A handful of nuts a day can keep hunger at bay and beat belly fat, according to scientists.
This is the first time a link between eating nuts and higher levels of serotonin - a substance that decreases appetite, boosts happiness and improves heart health - has been detected.
Researchers from the University of Barcelona say that it only took one ounce of raw and unpeeled walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts a day to produce the positive health effects.
It is hoped the findings, published in the Journal of Proteome Research, will benefit patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS) which is characterised by excess abdominal fat, high blood sugar and high blood pressure.
Dietary changes along with the regular consumption of nuts, which containhealthy fats and antioxidants, may help patients shed excess weight, decreasing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Scientists put 22 MetS patients on a nut-enriched diet for 12 weeks and compared them to another group of 20 patients who were following a nut-free diet.
Compounds excreted in the patients' urine were then examined.
Those consuming 30 grams of mixed nuts a day displayed higher serotonin levels.
Approximately 90 percent of the body's serotonin is located in the gut while the remainder is found in the central nervoussystem where it regulates mood and appetite.
Most prescribed drugs used to treat conditions such as depression, anxietydisorder and social phobia treat are designed to alter serotonin levels.
Meanwhile a study by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), published in the British Journal of Nutrition earlier this year also found that pistachios can help weight loss and support a healthy heart.
Lead researcher David Baer said: "Pistachios convey a variety of health benefits, including weight management support and cardiovascular support."
He added that the findings contradict the "common misperception to exclude nuts from the diet to reduce caloric intake."


据英国《每日邮报》11月3日报道，根据科学家研究，每天一把坚果可以远离饥饿感，减少腹部脂肪。
这还是第一次将食用坚果与高水平血清素相关联--血清素已经被证实能够降低食欲、增进幸福感以及改善心脏健康。

巴塞罗那大学的研究人员说，每天只要吃一盎司生的去皮核桃仁、杏仁和榛子，就能对身体产生积极健康的影响。

人们希望刊登在《蛋白质组学研究杂志》上的这一研究成果，能够使代谢综合症（MetS）患者受益，这种疾病的特点就是腹部有多余脂肪、血糖高、血压高。

改变饮食习惯，经常食用富含健康脂肪和抗氧化成分的坚果，能够帮助患者摆脱多余的体重，减少罹患2型糖尿病和心脏病的风险。


科学家们让22名代谢综合症患者连续十二周食用富含坚果的饮食，并将他们与另一组没有吃坚果的20名病人做对比。

然后检测了病人的尿液中所含的排出人体的化合物。
那些每天食用30克坚果的病患的检验结果显示出较高的血清素水平。
人体内的血清素大约90%在肠道中，其余部分则分布于中枢神经系统，用以调节情绪和食欲。

最常用的治疗抑郁症、焦虑症和社交恐惧症的处方药，其原理都是调节血清素水平。


同时，今年早些时候发表在《英国营养学杂志》上的由美国农业部主持的一项研究报告也显示，食用开心果有助于减轻体重，维持心脏健康。

首席研究员大卫·拜尔说："开心果有许多益于健康的优点，包括有助于体重管理以及促进心脏健康。"

他还补充道，这一研究结果也与我们平常的误解相悖，我们总以为应该从饮食中排除坚果，这样才能减少摄入热量。

• hunger [´hʌŋgə] n.饥饿；渴望 (初中英语单词)
• appetite [´æpitait] n.欲望；食欲 (初中英语单词)
• journal [´dʒə:nəl] n.日记；日报；杂志 (初中英语单词)
• research [ri´sə:tʃ] n.&vi.调查；探究；研究 (初中英语单词)
• excess [´ekses] n.超过 a.过分的 (初中英语单词)
• contain [kən´tein] v.包含；容纳；抑制 (初中英语单词)
• healthy [´helθi] a.健康的 (初中英语单词)
• nervous [´nə:vəs] a.神经的；神经过敏的 (初中英语单词)
• system [´sistəm] n.系统，体系，制度 (初中英语单词)
• depression [di´preʃən] n.沮丧，抑郁；萧条 (初中英语单词)
• anxiety [æŋ´zaiəti] n.挂念；渴望；焦虑的事 (初中英语单词)
• agriculture [´ægrikʌltʃə] n.农业；农事 (初中英语单词)
• convey [kən´vei] vt.运送；传达；转让 (初中英语单词)
• variety [və´raiəti] n.变化；多样(性)；种类 (初中英语单词)
• management [´mænidʒmənt] n.管理；处理；经营 (初中英语单词)
• handful [hændful] n.一把，少数，一小撮 (高中英语单词)
• positive [´pɔzətiv] a.确定的 (高中英语单词)
• consumption [kən´sʌmpʃən] n.消耗；结核病 (高中英语单词)
• remainder [ri´meində] n.剩余物；残余部分 (高中英语单词)
• disorder [dis´ɔ:də] n.杂乱 vt.扰乱 (高中英语单词)
• exclude [ik´sklu:d] vt.拒绝；排斥；排除 (高中英语单词)
• contradict [,kɔntrə´dikt] v.反驳；否认 (英语四级单词)
• nutrition [nju:´triʃən] n.营养(物)；食物 (英语六级单词)