人类的肠道内寄居着数万亿个的微生物。这些微生物对我们的健康至关重要。丰富肠道菌群可以帮助我们提升免疫力，改善消化系统，甚至增强大脑健康。微生物群越多越好。蒂姆·斯佩克特博士说，丰富肠道菌群的一种方法是多吃各种各样的植物，每周要吃 30 种以上植物。同时，发酵食品、益生菌和肉类也可以帮助丰富微生物群，所以倒不必完全以植物为主。本文介绍 “喂养” 肠道菌群的益处。

词汇：microbiome 微生物菌群

Did you know that in your gut you have a teeming colony of microorganisms? You have literally trillions of them in your body. They include bacteria, viruses and fungi, and are collectively known as your microbiome. And while some microorganisms cause disease, many are crucial to your health, helping your immune system, digestion and even your brain function.

The more diverse our microbiome, the better our overall health. So, how can we improve our diversity? 'The single most important dietary factor we found for better gut health was the number of different plants we eat weekly, with 30 a week being the optimal number', says Dr Tim Spector of the British Gut Project. This is because there are different beneficial chemicals found in different kinds of plants. 30 plants might sound like a lot, but it turns out that unexpected foods, not just your 5-a-day, count as 'plants' too. For example, wholegrains like brown rice, oats, barley and quinoa, and legumes – that's food like lentils, chickpeas and beans, as well as nuts and seeds, will mean we get a whole host of microorganisms living inside our gut.

In fact, Christopher Gardner, a professor of medicine and author of a Stanford Medicine study of identical twins found that "a vegan diet can confer additional benefits such as increased gut bacteria and the reduction of telomere loss, which slows ageing in the body". But you don't have to become completely plant-based. Probiotics help the microbiome too. These are live bacteria and yeasts that can be found in yoghurt and fermented food like sauerkraut. And food from animals can have health benefits. Meat is high in protein and nutrients like choline, which helps with memory, mood and muscle control.

So, for better physical and mental health, grab those plants and strengthen your microbiome.

词汇表

gut 肠道
colony 生物群
microorganism 微生物
trillion 万亿，兆
microbiome 微生物群
immune system 免疫系统
digestion 消化
diverse 多种多样的
optimal 最佳的
5-a-day 每天要吃五份果蔬（世界卫生组织为增强健康饮食意识发起的每日至少食用 400g 水果或蔬菜的宣传活动）
wholegrain 全谷物的（食品）
legume 豆类，荚豆
vegan 纯素食的，严格素食的
telomere （染色体的）端粒
ageing 衰老
plant-based 基于植物的，植物性的
probiotic 益生菌
yeast 酵母菌
fermented 已发酵的
sauerkraut 泡菜

测验与练习

1. 阅读课文并回答问题。

1. How many microorganisms are in your gut?

2. True or False? All microorganisms are good for your health.

3. How many plants does Dr Spector say you should eat a week?

4. Apart from fruit and vegetables, what else can 'count as plants'?

5. What health benefits does meat have?

2. 选择意思恰当的单词或词组来完成下列句子。

1. I'm making a _______ and cheese toastie. Do you want one?

sauerkraut yeast legume wholegrain

2. You will need at least three sessions if you want _______ results.

fermented plant-based diverse optimal

3. Meat stays in the _______ longer than vegetables.

telomere digestion ageing gut

4. She drinks a yoghurt drink full of _______ every morning.

colony probiotics diet vegan

5. I'm trying to strengthen my _______ by eating more plants.

microbiome bacteria fungi microbiotics

答案

1. 阅读课文并回答问题。

1. How many microorganisms are in your gut?

You have a teeming colony of microorganisms. There are literally trillions of them in your body.

2. True or False? All microorganisms are good for your health.

False. Some microorganisms cause disease.

3. How many plants does Dr Spector say you should eat a week?

He said 'The single most important dietary factor we found for better gut health was the number of different plants we eat weekly, with 30 a week being the optimal number'.

4. Apart from fruit and vegetables, what else can 'count as plants'?

Wholegrains like brown rice, oats, barley and quinoa, and legumes - that's food like lentils, chickpeas and beans, as well as nuts and seeds.

5. What health benefits does meat have?

Meat is high in protein and nutrients like choline, which helps with memory, mood and muscle control.

2. 选择意思恰当的单词或词组来完成下列句子。

1. I'm making a sauerkraut and cheese toastie. Do you want one?

2. You will need at least three sessions if you want optimal results.

3. Meat stays in the gut longer than vegetables.

4. She drinks a yoghurt drink full of probiotics every morning.

5. I'm trying to strengthen my microbiome by eating more plants.