Couch the Potatoes In the ‘90s, spuds were considered a health food.  But Harvard researchers found that people who eat the most potatoes-one serving 3 or 4 days a week-have a 14 percent greater risk of diabetes than those who eat the fewest.  Scientists speculate that frequent consumption of potatoes can damage the cells that produce insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar.  Not ready to give up spuds?  Try the twice-baked version.  Topping potatoes with Cheddar cheese slows the absorption of sugar into your bloodstream, reducing the workload on insulin-secreting cells.

Brew It Or Lose It Green tea protects your memory, according to a new Japanese study.  Scientists found that people who drank 1 cup of green tea daily were up to 37 percent less likely to suffer age-related cognitive decline than those who consumed less.  Researchers credit a compound in the tea, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), which may help prevent the buildup of plaque on brain cells, a characteristic of Alzheimer’s.  To get the most benefit, steep your tea for at least 3 minutes; any less results in lower amounts of EGCG.

How To Sterolize Your Diet Don’t shortchange your heart: Dutch scientists discovered that foods infused with plant sterols were 50 percent more effective at lowering cholesterol when eaten at the end of a meal than on an empty stomach.  A quicker review: research shows that daily consumption of 2 grams of plant sterols-chemicals that occur in small amounts in vegetable oils-reduces LDL cholesterol by 10 percent.  “Plant sterols block the absorption of cholesterol from your intestines into your bloodstream,” says study author Elke Trautwein, Ph.D.  “So they may work best with a large meal, such as lunch or dinner, when high amounts of cholesterol are released to aid digestion.”  Try Smart Balance Omega Plus, a buttery spread that contains 450 milligrams of plant sterols per tablespoon.