The art of memory has fascinated us since…well, I can’t quite remember. Nowadays however, there seem to be so many more things to keep track of. From what floor our dentist office is on, to an average of seven passwords and PIN numbers per person, we use our memories more than ever before. Improve your memory by choosing the right foods, and here is a fistful of five foods for the memory which are both respected by science and revered by the ancients.
记忆艺术的魅力让我们深深着迷，那是从什么时候开始的呢？唉，我都记不清了。 现实生活中有太多东西要记住了，牙医办公室在几楼？各种密码是多少？我们用到记忆力的地方太多了。提高记忆力，要选择正确的食物，下面这五种食物受到科学和古老文明的一致推崇，是提高记忆力的不二食疗法宝：
Herbs 草本植物One of the most famous memory-enhancing herbs is rosemary. Rosemary is rich in the anti-oxidant, carnosic acid which dilates the cerebral vascular tissues. Studies have shown that even the smell of rosemary can improve memory performance in office workers.
最著名的提高记忆力的草本植物是迷迭香。迷迭香富含抗氧化剂和鼠尾草酸，它们都有助于大脑血管组织扩张。研究证实，就算是只是迷迭香的香味，也能提高上班族的记忆力表现。
Other herbs that may help memory include “the three Gs”： ginko, ginseng, and gotu kola.
其他可以帮助提高记忆力的草本植物包括：银杏、人参和雷公根。
Tea 茶Another food with a long pedigree and which seems to have many benefits on the brain is usually served as a beverage, tea. Tea’s benefits may spring from its healthy combination of anti-oxidants and caffeine. The antioxidants in tea are called polyphenols which have repeatedly been shown to improve cognitive function and memory.
另一种能提高记忆力的食物大家应该早就耳熟能详了，它对大脑也多有益处，那就是作为饮品的茶。茶的好处在于它是抗氧化剂和咖啡因的健康组合。茶里的抗氧化剂叫做茶多酚，实验多次证实茶多酚有助于提高认知能力和记忆。
Tea also contains a calming amino acid called theanine which helps reduce “the jitters” and keeps the mind relaxed and focused. Perhaps the best news is that tea has up to 10X the polyphenols found in foods like fruits and vegetables.
茶还含有一种镇定情绪的氨基酸叫茶氨酸，可以帮助降低 “神经过敏”，让大脑保持放松和注意力集中的状态。不过最好的消息应该是茶内所含的抗氧化剂可是水果和蔬菜等食物中的10倍！
Fruits & Vegetables 水果和蔬菜Let’s not knock our friends, fruits and vegetables, however. Man cannot live (or learn) on herbs and tea alone, we need food. The thing to remember about memory boosting foods is color. You want dark reds, blues and greens. Apples contain quercetin which protects against memory loss. Blueberries (and red beets) have another great anti-oxidant called anthocyanin which performs the same function. Red onions and grapes contain both.
不过我们可不能这么打击我们的老朋友水果和蔬菜。我们不能光靠草本植物和茶存活，还得吃东西。记住，想要提高记忆力，食物的颜色很重要，我们要的是暗红色、深蓝色和深绿色。苹果富含槲皮素可以帮我们抵抗健忘症，蓝莓(还有深红色的甜菜)则含有花青素，这也是一种能抵抗记忆衰退的抗氧化剂。红洋葱和葡萄则都含有槲皮素和花青素。
Combine red and blue and you get the purple of eggplant, a food rich in nasunin which protects the lipids in our brain tissue. Dark green vegetables like broccoli, spinach, brussels sprouts and romaine lettuce are high in folic acid which several studies have show to prevent and even reverse memory loss.
红色和蓝色组合，就有了紫色的茄子，富含花翠苷，保护我们大脑组织内的脂肪。花椰菜、菠菜、甘蓝和莴苣等深绿色蔬菜中含有大量叶酸，这是经研究证明防止健忘甚至提高记忆力的重要元素。
Fish & Nuts 鱼和坚果Sushi, anyone? The omega-3 fatty acids found in fish (and nuts) are great for the brain. Sea swimmers like mackerel, herring, eel and tuna are also chock full of phosphatidylserine. You don’t have to remember these fancy chemical names, just remember that these oils contain nutrients that are not made in the body, so it’s important to eat plenty.
谁想吃日本寿司？鱼类中的ω-3脂肪酸对大脑很有好处，海洋鱼类如鲭鱼、鲱鱼、鳗鱼和金枪鱼都含有大量的磷脂酰丝氨酸。这些复杂的化学名称你根本不用记住，只要记住这些油脂都富含我们身体中没有的营养物，所以需要通过大量食用来补充。
Dessert 甜点Honey is a delightful sweet that every culture in history has enjoyed. The sweet product made by bees from flower nectar has been used for thousands of years in food, medicine and even religion. Now, based on a study by the University of Waikato in New Zealand, a diet sweetened with honey could both lower anxiety and improve memory. What an excellent excuse to not skip dessert.
蜂蜜是每个古老文化都喜欢的美味甜点，长期以来，蜜蜂从花蜜中提取的甜味产品都广泛用于食物、医疗甚至宗教中。根据新西兰怀卡托大学的研究，加入蜂蜜而变甜的食物既可以降低焦虑还能提高记忆，多么完美的借口啊，以后就能理直气壮地吃餐后甜点啦！
It may not be entirely scientific to suggest, but a nice cup of tea and a slice of honey-soaked baklava (containing omega-3 rich nuts of course) might be the perfect snack after a healthy dinner.
可能不是很科学，但是建议在晚餐后喝杯好茶，吃块泡过蜂蜜的果仁蜜饼(里面当然有富含脂肪酸的坚果)，绝对是最完美的小吃。
