|
阅读理解
You are probably familiar with the saying：An apple a day keeps the doctor away．A recent research carried out by the Chinese University of Hong Kong may change the saying：
An apple a day may keep aging away．
The research chose fruit flies(果蝇), as they share many genes(基因)with humans．The fruit flies were either fed normally or had an apple extract(浓缩物)added to their diet．
It turned out that those fruit flies that were given apple extract lived about 55 days－five days longer than the flies that were normally fed．The research group also found it easier for the flies to walk，climb and move about as they aged．
According to the result, the researchers believed that the antioxidants(抗氧化剂)in the apple extract helped clean up dangerous chemicals(化学物质)that cause illnesses，as well as aging．
In another study，researchers examined diets of thousands of women．They discovered that those who regularly ate apples were 20 percent less likely to suffer heart illnesses and stroke．
The apples’ genetic code(遗传密码)was discovered recently．It allows scientists to develop nicer and healthier fruits．Researchers are already using the information to grow a kind of apples full of antioxidants that can keep eyes and joints healthy and protect humans against heart illnesses and cancer．
Apples that kill the desire(欲望)to eat could also be produced, with the first “extra-healthy’’ apples on supermarket shelves within just four or five years．
The team that keeps studying apple DNA includes 100 scientists from five countries．Their research also suggests that around 65 million years ago, when dinosaurs began to die off the plant，which would finally become today’s apple tree, experienced a great genetic change．The number of many of its genes doubled．The extra genes allowed the apple to get used to worse conditions and go through a different development from peaches，strawberries and other related fruits．
| 
