EAT THESE, WEIGH LESS?

Maybe they’re called "magical fruit" in children’s rhymes for a reason . . . Just not for the flatulence-producing reasons kids obsess about. What really makes beans magical is their potential effect on your waistline: Bean eaters weigh less on average than non-bean-imbibing folks do. Bean CountingIn fact, bean eaters weigh as much as 6.6 pounds less, according to RealAge expert John La Puma, MD, author of ChefMD's Big Book of Culinary Medicine.

Makes sense when you consider beans are full of fiber and protein but low in fat, which means a serving will keep you going far beyond the need-to-munch hour but only make a minor dent in your calorie intake.Worried about the aftereffects -- or, hmm, air-quality aftershocks -- of eating beans? Blame them on complex indigestible sugars found in beans, which ferment in your digestive system, releasing gas. The worry-stopping enzyme in these tablets breaks them down. Less gas = less pollution.