Kefir
It has more protein and less sugar than yogurt, but with the same creamy texture, tangy taste, and probiotics. These healthy bacteria are a known immune enhancer, and may protect against colon cancer, says Tamara Freuman, R.D.
More: 6 Cancer-Fighting Foods
Try it: Instead of yogurt in salad dressings or smoothies. Plain kefir is in the dairy aisle, but Lifeway makes a dessert-ready frozen variety (lifeway.net) too.
Jicama
This slightly sweet and crunchy root veggie stars inulin, a belly-flattening fiber that acts as a prebiotic to promote helpful bacteria in the gut. It's also an excellent source of vitamin C, which may
boost collagen and fight wrinkles.
Try it: Cooked or raw in slaws, stir-fries, tacos, and salads, or tossed in lime juice and sprinkled with chili powder. Find it at farmers' markets or Mexican groceries.
More: How to Shop Better at the Farmers' Market
Chia
One tablespoon of these nutty-tasting edible seeds has as much fiber as a bowl of oatmeal, plus bone-building calcium and
heart-healthy omega-3s. Chia is also a good source of iron, which many women don't get enough of, notes Freuman.
Try it: On cereal, salads, and soups, or use it to thicken puddings and stir-fries. (The seeds absorb liquid and acquire a gel-like texture.) Available at natural grocery stores.
Sprouts
Three-day-old broccoli plants may contain up to 50 times more of the anticancer agent sulforaphane than mature stalks‚ but without the pungent taste, says Kate Geagan, R.D., author of
Go Green Get Lean.
Try them: On sandwiches, wraps, pizza, baked potatoes, stews, stir-fries, tacos, and just about anything else you can think of. Pick some up at your grocery store or local farmers' market.
More: Improve Your Performance by Eating Green
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