Cerebral Advantage
A recent study by the University of Montreal shows that the babies of pregnant women who exercise 20 minutes a day, three times a week, are smarter than their less-active counterparts. Getting the blood moving creates a more mature cerebral activation and more rapid brain development. So instead of taking it easy during your nine months, give your baby a head start by getting your heart rate up.
Tummy Fat, Teens and Truffles
For teens with a sweet tooth, there is good news. In the Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence (HELENA) study, performed by the University of Granada, teens who eat chocolate showed lower levels of abdominal fat. Flavonoids, found primarily in dark chocolate, have antioxidant, antithrombotic, anti-inflammatory and antihypertensive properties and can result in lower BMI levels for teenagers. If you’re under 18, go ahead and have another piece!
Sprite and Spirits
Having a hard time the morning after a few too many alcoholic beverages? A can of Sprite or a bottle of soda water could be your hangover cure. In a study by the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Food and Function, alcohol itself was found not guilty for the crime of dreadful fatigue, light sensitivity and sour stomach. When alcohol is metabolized, the liver releases acetaldehyde, the real hangover criminal. Sprite and soda water help to quickly convert acetaldehyde into acetate, an enzyme that has no inherent negative effects to the body in regard to alcohol.
