科學家叫你多吃豆腐

Eating tofu and other foods with high levels of isoflavones--plant-based"phytoestrogens"--could lower people's risk of heart disease,a new study suggests.The effect was especially strong in women.

吃豆腐和其他異黃酮含量高的食物(植物雌激素)可以降低人們患心臟病的風險。這種影響在女性身上尤其明顯。

"Other human trials and animal studies of isoflavones,tofu and cardiovascular risk markers have also indicated positive effects,so people with an elevated risk of developing heart disease should evaluate their diets,"said study lead author Dr.Qi Sun.He's a researcher at Harvard's T.H.Chan School of Public Health in Boston.

“其他關于異黃酮、豆腐和心血管疾病風險標記物的人體試驗和動物研究也顯示了積極的影響，因此，心臟病風險升高的人應該評估他們的飲食，”該研究的主要作者孫啟博士說。他是波士頓T.H.Chan公共衛(wèi)生學院的研究員。

In the new study,Sun's group tracked data on more than 200,000 Americans enrolled in long-term health and nutrition studies.All of them were free of cancer and heart disease when the studies began.

在這項新的研究中，孫啟的團隊追蹤了20多萬美國人的數(shù)據(jù)，這些人都參加了長期的健康和營養(yǎng)研究。當研究開始時，他們都沒有癌癥和心臟病。

After accounting for a number of other factors associated with heart disease,the researchers concluded that eating tofu more than once a week was associated with an 18%lower risk of heart disease,compared to people who ate tofu less than once a month,who had an average 12%reduction in heart risk.

在會計與心臟疾病有關的其它因素,研究人員得出結論,每周吃不止一次豆腐與心臟疾病的風險降低18%,比那些吃了豆腐少于每月一次,平均減少12%的心臟病風險。

Tofu is soybean curd,and whole soybeans such as edamame are rich sources of isoflavones.Other foods with high levels of isoflavones include chickpeas,fava beans,pistachios,peanuts and other fruits and nuts.

豆腐是一種豆腐，像毛豆這樣的大豆是異黃酮的豐富來源。其他異黃酮含量高的食物包括鷹嘴豆、蠶豆、開心果、花生和其他水果和堅果。

Soymilk tends to be highly processed and is often sweetened with sugar,Sun noted,and the study found no significant association between soymilk consumption and lower heart disease risk.

孫指出，豆奶往往是經過深度加工的，而且經常加糖。研究發(fā)現(xiàn)，食用豆奶與降低心臟病風險之間沒有顯著聯(lián)系。

While the study found an association between tofu and other foods high in isoflavones and a lower risk of heart disease,it does not prove that such foods actually lower heart disease risk,Sun emphasized.Many other factors can affect heart disease risk,including exercise,family history and lifestyle habits,he noted.

孫強調，雖然研究發(fā)現(xiàn)豆腐和其他富含異黃酮的食物之間存在聯(lián)系，可以降低患心臟病的風險，但這并不能證明這些食物真的可以降低患心臟病的風險。他指出，許多其他因素也會影響心臟病風險，包括運動、家族史和生活習慣。

"For example,younger women who are more physically active and get more exercise tend to follow healthier,plant-based diets that may include more isoflavone-rich foods like tofu,"Sun said.

孫說:“比如，身體更活躍、鍛煉更多的年輕女性往往會選擇更健康的植物性飲食，其中可能包括更多富含異黃酮的食物，比如豆腐。”

"Although the impact of specific isoflavone-rich food is still not clear;what is known is that increase in plant-based protein and lean,low carbohydrate,meals reduce overall cardiovascular risk,"said Dr.Satjit Bhusri,a cardiologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City."This simple understanding and mindfulness of what to eat can make a major impact on overall cardiovascular health and outcomes."

“雖然具體的富含異黃酮的食物的影響還不清楚;我們所知道的是，增加植物性蛋白質和精瘦、低碳水化合物的飲食，可以降低整體心血管風險，”紐約市勒諾克斯山醫(yī)院的心臟病學家薩吉特·布斯里博士說。“這種簡單的理解和對吃什么的關注會對整體心血管健康和結果產生重大影響。”

Dr.Benjamin Hirsch directs preventive cardiology at Northwell Health's Sandra Atlas Bass Heart Hospital in Manhasset,N.Y.He noted that,"Isoflavones are thought to support heart health by their association with improvements in vascular function,reduction in total cholesterol,and reduction in inflammation."

本杰明·赫希博士是紐約州曼哈塞特市諾思韋爾健康公司桑德拉·阿特拉斯·巴斯心臟醫(yī)院的預防心臟病學主任他指出，“異黃酮被認為是通過改善血管功能、降低總膽固醇和減少炎癥來支持心臟健康的。”

"What is interesting is that premenopausal women derived the greatest benefits,which may suggest that it is the estrogen and hormonal component of soy-based food that leads to better outcomes in women,"he added.

他補充說:“有趣的是，絕經前婦女從中獲得的益處最大，這可能表明，大豆食品中的雌激素和激素成分對婦女有更好的效果。”