Sidestep a sneaky ager

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you could sail through spring and beyond looking and feeling your best? You can! The secret is to reduce exposure to sticky, cell-damaging compounds called AGEs (advanced glycation end products) found in foods and produced naturally by the body.

- Melissa Gotthardt

Safeguarding against an excess of AGEs can keep skin firm, joints ache-free and your mood sunny, plus protect against cancer and heart disease. To outsmart AGEs, just...

✓ Treat meats to a marinade 

AGES abound in meats and poultry that are cooked at high temperatures. But that doesn't mean you have to forgo grilled or roasted fare. Research conducted at Mt. Sinai School of Medicine suggests bathing beef, chicken or pork in a lemon juiceor vinegar-based marinade for 60 minutes before cooking lowers levels of AGES by up to 63%. Experts explain the acidic ingredients thwart the chemical reaction that accelerates AGES formation. Also smart: adding fresh garlic-British researchers found it has compounds that lower AGES.