Berry good Antioxidant-rich cranberries may be one of the healthiest foods, according to analysis of a series of studies which shows they can stop urinary tract infections, prevent plaque build-up on teeth and kill a virus that causes stomach cancer and ulcers. The analysis by Rutgers University researchers has found preliminary evidence that extracts from cranberries or the juice can boost levels of so-called good cholesterol and prevent some tumours from forming. Studies are under way into the possible effects of cranberries on heart disease, yeast and viral infections and strokes, AP reports. Wheat and see US and Israeli scientists have cloned a gene from wild wheat that boosts the protein, iron and zinc content in the grain by up to 15 per cent and appears to be non-functional in cultivated grain. They used conventional agricultural techniques to introduce the gene into cultivated wheat, which provides about one-fifth of all calories consumed around the world. 'Even small increases in wheat's nutritional value may help decrease deficiencies in protein and key micronutrients,' says team leader Jorge Dubcovsky, of the University of California, Davis. The discovery of the gene, GPC-B, may help boost nutritional deficiencies affecting millions of children, healthday.com reports. The plant in which it was found, wild emmer wheat, is an ancestor of some cultivated wheat. Monkey business Male chimpanzees, unlike many human males, show a distinct sexual preference for older females, according to a US anthropological study. 'The masculine preference for young women is a derived human trait, probably due to the tendency to form long-term relationships between couples,' the Boston University team says, after years of studying chimpanzees. Male chimps typically copulate in succession with six or more females, who often line up to wait their turn, the researchers say. But the males consistently seek out the older females, AFP reports. Folic acid cuts heart risk Folic acid supplements appear to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke by as much as 20 per cent, according to British analysis of a series of studies. Folic acid is a synthetic compound of folate, a B vitamin found in green leafy vegetables and liver, Reuters reports. Women are often advised to take the supplement before conceiving and during the early months of pregnancy to reduce the risk of disorders such as spina bifida. 'The evidence is very persuasive that ... folic acid will lower your risk of heart attack and stroke by about 10-20 per cent,' says team leader David Wald, of the Wolfson Institute for Preventive Medicine. Coke in the city Britons take more cocaine than people in any other European country, according to a study which found that its use has almost tripled during the past decade. Cocaine use has risen more than four times among people aged 15 to 24 during the past 12 years, with almost one in 20 in that age group having used it during the past year, the Guardian reports. The European Monitoring Centre on Drugs and Drugs Addiction study shows that cocaine is now the second-most popular drug throughout Europe, after cannabis. The report estimates that about 10 million Europeans have used cocaine - about 3.5 million of them in the past year. More than 54,000 people in Britain died from drug misuse between 1985 and 2004. Jason Sankey is a tennis professional
