Slow Down Aging by Cooking with This Juice

Whatever you put in your pan for dinner tonight, make sure you add a few squeezes of this: lemon juice.

A new study shows that marinating meats in lemon juice -- or vinegar -- can help greatly reduce the production of harmful compounds linked to aging and chronic disease.

Cooking Compounds
All foods -- but especially ones derived from animals -- contain varying levels of compounds called advanced glycation end products (AGEs). These compounds are known to cause inflammation and may open the door to faster aging. Cooking -- especially high-heat methods -- increases formation of AGEs. But now new research suggests that marinating foods in an acidic, low-pH liquid -- like lemon juice or vinegar -- may help slow that formation down significantly. AGEs in beef were cut in half after marinating for an hour -- but shorter amounts of time may help, too. (Here's a spice that may help prevent the production of HCA, another harmful cooking compound.)

How AGEs Age
Meats and full-fat cheeses contain the most AGEs, followed by pork, fish, and eggs -- although even fruit, vegetables, and whole grains may contain small amounts. Marinating your food is one way to minimize AGEs. Another option: Cook over low, moist heat. Boiling, poaching, steaming, and stewing are all great choices. (Learn more about AGE compounds from the RealAge docs -- and why they're such a big health deal.)

Here's another tasty way to slow aging with the foods you eat: go international. Check out the best antiaging foods from around the world.

Previously published on 03/31/2011