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

科学家发现，煮之前依旧完整的胡萝卜中所含的抗癌成分镰叶芹醇元素，要比被切过的胡萝卜高出近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.

主导此项研究的来自纽卡斯尔大学农学院农村食品系的克斯汀·布朗特博士。他指出，切碎的胡萝卜与水的接触面增多，所以在煮食的过程中会导致许多营养成分的流失。

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

"将胡萝卜整根丢进锅里煮，然后再将煮食的胡萝卜切块，这样可以有效地防止养分流失，并让胡萝卜吃起来美味可口。"

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，纽卡斯尔大学的科学家和丹麦大学的同事们共同发现了存在于胡萝卜中的叫做镰叶芹醇的健康物质。

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.

经常摄入胡萝卜或镰叶芹醇元素的小白鼠与不经常摄入上述物质的小白鼠相比，前者患癌症的几率比后者降低了1/3.

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

于是纽卡斯尔大学的科学家们便开始研究胡萝卜在被切碎和煮食的过程中会发生什么变化。

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.

最新的发现表明，胡萝卜在受热烹调的过程中，热量会使细胞壁软化，引起诸如糖分、维生素C之类的水溶性养分流失，并导致镰叶芹醇元素和其他养分流失。

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

所以如果胡萝卜被切块后煮食，胡萝卜与水的接触面增多，那么丢失的养分也会增多。

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

布朗特博士补充道，盲测的结果显示，整根烹饪的胡萝卜的味道同样更好吃。

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

10人中有8个人表示相较事先切块的胡萝卜而言，他们更喜欢整根胡萝卜烹饪后的味道。

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."

布朗特博士说："将胡萝卜整个儿丢在锅里煮简便易行，轻轻松松就让你摄入更多的对身体有益的养分，这实在是太棒了。你需要做的仅仅是买口大锅而已。"