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Adding a seaweed extract to junk food could make it healthier without changing the taste, scientists say.
Newcastle University researchers say adding the tasteless extract, called alginate, would increase the fibre content of pies, burgers and cakes.
This, they say, would mean people could still enjoy the foods they like, but eat more healthily.
The research has been published in the journal Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition.
High-fibre diets, including foods such as brown bread and fruit and vegetables, have been shown to help reduce the incidence of life threatening illnesses.
Alginate is high in fibre, so it can boost the fibre content of foods.
But it also has other properties and uses. The researchers say it could be used as an anti-obesity treatment, because it forms a "lump" in the stomach and therefore helps you feel full.
Alginate is already in widespread use by the food industry as a gelling agent and to thicken the frothy head of some lagers.
The Newcastle team looked at two brown-coloured seaweeds which are found in the Far East, South America and parts of Norway and Scotland.
The seaweed is processed in the laboratory to produce alginate - a tasteless and odourless off-white coloured powder - that can then be added to food to enhance fibre content.
Professor Jeff Pearson, a member of the research team, said: "We're just not eating enough fibre, yet we need this to keep us healthy.
"The problem is that a lot of people don't enjoy many of the foods that are high in fibre, like fruit and vegetables, yet to consume the recommended daily amount of fibre they would have to eat a lot of these types of foods.
"We believe it's hard to change people's habits and that the most practical solution is to improve the food they do eat.
"With a burger, for example, you would simply remove some of the fat and replace it with the seaweed extract, which is an entirely natural product from a sustainable resource.
"You'd have a healthier burger and it's unlikely to taste any different."
(Agencies) |
科学家们认为，在“垃圾食品”中添加一些海藻精华就可以在不改变食品原味的情况下使这些食品变得更有益于健康。
纽卡斯尔大学的研究者们说，添加一种叫作“藻酸盐”的没有味道的精华能够增加派、汉堡和蛋糕中纤维的含量。
他们说，这样就意味着人们不仅可以一如既往的享受那些他们喜爱的食物，而且可以吃得更健康。
这一研究结果已经发表在《食品科学与营养评论》期刊上。
高纤维含量饮食已经被证明有助于减少致命疾病的发病率，纤维含量高的食物包括黑面包、水果、蔬菜等。
藻酸盐中含有大量纤维，能够增加食物中纤维的含量。
同时，藻酸盐还有其他一些性能和用途。研究者们发现藻酸盐还可以用来减肥，因为它会在胃中凝结成块，让你吃了觉得很饱。
在食品工业中，藻酸盐已经被广泛用作胶凝剂，或用来增加一些贮藏啤酒的泡沫。
纽卡斯尔大学研究小组研究了两种生长在远东、南美、挪威和苏格兰部分地区的棕色海藻。
这些海藻经过实验室处理提炼出藻酸盐，这是一种无臭无味的米白色粉末，添加到食物中可以增加食物的纤维含量。
研究组成员之一杰夫·皮尔森教授说：“我们摄入的纤维量不足，但是人体需要纤维来维持身体健康。”
“问题在于很多人都不喜欢吃富含纤维的食物，例如水果和蔬菜。但是，为了达到纤维的每日推荐摄入量，大家都必须食用很多这类食物。”
“我们认为想要改变人们的饮食习惯是非常困难的，最可行的解决办法就是改进他们所吃的食物。”
“例如汉堡，只要除去其中一些脂肪，补充一些海藻精华就可以了。海藻精华是一种来源于可持续能源的纯天然产品。”
“你吃到的新型汉堡会是一种更健康的食品，而口味似乎丝毫没有变化。”
（中国日报网站 薛晓文译） |
