【时文阅读训练】科学家找到提升心情的饮食良方-Scientists find food to improve our mood

Scientists find food to improve our mood   (29th December 2025) A new study indicates that a diet rich in ultra-processed foods and refined carbohydrates may increase the risk of depression and other mental health conditions. The research has been published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Kristin Kirkpatrick, a nutritional psychologist and registered dietitian, said there is "a tremendous amount of high-quality data linking food to beneficial (or worsening) mental health outcomes". Ms Kirkpatrick advised people to reduce the amount of sugary and low-fibre food they eat to lessen the chances of developing mood disorders. She wrote: "Limits should be made on sugar, refined grains, ultra-processed foods, and alcohol." Ms Kirkpatrick also advised people to increase their intake of high-fibre and fermented foods. She said the plant-based Mediterranean diet has been shown to be effective in reducing depression. She said the diet included "omega-3 fatty acids, colourful plants like berries, extra virgin olive oil, leafy greens, and lean sources of protein". She added that the diet "has been shown to assist with both depression and anxiety". Related research from Professor Felice Jacka at Deakin University in Australia corroborated Ms Kirkpatrick's findings. Dr Jacka said fermented, probiotic foods may influence brain-related biology and lead to more positive moods and enhanced learning. 1. Vocabulary Matching Paragraph 1 1. indicate a. A person who helps people with thoughts and feelings. 2. rich b. Made cleaner or purer. 3. refined c. Having a lot of flavour or a lot of spices, fat or sugar. 4. conditions d. Small hard seeds used as food, like rice or wheat. 5. psychologist e. Show or tell something. 6. outcomes f. Illnesses or health problems. 7. grains g. The results of something. Paragraph 2 8. intake h. Changed by bacteria over time, often for food. 9. fermented i. Shown to be true by more proof. 10. lean j. Made better or stronger. 11. anxiety k. Having very little fat. 12. corroborated l. Good bacteria that help the body. 13. probiotic m. Feeling worried or afraid. 14. enhanced n. The amount of food or drink a person eats or drinks. 【答案】 2. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if “1-8” below are true (T) or false (F). 1. The article says refined carbohydrates are good for us.     T / F 2. A study said ultra-processed foods can increase the risk of depression.    T / F 3. A nutritionist said there is very little data on food and mental health.     T / F 4. The nutritionist said we should cut out all sugar and refined grains.     T / F 5. The nutritionist said we should eat more fermented foods.     T / F 6. Plant-based diets are not effective in reducing depression.      T / F 7. Eating more omega-3 fatty acids is good for our mental health.     T / F 8. Fermented foods may help us to learn things.     T / F 【答案】 3. SYNONYM MATCH: (The words in bold are from the news article.) 1. 1. indicates 2. risk 3. published 4. tremendous 5. lessen 6. advised 7. effective 8. lean 9. assist 10. enhanced a. help b. issued c. reduce d. urged e. chance f. successful g. non-fatty h. shows i. improved j. very great 【答案】 4. READING COMPREHENSION: MULTIPLE CHOICE 1)  What increases the risk of depression besides ultra-processed foods? a) fatty food b) refined carbohydrates c) coffee and tea d) garlic 2) In what format has the research been published? a) a newspaper b) a magazine c) online d) a journal 3) What is Kristin Kirkpatrick's job besides being a nutritional psychologist? a) She's a chef. b) She's a counsellor. c) She's a dietician. d) She's a doctor. 4) What did Ms Kirkpatrick say linked food to worsening mental health? a) high-quality data b) drink c) calories d) carbohydrates 5) What did Ms Kirkpatrick say lessened the chances of mood disorders? a) a lack of exercise b) reducing sugary and low-fibre food c) smartphone overuse d) arguments 6) What did Ms Kirkpatrick urge people to increase their intake of? a) high-fibre and fermented foods b) dairy products c) raw food d) seafood 7) What plant-based diet was mentioned in the article? a) the Pacific diet b) the Atlantic diet c) the Mediterranean diet d) the Dead Sea diet 8) What oil was mentioned in the article? a) extra virgin olive oil b) corn oil c) castor oil d) cod liver oil 9) What kind of protein did Ms Kirkpatrick urge we eat? a) protein from nuts b) meat protein c) protein from tofu d) lean sources of protein 10) What can fermented, probiotic foods lead to besides positive moods? a) higher energy levels b) healthier skin c) enhanced learning d) weight loss keys： 5. Comprehension questions 1. What increases the risk of depression besides ultra-processed foods? 2. In what format has the research been published? 3. What is Kristin Kirkpatrick's job besides being a nutritional psychologist? 4. What did Ms Kirkpatrick say linked food to worsening mental health? 5. What did Ms Kirkpatrick say lessened the chances of mood disorders? 6. What did Ms Kirkpatrick urge people to increase their intake of? 7. What plant-based diet was mentioned in the article? 8. What oil was mentioned in the article? 9. What kind of protein did Ms Kirkpatrick urge we eat? 10. What can fermented, probiotic foods lead to besides positive moods? 【答案】 1. Refined carbohydrates 2. A journal 3. She's a dietician. 4. A tremendous amount of high-quality data 5. Sugary and low-fibre food 6. High-fibre and fermented foods 7. The Mediterranean diet 8. Extra virgin olive oil 9. Lean sources of protein 10. Enhanced learning 6. Put the words in the right order 1. carbohydrates   Refined   increase   may   risk   the   depression   of   . 2. The   has   research   published   been   the   in   journal   . 3. is   There   tremendous   a   of   amount   data   high-quality   . 4. Lessen   chances   the   developing   of   disorders   mood   . 5. She   limits   said   be   should   on   made   sugar   . 6. advised   She   to   people   their   increase   intake   . 7. shown   It's   be   to   in   effective   depression   reducing   . 8. The   also   diet   extra   included   olive   virgin   oil   . 9. diet   The   shown   was   assist   to   depression   with   . 10. Fermented,  foods   probiotic   influence   may  biology   brain-related  . keys： 1. Refined carbohydrates may increase the risk of depression. 2. The research has been published in the journal. 3. There is a tremendous amount of high-quality data. 4. Lessen the chances of developing mood disorders. 5. She said limits should be made on sugar. 6. She advised people to increase their intake. 7. It's shown to be effective in reducing depression. 8. The diet also included extra virgin olive oil. 9. The diet was shown to assist with depression. 10. Fermented, probiotic foods may influence brain-related biology. Gap fill【选做题】 Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below. risk data refined rich lessen nutritional published outcomes A new study indicates that a diet (1) _____________________ in ultra-processed foods and refined carbohydrates may increase the (2) ____________________ of depression and other mental health conditions. The research has been (3) ____________________ in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Kristin Kirkpatrick, a (4) ___________________ psychologist and registered dietitian, said there is "a tremendous amount of high-quality (5) _______________ linking food to beneficial (or worsening) mental health (6) _____________". Ms Kirkpatrick advised people to reduce the amount of sugary and low-fibre food they eat to (7) _______________ the chances of developing mood disorders. She wrote: "Limits should be made on sugar, (8) ________________ grains, ultra-processed foods, and alcohol." Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below. corroborated fermented learning effective assist influence intake berries Ms Kirkpatrick also advised people to increase their (9) ___________________ of high-fibre and (10) ____________________ foods. She said the plant-based Mediterranean diet has been shown to be (11) ____________________ in reducing depression. She said the diet included "omega-3 fatty acids, colourful plants like (12) ____________________, extra virgin olive oil, leafy greens, and lean sources of protein". She added that the diet "has been shown to (13) _________________ with both depression and anxiety". Related research from Professor Felice Jacka at Deakin University in Australia (14) _________________ Ms Kirkpatrick's findings. Dr Jacka said fermented, probiotic foods may (15) _________________ brain-related biology and lead to more positive moods and enhanced (16) ____________________. 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 $