Chicken Soup and Wine

What people are talking about in the world of science and beyond. [Water Cooler Archive] CREDIT:

GOOD: Grandma said chicken soup is good for a cold, and she was right. Now we learn that a variation may fight high blood pressure. Scientists in Japan find that chicken legs and feet pack high levels of collagen proteins, and an extract of the stuff lowered blood pressure in rats. Details in the Oct. 22 issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

BAD: There is growing awareness that fluoride added to water supplies can "damage your bones, teeth, brain, disrupt your thyroid function, lower IQ and/or cause cancer." While the American Dental Association (ADA) and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention support fluoridation of water, hundreds of doctors have urged Congress to stop water fluoridation until Congressional hearings are conducted to sort out the conflicting research and opinions on all this.

GOOD: Meanwhile, yet another study finds wine may be good for you. Moderate consumption of red wine may decrease the risk of lung cancer in men, the research showed. Wine is among many supposedly bad things that are good for you.

BAD: Keep moderation in mind, however: Too much alcohol consumption shrinks brains, a study in 2007 found. That conclusion was supported again by a study that will be published in the October issue of Archives of Neurology.

This article is from the LiveScience Water Cooler: What people are talking about in the world of science and beyond.