每天讀一篇 美語脫口說
維生素C大家都知道，但是你知道維生素P麼？
Anyone with a passing interest in their health will be able to rattle off a few of the major vitamins, and possibly take an educated guess at what they do. Vitamin C, found in oranges and other fruit and veg, is important for wound repair. And the much-talked-about 『sunshine』 Vitamin D, produced by the skin in response to UV light, is essential for strong bones.
任何對自己健康感興趣的人都能一口氣說出幾種主要的維生素，同時也可能對各種維生素的作用說出一二。維生素C存在於橙子和其他水果和蔬菜中，對傷口的修復很重要。而人們常說的「陽光」維生素D是由皮膚在紫外線照射下產生的，對於強健的骨骼必不可少。
But Vitamin P? It might well have you scratching your head. And that’s not surprising: the term was first coined in the 1930s to describe a clutch of compounds that provide pigment to plants, and were believed to have health benefits. Fast-forward almost a century and these compounds are now better known as flavonoids.
但是維生素P呢 ?估計這個你就不知道了。但是不知道並不奇怪，因為這個詞在20世紀30年代首次出現，是用來描述一種為植物提供色素化合物，並且對健康有益。近一個世紀過去了，現在這類化合物我們稱之為類黃酮。
Today, scientists have identified between 4,000 and 6,000 different kinds and we now know they are responsible for many of the flavours and smells of fruit and vegetables ? and also that they protect them from invaders such as fungi, pests and bacteria.
現在科學家已經確定了4000到6000種不同的類黃酮種類，並且我們也知道了它們影響許多水果和蔬菜的味道和氣味，使得它們免受入侵者如真菌、蟲害和細菌的侵害。
They are equally important nutrients for the body, helping maintain bones and teeth, and for the production of the protein collagen, which provides structure to blood vessels, muscles and skin.
它們對於身體同樣重要，可以為身體提供營養價值，有助於維持骨骼和牙齒，也有助於產生為血管、肌肉和皮膚提供結構的膠原蛋白。
They are also said to help the body deal with some of the key drivers of illness, including inflammation and oxidation, a natural process by which the body’s cells 『age』 and can become damaged and defective. That means they could help to protect against chronic disease including cancer and heart disease.
據說它們還能幫助我們身體抑制那些促使疾病發生的驅動源頭，比如炎症和氧化。炎症和氧化是人體細胞老化的自然過程，會導致細胞受損和缺陷。這樣看來維生素P還可以幫助預防包括癌症和心臟病在內的慢性疾病。