HSK7-9 – The Benefits of Mulberries

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HSK 7-9 · Reading Practice

The Benefits of Mulberries

Vocabulary

HSK 7-9 纳nà入rù Tap to flip

to incorporate, to include

学xué校xiào决jué定dìng把bǎ这zhè门mén课kè纳nà入rù必bì修xiū课kè程chéng

The school decided to incorporate this class into the required curriculum.

HSK 7-9 药yào膳shàn Tap to flip

medicinal cuisine

奶nǎi奶nǎi生shēng病bìng的de时shí候hòu常cháng常cháng炖dùn药yào膳shàn给gěi她tā补bǔ身shēn体tǐ

When grandma was sick, we often simmered medicinal cuisine to help her recover.

HSK 7-9 被bèi冠guān以yǐ Tap to flip

to be given the title of, to be dubbed

那nà位wèi选xuǎn手shǒu因yīn为wèi速sù度dù飞fēi快kuài，，被bèi冠guān以yǐ「「闪shǎn电diàn」」的de称chēng号hào

That athlete was dubbed “Lightning” because of his incredible speed.

HSK 7-9 大dà肆sì Tap to flip

excessively, without restraint

他tā升shēng职zhí后hòu就jiù开kāi始shǐ大dà肆sì花huā钱qián买mǎi名míng牌pái

After his promotion, he started spending extravagantly on brand-name goods.

HSK 7-9 诸zhū多duō Tap to flip

numerous, many

搬bān到dào新xīn城chéng市shì会huì遇yù到dào诸zhū多duō不bù便biàn

Moving to a new city comes with numerous inconveniences.

HSK 7-9 赋fù予yǔ Tap to flip

to bestow, to endow with

这zhè份fèn工gōng作zuò赋fù予yǔ了le他tā很hěn大dà的de责zé任rèn

This job has given him a great deal of responsibility.

HSK 7-9 萃cuì取qǔ物wù Tap to flip

extract

这zhè瓶píng精jīng油yóu是shì从cóng薰xūn衣yī草cǎo萃cuì取qǔ物wù制zhì成chéng的de

This essential oil is made from lavender extract.

HSK 7-9 斩zhǎn钉dīng截jié铁tiě Tap to flip

resolute and decisive, cut-and-dried

他tā斩zhǎn钉dīng截jié铁tiě地dì拒jù绝jué了le对duì方fāng的de提tí议yì

He flatly and resolutely rejected the other party’s proposal.

HSK 7-9 临lín床chuáng试shì验yàn Tap to flip

clinical trial

这zhè款kuǎn新xīn药yào还hái在zài进jìn行xíng第dì三sān期qī临lín床chuáng试shì验yàn

This new drug is still undergoing phase three clinical trials.

HSK 7-9 背bèi道dào而ér驰chí Tap to flip

to run counter to, to go in the opposite direction

他tā的de做zuò法fǎ跟gēn公gōng司sī原yuán本běn的de方fāng向xiàng背bèi道dào而ér驰chí

His approach runs directly counter to the company’s original direction.

HSK 7-9 本běn末mò倒dào置zhì Tap to flip

to reverse priorities, to put the cart before the horse

为wèi了le考kǎo试shì熬áo夜yè到dào累lèi垮kuǎ身shēn体tǐ，，实shí在zài是shì本běn末mò倒dào置zhì

Staying up all night for exams until you wreck your health is putting the cart before the horse.

HSK 7-9 初chū衷zhōng Tap to flip

original intention

无wú论lùn遇yù到dào多duō少shǎo困kùn难nán，，他tā都dōu没méi有yǒu忘wàng记jì创chuàng业yè的de初chū衷zhōng

No matter how many difficulties he faced, he never forgot his original intention in starting the business.

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Reading Passage

桑椹的好处
The Benefits of Mulberries

桑椹，又称桑葚，是桑树所结的果实，自古便被纳入中医药膳体系，列为「药食同源」之物。近年随着人们对天然保健食品兴趣日增，桑椹也因其色泽深紫、味道酸甜，以及所谓「养生」功效，逐渐从传统药材跃升为时下热门的养生食材，甚至被冠以「东方蓝莓」之名大肆行销。然而，若细究其成分与功效的科学依据，便会发现坊间流传的诸多说法，与实际研究结果之间，仍存在不小的落差。

从营养学角度来看，桑椹确实含有花青素、维生素C、铁质及多种微量元素，其中花青素赋予果实深紫色泽，并具有一定的抗氧化能力。部分动物实验与体外细胞实验显示，桑椹萃取物可能有助于调节血糖、改善血脂，甚至对肝脏具有保护作用。这类研究结果，往往被简化为「桑椹能降血糖」、「桑椹护肝」等斩钉截铁的宣传语句，广泛流传于各类保健食品广告与社群媒体之中。

然而，若仔细检视这些研究的设计，便会发现多数仅止于动物或细胞层次，尚未有足够规模、设计严谨的人体临床试验，能够证实同等剂量的桑椹摄取，在人体内确实能产生相同效果。换言之，实验室中观察到的现象，与日常饮食中适量食用桑椹所能带来的实际健康效益，两者之间仍存在相当距离——后者往往被过度推论、甚至等同视之，这正是保健食品行销中常见的手法。此外，桑椹本身糖分不低，若因「养生」之名而大量食用，反而可能造成血糖负担，与宣传中「控糖」的诉求恰好背道而驰。

由此观之，桑椹作为日常饮食的一部分，适量摄取确实能提供若干营养素，亦不失为一种天然、风味独特的水果选择；但若将其神化为某种具有明确疗效的「药物替代品」，甚至因此忽略正规医疗与均衡饮食的重要性，则恐怕是本末倒置，反而有违食用天然食材、追求健康的初衷。

sāng shèn, yòu chēng sāng shèn, shì sāng shù suǒ jié de guǒ shí, zì gǔ biàn bèi nà rù zhōng yī yào shàn tǐ xì, liè wèi “yào shí tóng yuán” zhī wù. jìn nián suí zhù rén men duì tiān rán bǎo jiàn shí pǐn xìng qù rì zēng, sāng shèn yě yīn qí sè zé shēn zǐ, wèi dào suān tián, yǐ jí suǒ wèi “yǎng shēng” gōng xiào, zhú jiàn cóng chuán tǒng yào cái yuè shēng wèi shí xià rè mén de yǎng shēng shí cái, shèn zhì bèi guān yǐ “dōng fāng lán méi” zhī míng dà sì xíng xiāo. rán ér, ruò xì jiū qí chéng fèn yǔ gōng xiào de kē xué yī jù, biàn huì fā xiàn fāng jiān liú chuán de zhū duō shuō fǎ, yǔ shí jì yán jiū jié guǒ zhī jiān, réng cún zài bù xiǎo de luò chà.

cóng yíng yǎng xué jiǎo dù lái kàn, sāng shèn què shí hán yǒu huā qīng sù, wéi shēng sù C, tiě zhì jí duō zhǒng wēi liàng yuán sù, qí zhōng huā qīng sù fù yǔ guǒ shí shēn zǐ sè zé, bìng jù yǒu yí dìng de kàng yǎng huà néng lì. bù fèn dòng wù shí yàn yǔ tǐ wài xì bāo shí yàn xiǎn shì, sāng shèn cuì qǔ wù kě néng yǒu zhù yú diào jié xuè táng, gǎi shàn xuè zhī, shèn zhì duì gān zàng jù yǒu bǎo hù zuò yòng. zhè lèi yán jiū jié guǒ, wǎng wǎng bèi jiǎn huà wèi “sāng shèn néng jiàng xuè táng”, “sāng shèn hù gān” děng zhǎn dīng jié tiě de xuān chuán yǔ jù, guǎng fàn liú chuán yú gè lèi bǎo jiàn shí pǐn guǎng gào yǔ shè qún méi tǐ zhī zhōng.

rán ér, ruò zǎi xì jiǎn shì zhè xiē yán jiū de shè jì, biàn huì fā xiàn duō shù jǐn zhǐ yú dòng wù huò xì bāo céng cì, shàng wèi yǒu zú gòu guī mó, shè jì yán jǐn de rén tǐ lín chuáng shì yàn, néng gòu zhèng shí tóng děng jì liàng de sāng shèn shè qǔ, zài rén tǐ nèi què shí néng chǎn shēng xiāng tóng xiào guǒ. huàn yán zhī, shí yàn shì zhōng guān chá dào de xiàn xiàng, yǔ rì cháng yǐn shí zhōng shì liàng shí yòng sāng shèn suǒ néng dài lái de shí jì jiàn kāng xiào yì, liǎng zhě zhī jiān réng cún zài xiāng dāng jù lí — hòu zhě wǎng wǎng bèi guò dù tuī lùn, shèn zhì děng tóng shì zhī, zhè zhèng shì bǎo jiàn shí pǐn xíng xiāo zhōng cháng jiàn de shǒu fǎ. cǐ wài, sāng shèn běn shēn táng fēn bù dī, ruò yīn “yǎng shēng” zhī míng ér dà liàng shí yòng, fǎn ér kě néng zào chéng xuè táng fù dān, yǔ xuān chuán zhōng “kòng táng” de sù qiú qià hǎo bèi dào ér chí.

yóu cǐ guān zhī, sāng shèn zuò wèi rì cháng yǐn shí de yī bù fèn, shì liàng shè qǔ què shí néng tí gōng ruò gān yíng yǎng sù, yì bù shī wèi yī zhǒng tiān rán, fēng wèi dú tè de shuǐ guǒ xuǎn zé; dàn ruò jiāng qí shén huà wèi mǒu zhǒng jù yǒu míng què liáo xiào de “yào wù tì dài pǐn”, shèn zhì yīn cǐ hū lüè zhèng guī yī liáo yǔ jūn héng yǐn shí de zhòng yào xìng, zé kǒng pà shì běn mò dào zhì, fǎn ér yǒu wéi shí yòng tiān rán shí cái, zhuī qiú jiàn kāng de chū zhōng.

Mulberries, also known as sangshen, are the fruit of the mulberry tree. They have long been part of the traditional Chinese medicinal-food system, classified as something where “food and medicine share the same source.” In recent years, as interest in natural health foods has grown, mulberries — prized for their deep purple color, sweet-and-sour taste, and supposed “wellness” benefits — have risen from a traditional medicinal ingredient to a trendy health food, even being marketed heavily under the name “Eastern blueberry.” However, a closer look at the scientific evidence behind their composition and effects reveals a considerable gap between popular claims and actual research findings.

Nutritionally speaking, mulberries do contain anthocyanins, vitamin C, iron, and various trace elements. Anthocyanins give the fruit its deep purple color and have some antioxidant capacity. Some animal and cell-culture studies suggest that mulberry extract may help regulate blood sugar, improve blood lipids, and even protect the liver. These findings are often simplified into blanket claims like “mulberries lower blood sugar” or “mulberries protect the liver,” which circulate widely in health-food advertising and on social media.

However, a closer examination of these studies shows that most are limited to the animal or cellular level, and there are not yet large-scale, rigorously designed human clinical trials confirming that an equivalent dose of mulberries actually produces the same effect in people. In other words, there remains a considerable gap between what is observed in the lab and the real-world health benefits of eating a moderate amount of mulberries in daily life — yet the two are often over-extrapolated or even treated as equivalent, a common tactic in health-food marketing. Moreover, mulberries themselves are not low in sugar; eating large amounts in the name of “wellness” could actually burden blood sugar levels, running directly counter to the “blood sugar control” claims used to promote them.

Seen this way, mulberries, eaten in moderation as part of a daily diet, can indeed provide some nutrients and make for a natural fruit with a distinctive flavor. But mythologizing them as a definitive “medicine substitute,” to the point of neglecting proper medical care and a balanced diet, would be putting the cart before the horse — undermining the very point of eating natural food in pursuit of health.

Comprehension Questions

Question 1 of 6

作zuò者zhě在zài首shǒu段duàn提tí到dào桑sāng椹shèn被bèi称chēng为wéi「「东dōng方fāng蓝lán莓méi」」并bìng「「大dà肆sì行xíng销xiāo」」，，zhè这yàng样de的miáo描shù述tòu透lù露chū出zuò作zhě者zěn怎yàng样de的tài态dù度？

The phrase “marketed heavily” already carries a subtly critical tone, and the next line about the gap between popular claims and research confirms the author’s skeptical, reserved attitude.

第dì二èr段duàn列liè举jǔ桑sāng椹shèn「「调tiáo节jié血xuè糖táng」」「「hù护gān肝」」děng等yán研jiū究jié结guǒ果hòu后，，zuò作zhě者jiē接zhe着zài在dì第sān三duàn段de的lùn论shù述mù目dì的shì是shén什me么？

Paragraph 3 turns to note that most studies are limited to animal or cell level, arguing the findings shouldn’t be extended directly to everyday human consumption.

文wén中zhōng提tí到dào「「桑sāng椹shèn本běn身shēn糖táng分fēn不bù低dī，，若ruò因yīn『『养yǎng生shēng』』之zhī名míng而ér大dà量liàng食shí用yòng，，反fǎn而ér可kě能néng造zào成chéng血xuè糖táng负fù担dān」」，，zhè这jù句huà话de的zuò作yòng用shì是shén什me么？

This sentence gives a concrete counterexample showing how over-extrapolating health claims can actually backfire.

「「实shí验yàn室shì中zhōng观guān察chá到dào的de现xiàn象xiàng，，与yǔ日rì常cháng饮yǐn食shí中zhōng适shì量liàng食shí用yòng桑sāng椹shèn所suǒ能néng带dài来lái的de实shí际jì健jiàn康kāng效xiào益yì，，两liǎng者zhě之zhī间jiān仍réng存cún在zài相xiāng当dāng距jù离lí」」，，zhè这jù句huà话zuì最zhǔ主yào要xiǎng想biǎo表dá达de的guān观niàn念shì是shén什me么？

This is the article’s key sentence: it distinguishes lab-observed effects from real-world dietary benefits, saying the two cannot simply be equated.

作zuò者zhě对duì于yú「「保bǎo健jiàn食shí品pǐn行xíng销xiāo手shǒu法fǎ」」的de看kàn法fǎ，，最zuì可kě能néng是shì下xià列liè何hé者zhě？？

Throughout the piece, the author’s core criticism is that preliminary research gets oversimplified and exaggerated into definite health claims — a common marketing tactic.

这zhè篇piān文wén章zhāng最zuì想xiǎng传chuán达dá的de核hé心xīn观guān念niàn最zuì可kě能néng是shì什shén么me？？

The closing paragraph urges readers to weigh the actual strength and scope of scientific evidence behind health claims about natural foods, rather than accepting them uncritically.

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