The temperate isles of the Mediterranean are home to sun, sea and delicious dishes thought to hold the key to good health. But what is it that makes a Mediterranean diet quite so good for us? Victoria Taylor, Senior dietitian at the British Heart Foundation, gives her view on the healthy benefits of the sunshine cuisine.

　　地中海气候温和的小岛拥有阳光、海洋与美味佳肴，这都是健康的秘诀。但是为什么地中海的饮食对我们如此有益呢?英国心脏基金会高级营养师维多利亚·泰勒对阳光美食的益处给出了自己的看法。

　　There has been a lot of talk recently about whether fat or sugar is the worst offender when it comes to our diets. But by focusing on individual dietary components it’s easy to miss the bigger picture. While it’s important to understand how different foods and nutrients affect our health, a whole diet approach offers a more helpful way of looking at our eating habits and choices.

　　近来脂肪和糖是否是健康的杀手引起了热烈的讨论。但是只关注个人的饮食会以点盖面。了解不同食物和营养物质对健康的影响至关重要，一种统观全局的方法更有利于帮助我们分析我们的饮食习惯和选择。

　　What is a Mediterranean diet?

　　什么是地中海饮食?

　　A typical Mediterranean diet includes lots of vegetables, fruits, beans, cereals and cereal products, for example wholegrain bread, pasta and brown rice. It also contains moderate amounts of fish, white meat and some dairy produce.

　　典型的地中海饮食包括大量的蔬菜、水果、谷物和谷类食品，如全麦面包、面食和糙米。它还包括适量的鱼，白肉和一些奶制品。

　　It’s the combination of all these elements that seems to bring health benefits, but one of the key aspects is the inclusion of healthy fats. Olive oil, which is a monounsaturated fat, is most commonly associated with the Mediterranean diet but polyunsaturated fats are also present in nuts, seeds and oily fish.

　　正是这些均衡的搭配带来了好处，同时尤为关键的一点就它包含健康的脂肪。富含单不饱和脂肪酸的橄榄油常用于地中海饮食中，而多元不饱和脂肪酸则常见于坚果、种子和油性鱼类中。

　　What are the health benefits?

　　它对健康有何益处?

　　Research into the traditional Mediterranean diet has shown it may reduce our risk of developing conditions like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and raised cholesterol, which are all risk factors for heart disease. Researchers have also found that people who closely follow a Mediterranean diet may live a longer life and be less likely to put on weight.

　　对地中海传统饮食的研究表明，它有利于减少2型糖尿病和诱发心脏病的高血压、高胆固醇情况的发生。研究人员还发现，长期坚持地中海饮食的人会有更长的寿命并且很难长胖。

　　How does it work?

　　它的原理是是什么?

　　As research into the benefits of this type of diet is on going, there may eventually be certain foods that are found to have greater significance for health. For now however, it seems it is the overall diet approach and the combination of foods, rather than individual ‘superfoods’, that make this such a healthy way to eat.

　　随着对这种饮食益处研究的深入，最终我们可能会找到一种对健康特别有益的食物。然而现在，我们发现似乎是整体的饮食方式对健康有益，而不是单纯的某一种“超级食物”的作用。

　　This makes sense, as it’s true to say that if you are eating an unhealthy diet, full of processed foods, adding one element, such as olive oil, is unlikely to have noticeable health benefits if that’s the only change you make. However, if you adjust your whole diet so you eat a little less meat and more fish, opt for healthy fats and eat more fruit and vegetables, then it could make a significant difference.

　　这是很有道理的，就比如你一直坚持不健康的饮食方式，长期吃加工食品，你不可能通过加点健康的橄榄油就让你的饮食立马变得健康。然而如果你改变你整个饮食方式，少吃点肉多吃点鱼，选择健康的脂肪，多吃水果和蔬菜，那么情况会大有不同。

　　Although we are some way from the warm Mediterranean coast, it’s still possible to adopt this style of eating without making massive changes. Try out our favourite Mediterranean recipes today.

　　尽管我们离地中海的阳光海岸很远，但是做出一些小小的改变就能吃得健康。那么不妨从今天开始尝试我们健康的地中海饮食吧。

（编辑：何莹莹）