STARVE HEARTBURN

Adopting a new diet could extinguish that fire in your chest. Cutting out carbs helps relieve heartburn, according to a recent study from the University of North Carolina. The scientists report that within 4 days of initiating a lowcarbohydrate diet, overweight patients experienced a 44 percent reduction in the severity of heartburnlike symptoms. What’s more, the pain-causing acid in each person’s esophagus decreased by an average of 60 percent. The scientists aren’t sure why reducing carbs worked but report that in a previous study, patients’ symptoms returned once they started eating a carbohydrateheavy diet again. We all know how low carbs can help you lose weight. There’s a dual benefit: Losing weight helps relieve heartburn, too.

A BETTER WAY TO REHYDRATE

St. Cloud State University researchers found that men who consumed a sports drink containing both carbohydrates and protein were able to rehydrate 40 percent faster after a hard workout than when they drank water, and 15 percent faster compared with drinking a carbohydrate-only solution. Why? “The protein acts like a magnet that pulls water in,” says lead investigator John Seifert, Ph.D. In the study, the scientists experimented with Accelerade, one of the few sports drinks infused with protein.

A PINEAPPLE PROBLEM

Like the convenience of buying precut fruit? There may be a trade-off you’re not aware of: Within just 3 days of being sliced, pineapples lose 25 percent of their carotenoids—healthy compounds that fight both cancer and heart disease. That’s what University of California at Davis scientists discovered when they compared whole and cut versions of the fruit stored under the same conditions. Interestingly, there was essentially no difference in the color or firmness of the pineapple pieces up to 9 days after they were cut. If cutting the fruit yourself is too much of a hassle, there’s an easy solution: Eat 25 percent more. Chances are, you don’t consume enough produce to compensate for the dip in carotenoids.

BROADEN YOUR WINE LIST

Red or white? Just say yes, according to a University of Connecticut study. Though previous research only touted the cardiovas cular benefits of drinking red varietals, sci en - tists discovered that white wine may protect your heart just as well as cabernet. To make the white variety, winemakers remove the grapes’ skins—which give red wine its color—before fermentation. The skin is the part of the grape that contains resveratrol, an antioxidant that improves bloodflow, so it was assumed that red was far healthier. Not so, says study author Dipak K. Das, Ph.D., whose lab determined that an uniden tified antioxidant in white wine offers similar heart protection. “Consump tion of one or two glasses of either red or white wine daily should be equally beneficial,” says Das.

PRODUCE: EAT LESS OF MORE

Go for the mixed vegetables: Colorado State University researchers report that when it comes to produce, variety may trump quantity. The scientists discovered that, despite eating one less serving daily, people who consumed a wider array of fruits and vegetables experienced more health benefits than those who chose from a smaller assortment. The protective mojo of plant foods comes from phytochemicals, compounds that guard cells against damaging oxidation—like Rust-Oleum for your DNA. However, phyto chemicals vary from one botanical family to another. “We saw more benefit from smaller amounts of many different phytochemicals than from larger amounts of a few,” says lead study author Henry Thompson, Ph.D. To see a list of the 18 botanical families you should be choosing from regularly— and the common fruits and vegetables in each.

STAY SHARP ALL DAY

If you’re feeling drowsy at work, don’t reach for a soda. British researchers discovered that people who downed a sugary drink containing 42 milligrams (mg) of sugar and 30 mg caffeine—the amount in a 12-ounce cola—exhibited slower reaction times and a greater number of lapses in attention for the next 70 minutes compared with those who sipped a sugarfree beverage. Although a sugar rush has been shown to boost cognitive performance, the effect is short-lived, lasting just 10 to 15 minutes. Your best option for a brain boost: a sugarfree drink that delivers at least 80 mg caffeine, says lead investigator Clare Anderson, Ph.D. A classic example: 8 ounces of black, unsweetened coffee.