Q: On a message board that I often visit to swap diet stories, a woman was raving about how resveratrol helped her get rid of her last 20 pounds and made her skin look so much younger. Is that really possible?

Ann Louise: Yes, it is. Resveratrol, a phytonutrient found in red and purple grapes and red wine, reduces high blood sugar levels which pack on belly fat) and inflammation (which slows metabolism, causes fat storage and ages skin). It also fights free radicals in skin, preventing or minimizing facial lines and age spots. To benefit, drink two 8 oz. glasses of equal parts grape juice and water or seltzer daily. The water cuts the sugar load of the juice. (While wine contains resveratrol, I don’t recommend it for weight loss: its molds worsen systemic yeast overgrowth—a condition affecting 8 out of 10 women that triggers bloat and sugar cravings.) If you’d like to take a supplement, aim for 100mg to 300mg daily of a brand that contains other antioxidants found in grapes, as they work in synergy with resveratrol for best results.