Not so long ago nuts were considered a diet disaster thanks to their high fat content. But a raft of research in recent years has proved the opposite is true — eating nuts can actually help you shed excess pounds. And now a study in the journal Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism has found that walnuts in particular contain an ingredient that can satisfy appetite, making you feel fuller for longer.

　　不久前，由于坚果的脂肪含量高，因此人们将其视作减肥灾星。但近年的一些研究却表明了相反情况——吃坚果实际上能帮助你减肥。Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism期刊的一项新研究发现：尤其是核桃，它含有一种能满足食欲的成分，让你的饱腹感更持久。

　　Known as peptide YY this activates an area of the brain associated with regulating hunger – with just a handful of nuts a day enough to keep it under control. Meanwhile, other research has shown that almonds can help regulate your weight.

　　这一成分叫做多肽YY激素，激活了与调节饥饿相关的大脑区域——每天只要一小把坚果就能控制饥饿。同时，其它研究表明：杏仁有助于调控体重。

　　In fact, Penn State University in the US found that people who ate 42g of almonds a day experienced a reduction in tummy fat, waist circumference and thigh fat. But although walnuts and almonds have been singled out, regular consumption of all nuts seems to help stay slim.

　　事实上，美国宾夕法尼亚州立大学发现：每天吃42g杏仁的人腹部脂肪变少、腰围变细、大腿脂肪也变少。尽管核桃和杏仁已被挑选出来，定期摄入所有的坚果似乎也能让你身材苗条。

　　Indeed, a review of 31 trials in 2014 found people whose diets included any extra nuts, or nuts substituted for other foods, lost 1.4lb and half an inch from their waists. In addition, trials comparing weight loss on plans that included or excluded nuts showed that people stuck to their diets better and lost more weight when nuts were included.

　　事实上，一项对2014年31项实验的综述发现：饮食中含有额外坚果或用坚果代替其它食物的人减了1.41磅，腰围瘦了半英寸。此外，将包含坚果和不包含坚果的减肥实验相比，我们发现：摄入坚果的人，他们会更加坚持自己的饮食、减掉的肉也更多。

　　So why are nuts so useful for dieters? One reason they have a positive effect on appetite is because of their high protein and fat content, both of which help curb hunger. Plus the fat that’s typically found in nuts is of the heart-healthy monounsaturated variety, which appears to target belly fat.

　　所以，为什么坚果特别利于减肥呢?它们对食欲有着积极影响的一个原因就是它们蛋白质和脂肪含量高，而这两种成分都能抑制饥饿。而且，坚果中的脂肪通常都是有益心脏健康的单一不饱和脂肪，有利于小腹平坦。

　　This means if you nibble nuts several times a week, you’re also reducing your risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Scientists believe this may also be due to nut-eaters having healthier diets as nuts tend to be eaten in place of processed foods. Do you fancy experiencing some of these health-boosting nut effects?

　　这就是说，如果你每周吃几次坚果，你就能降低心脏病和2型糖尿病的风险。科学家认为这也许是因为吃坚果的人饮食更健康，因为往往吃坚果就不会吃加工食品。你想不想体验坚果带来的这些健康益处呢?

　　Follow our specially created diet below for just four weeks and you could drop up to a dress size.

　　连续四周遵从我们定制的下列饮食，你就能瘦到穿上美美的裙子啦。