我們平常的誤解相悖，我們總以為應該從飲食中排除堅果，這樣才能減少攝入熱量。