VOA慢速英语: 甘蓝：“超级食物”

Kale: The 'Super Food'

甘蓝：“超级食物”

From VOA Learning English, this is the Health Report.

这是美国之音英语学习的健康报道。

To prove that there is a celebration for just about everything, October 1 officially marked National KaleDay in the United States.

为了证明能够庆祝所有事物，10月1号正式成为美国的“国家甘蓝日”。

That’s right – National Kale Day.

是的——“国家甘蓝日”。

The big day of national celebration may have passed, but that does not mean you should not eat kale.

全国庆祝的日子也许已经过去，但是并不意味着你不能吃甘蓝。

First, what exactly is kale?

首先，到底什么是甘蓝？

Kale is in the same family as broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage.

甘蓝跟花椰菜、菜花还有洋白菜属于同一菜类。

For people in Russia, kale is kapusta. In Italy, it is called cavolo. Hindi speakers call it gobhi. Or if you speak Japanese, the name is karu.

在俄罗斯，甘蓝菜叫做kapusta；意大利，则称之为cavolo；印度人称之为gobhi；如果你讲日语的话，甘蓝菜的日语名字叫karu。

Different areas may have different names for kale, but it is a super healthy food -- whatever you call it.

不同地区的人也许对甘蓝的称呼不一样，但是，不管你怎么叫这个菜名，甘蓝是一种超级健康的食物。

In fact, in the United States, many people are calling it a “SuperFood.” That does not mean it can fly over tall buildings like Superman and rescue people. (Well, actually, maybe it does). It does keep people healthy and keeps them safe from sickness.

实际上，在美国，很多人称甘蓝为“超级食物”。并不是说它能够像超人那样飞越高楼大厦，拯救人们。（也许，确实能够）它能够让人保持健康，远离疾病。

Kale's health benefits

甘蓝的健康益处

Kale is filled with healthy nutrients. It provides 1,000 percent of the daily recommended allowance for vitamin K. In other words, by eating kale you more than meet the nutrition requirements set by United States health officials.

甘蓝富含健康营养成分，能够提供1000%的维他命K，满足人体日常所需。换句话说，吃甘蓝摄入的营养能够达到美国卫生部设定的营养标准。

Kale also has nearly 100 percent of the daily suggested intake of both vitaminA and C. That information comes from the U.S Department of Agriculture. Kale also has folate, a B vitamin that is important for brain development. It also has many other essential vitamins and minerals. Kale is good for your heart and may help fight against some kinds of cancer.

甘蓝大约含有100%的日常所需的维他命A和维他命C。这一信息来自美国农业部。甘蓝还含有叶酸——对大脑发育很重要的一种维他命B。同时还有其它一些必须的维他命和矿物质。甘蓝对心脏有好处，或许还有助于抗击一些癌症。

So, kale is good for us. It also tastes great. And there are many ways to cook it.

因此，甘蓝对我们有好处，而且味道鲜美。有好多种烹饪方法。

Cooking terms and kale recipes

烹饪术语和甘蓝菜食谱

The vegetable kale can be tough or hard. But it keeps more nutrients if you don’t cook it too much. Here is a trick. Simply rub or massage the kale leaves with olive oil and seasonings. The leaves will break down and soften. The stems, or stalks, will remain tough. But you can sauté them or place them in soup for added vitamins and taste.

甘蓝菜会不宜咀嚼，但是如果你烹饪时间不会太长的话，能够保持更多营养价值。这儿有个小窍门。用橄榄油和调味品简单的把橄榄叶子调拌一下，这样叶子就会松软。甘蓝的茎还是难以咀嚼，但是你可以炒一下或者放到汤里，增加维他命和提味。

After you massage your kale, add a little more olive oil and sweet balsamic vinegar as a dressing – or your own favorite salad dressing. Add your favorite toppings for a healthy and delicious salad.

调拌甘蓝后，再加一点橄榄油和甜甜的香醋作为调味品——或者添加你喜欢的沙拉调味品。添加你喜欢的调料，制作健康美味的沙拉。

Steaming kale on the stovetop is a really healthy way of cooking this leafy green vegetable. First boil a pot of water and steam the kale on top in a steamer container.

在炉灶上蒸甘蓝确实是做这种绿叶蔬菜的一种健康方式。首先烧开一壶水，然后将甘蓝放入蒸笼里蒸。

You can also lightly sauté kale with garlic, some hot pepper and a little salt for a simple, delicious and healthy side dish. A side dish is a smaller dish that goes with the main meal.

你也可以用大蒜、一些小辣椒、盐巴清炒一下甘蓝，弄一道简单、美味、健康的配菜。配菜是跟主菜一起的小菜。

Sautéed kale with nuts also goes well with fish. Kale is tasty when sautéed with foods like tomatoes or red peppers.

清炒甘蓝配坚果与鱼搭配味道很好。甘蓝与西红柿或者红辣椒之类的食物一起炒时味道不错。

You can mix or drizzle kale with olive oil and bake it for 15 minutes until it gets crispy. These are called kale chips. You can also bake it on top of pizza for a healthy topping.

你可以用橄榄油调拌一下甘蓝，然后烘烤15分钟直到变酥脆，这叫炒甘蓝。你还可以把甘蓝放在披萨上烘烤。

So eat some of this wonderful vegetable in your next meal. Your body will thank you.

所以，你下一餐吃饭时尝尝这种效果奇佳的蔬菜，你的身体会感谢你的。

Do you have a special way to prepare kale? Share your recipe in our comments section. This will give you the chance to use some of the cooking terms you heard in this story.

你是否有什么特别的方式准备甘蓝菜呢？在我们的评论留言区分享你的菜谱。你会有机会使用在今天的文章里听到的烹饪方法。

I’m Anna Matteo.

我是安娜·马特奥。