健康資訊參考

檢送下列資訊，謹供參考。Submit the following information for reference.

Is the MSG in Chinese likely to give you a headache?

中餐裡的味精會使得你頭痛嗎？

譯者註：

The Chinese food additive中餐添加物monosodium glutamate (MSG)谷氨酸鈉也稱為MSG或味精，是一種谷氨酸的鈉鹽，屬於自然形成的最豐富的非必需氨基酸之一。美國食品和藥品管理局已把MSG歸入為一般認為安全（GRAS） 之列。

Short answer: No

簡單說：不會

A review of 40 years of clinical trials, published in the journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners in 2006, found that all previous research "failed to identify a consistent relationship between the consumption of MSG and the constellation of symptoms that comprise the syndrome," including headaches and asthma attacks. The misconception spawned from several poorly-done small studies in the 1960s that  seemed to connect MSG with a variety of maladies that people experienced after eating at Chinese restaurants.

美國護理學院2006年期刊報導一項為期40年的臨床試驗發現過去所有的研究都不能找出食用味精與頭痛或氣喘症候群的零星症狀有一致性的關連。這種錯誤觀念源自1960年代所作的許多簡陋的小規模研究，似乎把食用味精跟一大堆在中國餐館用餐後的種種不適症狀連接在一起。

Do nuts make you fat?

吃核仁乾果會令你發胖嗎？

Short answer: No

簡單說：不會

As much as 75% of a nut is fat. But eating fat doesn't necessarily make you fat. The bigger factor leading to weight gain is portion-size. Luckily, nuts are loaded with healthy fats that keep you full. They're also a good source of protein and fiber.

One study even found that whole almonds have 20% less calories than previously thought because a lot of the fat is excreted from the body.

雖然核仁乾果含有75%脂肪，但是吃脂肪未必會害你發福。讓你體重增加的最大因素在於你一次吃多少。好在核仁乾果含有豐富的健康脂肪讓你有飽足感。核仁乾果也是蛋白質與纖維素的重要來源。一項研究甚至發現杏仁所含脂肪比以前所知少20%，原因是許多脂肪都會被排泄出體外。

Is walking as effective as running?

走路跟跑步一樣有益健康嗎？

Short answer: Yes

簡單說：對的

Studies have shown that how long you exercise — and thus how many calories you burn — is more important than how hard you exercise. Running is a more efficient form of exercise, but not necessarily better for you. A six-year studypublished in the journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology in April found that walking at a moderate pace and running produced similar health benefits, so long as the same amount of energy was expended.

研究結果指出，你運動的時間越久你所燃燒掉的卡路里就越多。這就證明運動時間的長短比運動得賣力不賣力更重要。跑步固然是一種很有效的運動方式，可是未必最適合你。一篇登載在四月份的動脈硬化、血栓症與血管生物學期刊的的長達6年的研究結果發現只要所消耗的能量一樣，以中庸速度步行與跑步所得到對健康的益處完全一樣。

Is drinking fruit juice as good for you as eating fruit?

喝果汁跟吃水果一樣有益健康嗎？

Short answer: No

簡單說：錯

Calorie for calorie, whole fruit provides more nutritional benefits than drinking the pure juice of that fruit. That's because when you liquefy fruit, stripping away the peel and dumping the pulp, many ingredients like fiber, calcium, vitamin C, and other antioxidants are lost. For comparison, a five-ounce glass of orange juice that contains 69 calories has .3 grams of dietary fiber and 16 milligrams of calcium, whereas an orange with the same number of calories packs 3.1 grams of fiber and 60 milligrams of calcium.

卡路里雖然相同，整顆水果所提供的營養成份多過喝用這顆水果打出來的果汁。那是因為當你把水果打成果汁之時水果皮被剝掉只剩果肉會流失纖維素、維他命C以及其他抗氧化物。比較之下，一杯5盎斯、含有69卡路里的橘子汁內含3公克食用纖維素與16毫克的鈣質。可是含有同樣哪麼多卡路里的整顆橘子包含了3.1公克食用纖維素與60毫克的鈣質。

Are all wheat breads better for you than white bread?

小麥麵包都比白麵包更好嗎？

Short answer: No

簡單說：不見得

Not all wheat breads are created equal. Wheat breads that contain all parts of the grain kernel, including the nutrient-rich germ and fiber-dense bran, must be labeled "whole grain" or "whole wheat." Some wheat breads are just white bread with a little bit of caramel coloring to make the bread appear healthier, according to Reader's Digest.

小麥麵包有許多種。含有全部小麥核仁的麵包，包括營養豐富的胚芽與纖維素密集的麥麸應該標示為『全穀』或『全麥』。根據讀者文摘的報導，有些小麥麵包僅僅是在白麵包裡加添一點點焦糖色素讓外觀看起來較為健康而已。

Can a hot tub make me sick?

洗熱水澡會讓人生病嗎？

Short answer: Yes

簡單說：會

Hot tubs — especially ones in spas, hotels, and gyms — are perfect breeding grounds for germs. The water is not hot enough to kill bacteria, but is just the right temperature to make microbes grow even faster. Even though hot tubs are treated with chlorine, the heat causes the disinfectant to break down faster than it would in regular pools. The most common hot tub infection is pseudomonas folliculitis, which causes red, itchy bumps. A more dangerous side-effect of soaking in a dirty Jacuzzi is a form of pneumonia known as Legionnaire's disease. This is what reportedly sickenedmore than 100 people at the Playboy Mansion back in 2011.

熱水澡缸－尤其是礦泉三溫暖、旅館與健身房所提供的熱水浴缸都是滋生細菌的溫床。那兒的水溫並不足以消滅病菌卻正好讓那些微生物大量繁殖。即使熱水浴缸事先加入氯氣消毒，可是熱水的溫度會使得這些消毒藥物很快就蒸發掉而不像一般游泳池那樣可以保存。最常見的熱水浴缸感染症叫做熱水池毛囊炎，這種病症會造成一顆顆很癢很癢的紅疹。浸泡在這種按摩浴缸的髒水裡更危險的不良後果是一種叫做退伍軍人症的肺炎。根據報導這種傳染病在2011年在花花公子大廈裡爆發，超過100人因此中標。

Does coffee cause cancer?

喝咖啡會致癌嗎？

Short answer: No

簡單說：不會

Coffee got a bad rap in the 1980s when a study linked drinking coffee to pancreatic cancer. The preliminary report was later debunked. More recently, health studies have swung in favor of the caffeinated beverage. Coffee has been linked to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, Parkinson's disease, liver cancer, and even suicide.

1980年代流傳的說法是喝咖啡會導致罹患胰腺癌。此一初期報導後來終於被推翻。最近的健康資訊研究結果轉向推崇這種咖啡因飲料。現在的說法是喝咖啡可以減低罹患2型糖尿病、帕金森氏症、肝癌甚至自殺的風險。

Do eggs raise cholesterol levels?

吃雞蛋會升高你的膽固醇值嗎？

Short answer: No

簡單說：不會

Although egg yolks are a major source of cholesterol — a waxy substance that resembles fat — researchers have learned that saturated fat has more of an impact on cholesterol in your blood than eating foods that contain cholesterol.

"Healthy individuals with normal blood cholesterol levels should now feel free to enjoy foods like eggs in their diet every day," the lead researcher from a 25-year University of Arizona studyon cholesterol concluded.

雖然蛋黃裡有類似脂肪的蠟狀物質－膽固醇。研究人員得知飽和脂肪對人類血管中的膽固醇的影響大過食用含有膽固醇的食物。亞利桑那州立大學一項研究膽固醇長達25年的團隊裡的首席研究員的結論是『一般血液中膽固醇指數健康正常的人現在可以放心每天享用蛋類食品了。』

Can you drink too much water?

你會喝水過多嗎？

Short answer: Yes

簡單說：會

It is very rare for someone to die from drinking too much water, but it can happen. Over hydrating is most common among elite athletes. Drinking an excess of water, called water intoxication, dilutes the concentration of sodium in the blood leading to a condition known as hypothermia. The symptoms of hypothermia can range from nausea and confusion to seizures and even death in severe cases. To avoid this, drink fluids with electrolytes during extreme exercise events.

喝水過量導致死亡的案例雖然不多但是確有其事。明星運動員往往喝水過量。被稱為水中毒的飲水過量沖淡了血液中的鈉導致體温過低。體温過低的症狀有嘔吐、意識不清、癲癇發作，甚至嚴重到死亡。為了避免發生這種情形我們在極度運動之時應該飲用含有電解質的飲料。

Can yogurt ease digestive problems?

吃優酪乳可以減輕消化系統的問題嗎？

Short answer: Yes

簡單說：可以

Our digestive tract is filled with microorganisms — some good and some bad. Yogurt contains beneficial bacteria, generically called probiotics, that helps maintain a healthy balance. Probiotics can relieve several gastrointestinal problems, including constipation and diarrhea. Certain brands of yogurtsare marketed exclusively to treat tummy issues.

人類的消化管道充滿了微生物－有些有益，有些有害。優酪乳含有益細菌。一般稱之為有助於健康平衡的益生菌。益生菌能減輕好幾種胃腸道疾病，包括便秘與腹瀉。市場上有賣專用於治療胃腸不適的特殊品牌優酪乳。

 Do whitening toothpastes whiten teeth more than regular toothpastes?

美白牙膏比一般牙膏更能漂白牙齒嗎？

Short answer: No

簡單說：不會

Whitening toothpastes usually contain peroxides and other strong abrasives that might make your teeth appear whiter by removing stains. Unlike at-home whitening strips and gels that contain bleach, these toothpastes do not actually change the color of your teeth.

美白牙膏通常含有過氧化物與其他強力去污劑，祛除斑點之後可能使得你的牙齒看起來白一點。可是它與你家中常用的美白粉與乳液不一樣，它不含漂白劑。所以美白牙膏不會改變你的牙齒的顏色。

Is it safe to microwave food in plastic containers? 

先把食物裝入塑膠容器再放入微波爐烘烤安全嗎？

Short answer: Yes

簡單說：安全

But the plastic container should display the words "microwave safe." This means that the Food and Drug Administration has tested the containerto make sure no chemicals used to make the plastic leech into foods during micro waving. If chemicals do seep out into food, the amounts are tiny and not dangerous to our health. As a general guideline, plastic grocery bags as well as most plastic tubs that hold margarine, yogurt, cream cheese, and condiments are not microwave safe.

話雖如此，這些塑膠容器應該標示為『微波爐專用』這種標籤表示這種容器經過美國食品與藥物檢驗局測試過，不會有化學成份使得用微波爐在烘烤食物之時塑膠物質黏附到食品裡面。即使有化學成份滲入食物其劑量也是微乎其微，不至於有害人體健康。須知一般包裝人造奶油、優酪乳、可溶起司與調味料用的雜貨塑膠袋與塑膠盒都不可以用微波爐烘烤。

Can watching TV ruin your eyesight?

看電視會傷眼嗎？

Short answer: No

簡單說：不會

Watching TV will not destroy your rods and cones as the outdated myth suggests. Before the 1950s, TVs emitted radiation that could increase an individual's risk of eye problemsafter excessive TV viewing. Modern TVs have special shielding that blocks these harmful emissions.

過去的迷思不對！看電視不會傷害你的視桿感光細胞層與視錐感光細胞層。1950年代之前生產的電視機外洩的幅射線對於看電視過久的人可能有造成眼睛傷害的風險。現代電視機裝置了特殊的濾網遮蔽了這些有害的放射線。

Is red wine better for you than white wine?

紅酒一定比白酒有益健康嗎？

Short answer: Yes

簡單說：對

Red wine contains much more resveratrol than white wine, an antioxidant found in the skin of grapes that has been shown to fight off diseases associated with aging.

紅酒所含白藜蘆醇比白酒多許多。白藜蘆醇是葡萄皮上的一種抗氧化物被證明可以消滅與老化有關的疾病。

Is bottled water better for you than tap water?

瓶裝水會比自來水更好嗎？

Short answer: No

簡單說：不見得

Bottled water is no safer or purer than tap water, although it is substantially more expensive. A recent study by Glasgow University in the U.K. found that bottled water is actually more likely to be contaminated than water from your faucetbecause it is less well-regulated. Bottled water and tap water typically come from the same sources — natural springs, lakes, and aquifers. While public water supplies are tested for contaminants every day, makers of bottled water are only required to test for specific contaminants every week, month, or year.

瓶裝水雖然貴得多卻不會比自來水更衛生或更純淨。英國格拉斯哥大學最近的一項研究發現瓶裝水比自來水龍頭出來的水更容易受到污染。原因是瓶裝水沒有像自來水那樣受到良好的管制。瓶裝水與自來水通常都來自同一水源－天然泉水、湖泊與含水土層。提供大眾水源的自來水公司每天都得檢驗水質有沒有受到污染，可是瓶裝水製造商只須按規定每周、每月甚至每年檢驗一次飲水裡有沒有受到特定物質的污染就行了。