THE | DIET DETECTIVE^®

Another magic bullet has appeared in the stars’ kitchen cabinets. This time, it’s Lindsay Lohan, owing her svelte figure to a nightcap of green tea. Now, if you asked me what LL’s nightcap of choice was, “tea” would probably be about my twenty-seventh choice. But obviously it’s the leafy bev that’s keeping her slim—not, of course, her affinity for Red Bull, her so-busy-I-forgot-to-eat schedule, or the fact that she’s dancing like a madwoman long after most of us are sound asleep.

Then again, Lindsay may be onto something here. Caffeine speeds up the metabolism, and green tea is believed to speed up the absorption of fat in the intestines. Limited studies have been done, but green tea is packed with antioxidants, so it’s a healthy bet either way.

Weirdest thing: I’ve been living on a steady diet of tacos, salsa, chili, chips and burritos for as long as I can remember, and it hasn’t made me skinny yet. On the contrary, I wind up spending most evenings atoning for my tex-mex diet sins on the elliptical machine. And yet, here’s Gisele Bundchen claiming she stays skinny simply by eating spicy foods. It’s just that easy!