Sedentary Lifestyle? You May Want to Drink Red Wine

An ingredient in red wine makes it a healthy treat for astronauts, according to a new study that could have some earth-bound implications. Scientists found that resveratrol, long considered a "healthy" ingredient in red wine, helps fight some of the negative side effects of being weightless—and possibly of being sedentary. A batch of rats fed resveratrol in a space simulation didn’t develop insulin resistance or lose bone mineral density, effects that the rats not taking resveratrol suffered, the Daily Mail reports.

“There is overwhelming data showing that the human body needs physical activity, but for some of us, getting that activity isn't easy,” says an expert. “Resveratrol may not be a substitute for exercise, but it could slow deterioration until someone can get moving again.” And “if resveratrol supplements are not your cup of tea, then there's good news: You can find it naturally in red wine, making it the toast of the Milky Way.” (More scientific study stories.)