Dodge a sneaky health sapper

The secret to feeling our best: Combating compounds called advanced glycation end products (AGEs). Found in certain foods and produced naturally by the body, AGEs damage cells to accelerate aging. But lowering your levels of AGEs can protect against sagging skin and muscle weakness while reducing your risk of depression, heart disease and diabetes. Recent research suggests it can even lower breast cancer risk by 43%. To curtail the compounds, just...

- Melissa Gotthardt

Mix up a marinade

AGEs form when foods high in protein and fat are cooked at high temperatures, so grilled beef, pork and chicken can abound in the compounds. Fortunately, Mount Sinai School of Medicine research suggests that treating meats and poultry with a lemon juiceor vinegar-based marinade for 60 minutes lowers their AGEs by up to 63%. Experts explain that the acidic ingredients blunt the chemical reaction that creates AGEs. Also smart: adding oregano and garlic to marinades when possible. Both herbs have a study-backed ability to inhibit the formation of AGEs.

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