You hear a lot about superfoods, but mainly how great they are to have in your diet. Here’s another list of foods you should consider throwing in your grocery basket:
Beets - Why they’re healthy: Folate and betaine (which can help lower your risk of heart disease), and their pigments may help fight cancer.
How to eat them: Not from a jar, but fresh and uncooked.
Cabbage - Why it’s healthy: Few calories, and sulforaphane helps reduce cancer risk.
How to eat it: In a salad, or on a burger.
Guava - Why it’s healthy: Fiber, potassium, lycopene (which helps fight prostate cancer).
How to eat it: It’s all edible, from rind to seeds. May be a little hard to find, but high end supermarkets or Latin grocery stores should stock it.
Swiss Chard - Why it’s healthy: Lutein and zeaxanthin (which both help protect retinas from the damages of aging).
How to eat it: Sautéd with olive oil and garlic, seasoned with salt and pepper and served with grilled steaks and chicken, or pan-seared fish.Cinnamon - Why it’s healthy: Helps control blood sugar, which affects your risk of heart disease.
How to eat it: Sprinkled on coffee or oatmeal.
Purslane - Why it’s healthy: Melatonin (may inhibit cancer growth), omega-3 fats.
How to eat it: In a salad as an alternative or addition to lettuce.
Pomegranate juice - Why it’s healthy: Improves bloodflow to the heart, decreases systolic blood pressure, vitamin C.
How to eat it: POM Wonderful makes a 100 per cent pomegranate juice with no added sugars - a small glass is all you need to get the many benefits.
Goji berries - Why they’re healthy: Antioxidants, may reduce insulin resistance (a risk factor for diabetes).
How to eat them: Dried or fresh, alone or in yogurt, oatmeal or on cereal.Dried plums - Why they’re healthy: Antioxidants that fight structural damage to cells, which is thought to be one of the main causes for cancer.
How to eat them: As an appetizer wrapped in prosciutto.
Pumpkin seeds - Why they’re healthy: Magnesium.
How to eat them: Shells and all.