Scientists found "boiled before cut" carrots contained 25% more of the anti-cancer compound falcarinol than those chopped up first.

    科學家發現，煮之前依舊完整的胡蘿卜中所含的抗癌成分鐮葉芹醇元素，要比被切過的胡蘿卜高出近25%.

    Lead researcher Dr Kirsten Brandt, from Newcastle University's School of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, said: "Chopping up your carrots increases the surface area so more of the nutrients leach out into the water while they are cooked.

    主導此項研究的來自紐卡斯爾大學農學院農村食品系的克斯汀·布朗特博士。他指出，切碎的胡蘿卜與水的接觸面增多，所以在煮食的過程中會導致許多營養成分的流失。

    "By keeping them whole and chopping them up afterwards you are locking in nutrients and the taste."

    "將胡蘿卜整根丟進鍋里煮，然后再將煮食的胡蘿卜切塊，這樣可以有效地防止養分流失，并讓胡蘿卜吃起來美味可口。"

    The Newcastle scientist, along with colleagues at the University of Denmark, discovered the health benefits of falcarinol in carrots four years ago.

    四年前，紐卡斯爾大學的科學家和丹麥大學的同事們共同發現了存在于胡蘿卜中的叫做鐮葉芹醇的健康物質。

    Rats fed on a diet containing carrots or falcarinol were found to be one-third less likely to develop full-scale tumours than those in the control group.

    經常攝入胡蘿卜或鐮葉芹醇元素的小白鼠與不經常攝入上述物質的小白鼠相比，前者患癌癥的幾率比后者降低了1/3.

    Since then the scientists in Newcastle have been studying what happens when carrots are chopped and cooked.

    于是紐卡斯爾大學的科學家們便開始研究胡蘿卜在被切碎和煮食的過程中會發生什么變化。

    The latest findings show that when carrots are heated, the heat also softens the cell walls, allowing water-soluble compounds such as sugar and vitamin C to be lost , leading to the leaching out of other compounds such as falcarinol.

    最新的發現表明，胡蘿卜在受熱烹調的過程中，熱量會使細胞壁軟化，引起諸如糖分、維生素C之類的水溶性養分流失，并導致鐮葉芹醇元素和其他養分流失。

    If the carrot is cut before being boiled, the surface area becomes much greater--and so the loss of nutrients is increased.

    所以如果胡蘿卜被切塊后煮食，胡蘿卜與水的接觸面增多，那么丟失的養分也會增多。

    Dr Brandt added that in blind taste studies the whole carrots also tasted much better.

    布朗特博士補充道，盲測的結果顯示，整根烹飪的胡蘿卜的味道同樣更好吃。

    Eight of ten people favoured the whole vegetables over those that were pre-chopped.

    10人中有8個人表示相較事先切塊的胡蘿卜而言，他們更喜歡整根胡蘿卜烹飪后的味道。

    Dr Brandt said: "The great thing about this is it's a simple way for people to increase their uptake of a compound we know is good for you. All you need is a bigger saucepan."

    布朗特博士說："將胡蘿卜整個兒丟在鍋里煮簡便易行，輕輕松松就讓你攝入更多的對身體有益的養分，這實在是太棒了。你需要做的僅僅是買口大鍋而已。"