Nine superfoods women should eat

Do you know which foods pack the most vitamins, minerals and antioxidants? They’re not the usual suspects. Read on for a list of superfoods you’re not eating enough of.

It’s not always easy to eat the right things. So when you fill your plate with wholesome foods, it pays to make sure you’re choosing the most nutritious ones.

Romaine lettuce is good for you, for example, but swapping it for one of the even more nutritious dark, leafy greens, like spinach or kale, is even better. Some foods, after all, are true nutritional powerhouses, with more vitamins, minerals and disease-fighting antioxidants than others.

But a “superfood” doesn’t deserve that status if it’s too expensive or difficult to find, says Wendy Bazilian, RD, co-author of Superfoods Rx Diet: Lose Weight with the Power of Supernutrients (Rodale Books).

Like an exercise routine, your diet has to be something you can stick with and enjoy. Here is a superfoods list of the top 10 expert-recommended foods that will pack the most nutrients onto your plate:

1: Broccoli
Few vegetables are as divisive as broccoli, which was on former President H.W. Bush’s “do not eat” list. Either you love it or hate it — and researchers have even studied the reasons why.

Here’s a clue: If your parents don’t like the green stuff, chances are you won’t either. Of course, that doesn’t mean you can’t find a tasty way to incorporate it into your diet.

Why it’s a good food for women: Cruciferous veggies like broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts pack a serious punch against cancer.

That’s one reason Joel Fuhrman, MD, author of Eat for Health (Gift of Health Press), recommends eating foods from that food family every day. In lab studies, sulforaphane, a chemical found in broccoli and its cousins, actually made cancer cells like leukemia and melanoma self-destruct. A 2007 Chinese study found that the compound may slow down the spread of breast cancer.
One cup of broccoli also boasts a whopping 135% of your daily vitamin C needs.

2: Beets
Don’t let the color scare you: These crimson root vegetables are sweet, rich and buttery. And the nutritional value beets pack is so great, you really should get to know them better.

Why it’s a good food for women: A 2012 study published in the journal Nutrition found that drinking a glass of beet juice (otherwise known as beetroot) may immediately lower your blood pressure.

Even if you think you’re at risk for high blood pressure, you will be. One in three Americans has hypertension and 90% will get it in their lifetime. High blood pressure can damage your arteries, which can lead to plaque buildup, heart disease, blood clots and strokes.

According to Jonny Bowden, PhD, author of The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth (Fair Winds Press), beets are loaded with potassium, which counteract the effects of our salt-heavy diet.

They’re also high in folate, which we need to manufacture new cells and prevent DNA damage (a precursor to cancer).

Beet juice may also boost workout stamina by 16%, making exercise feel less tiring so you can go for longer, according to a 2009 English study.
The chemicals in beets show great promise in combating cancer and inflammation, too.

3: Turmeric
Spice up your meals with turmeric. Most often found in yellow curry dishes, turmeric is a member of the ginger family.

Why it’s a good food for women: Curcumin, a plant nutrient that gives turmeric its deep golden hue, has long been used in Eastern medicine to treat infections and help speed wound healing.

Preliminary research in mice suggests that the spice may be useful in treating conditions like inflammation, digestive problems, arthritis and Alzheimer’s.

“Regions of India with the highest regular consumption of turmeric have the lowest rates in the world of Alzheimer’s disease,” Bazilian says, “It may help promote brain health as we age.”

The body can absorb only a fraction of the curcumin we eat, but adding black pepper may boost our system’s ability to use it by 2,000%, according to Indian researchers.

4: Sardines
Sardines get a bad rap. But before you toss this one back to sea, know this: These guys taste like tuna, are less fishy than caviar and come already de-headed – so they won’t stare back when you peel open a can.

Why it’s a good food for women: Sardines are a cheap and convenient way to fill up on fish oil, vitamin D and calcium all at once, says Janis Jibrin, MS, RD, co-author of The Best Life Guide to Managing Diabetes and Pre-Diabetes (Simon & Schuster).

“Just one can of bone-in sardines covers 125% of your vitamin D needs, 35% of your calcium needs and 88% of your daily selenium requirement,” she says.
Selenium, an antioxidant, helps keep the immune system in fighting form and protects cells from damage.

5: Kale
Kale is part of the broccoli, or brassica, family. So if you’re broccoli-phobic but want to reap its benefits, learn to love these leafy greens.

Why it’s a good food for women: Not only does it do a number on cancer, it also helps the heart. According to Jibrin, a half-cup of kale juice per day jacked up helpful HDL cholesterol by 27% and lowered artery-clogging LDL cholesterol in just 12 weeks in one study.

Kale is loaded with vitamin C (great for your complexion) as well as calcium and vitamin A, Bazilian says. Leafy greens also contain carotenoids such as lutein and zeaxanthin that help preserve vision and prevent eyestrain, serious assets for those who stare at a computer screen all day.

6: Blueberries
This superfruit needs no introduction. The berries are so common in the U.S. that you might have grown up picking them right off bushes in your backyard.

Why it’s a good food for women: Anthocyanidins, the chemicals that give blueberries their color, have hit the spotlight for their purported health benefits.
Though still being studied, plants with these super-antioxidants have anti-inflammatory powers that may lower the risk of heart disease, diabetes and arthritis and protect against mental decline, according to various studies. But what makes blueberries a true standout is their convenience.

“They’re versatile,” Bazilian says. “They don’t require seeding or chopping and you can get them year-round, frozen, fresh or dried.”

Acai is a Central American relative to the blueberry and is just as good for you, but they’re expensive and can be hard to find.

7: Black beans
Found most often in Mexican cuisine, black beans are more popular than ever in the U.S.

Why it’s a good food for women: “Beans hit it out of the ballpark when it comes to nutrition,” Jibrin says.

They’re loaded with the essential minerals folate, magnesium and iron.
Beans are also the only food that found in two categories on the MyPlate food guide, Bazilian says; they’re both a complex carbohydrate and a protein source.
“People who regularly consume beans have better weight management and blood sugar regulation,” Bazilian explains.

That’s because of their soluble fiber.
Black beans, in particular, have three times the amount of omega-3 fats than other beans, and their dark skin contains cancer-fighting chemicals called flavonoids.

Unfortunately, “beans can be a tough sell, because they can be gassy,” Jibrin says. But they do keep your digestive system regular.

If you’re wary of the fiber content, Bazilian and Jibrin say you can avoid digestive distress by easing beans into your diet slowly. Eat no more than half a cup at a time.

Where to get it: Canned beans are, by far, the most convenient – and they’re relatively cheap at 80 cents a can. But with a little planning, dried beans can save you even more money and aren’t too labor-intensive.

Simply cover dried beans with water in a large bowl, let sit overnight with a bay leaf or two, drain, and voila! The beans are ready to cook.

Jibrin recommends using half beans and half turkey to make chili or adding beans to lean ground beef for sloppy Joes.

8: Tart Cherries
Don’t confuse tart cherries with the sweet black cherries usually found in the supermarket produce aisle. This fruit is most often used in baking and comes frozen, canned or as juice.

Why it’s a good food for women: Tart cherries are anti-inflammatory superstars and may be great for managing pain. “They’ve long been used to treat arthritis and gout symptoms,” says Bazilian.

Research suggests that tart cherries can help relieve arthritis and post-workout muscle soreness, lower cholesterol and possibly even reduce body fat, according to a 2009 University of Michigan study.

9: Almonds
Almonds have been around since Biblical times and are a staple in the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet. Mild and versatile, the nuts work well in sweet and savory dishes.

Why it’s a good food for women: These days, nearly every packaged food – from yogurt to breakfast cereal – claims it’s loaded with probiotics, helpful bacteria that promote healthy digestion and a strong immune system.

Prebiotics, though, are non-digestible food parts that create probiotics when they pass through your intestines.

Almonds, along with other high-fiber foods, are a prebiotic food and may ease stomach problems like irritable bowel disorders and diarrhea, and also boost calcium absorption. Snack on a handful daily to lower your LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. The nuts are high in vitamin E, linked to a lower risk of heart disease.

A quarter-cup of almonds also contains more protein than an egg, and they’re packed with magnesium, which encourages production of the brain chemical dopamine — good for regulating mood and preventing depression.