Incredibly Healthy Foods #2

See our post from yesterday for Incredibly Healthy Foods #1-5. Make sure to check back the rest of this week for other foods to charge up your nutrition!

Incredibly Healthy Foods 6-10

6. Beans

It's hard to imagine a more perfect food than beans. One cooked cupful can provide as much as 17g fiber. They're also loaded with protein and dozens of key nutrients, including a few most women fall short on - calcium, potassium and magnesium. Studies tie beans to a reduced risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and breast and colon cancer.

The latest dietary guidelines recommend consuming at least 3 cups of beans a week - 3 times the measly 1 cup we usually get. Keep your cupboards stocked with all kinds: black, white, kidney, fat-free refried, etc. Use them in salads, stuffed baked potatoes, and veggie chili or pureed for sandwich spreads.

7. Nuts

In a nutshell: USDA researchers say that eating 1 1/2 ounces of tree nuts daily can reduce your risk of heart disease and diabetes. Walnuts are rich in omega-3s. Hazelnuts contain arginine, an amino acid that may lower blood pressure. An ounce of almonds has as many heart-healthy polyphenols as a cup of green tea and 1/2 cup steamed broccoli combined. They may help lower LDL cholesterol as well.

They key is moderation, since nuts are high in calories. Keep a jar of chopped nuts in your fridge and sprinkle a tablespoon on cereal, salads, stir fries or yogurt. Or have an ounce as a snack most days of the week.

8. Edamame and Tofu

Soy's days as a cure-all may be over - some claims, such as help for hot flashes, don't seem to be panning out - but edamame still has an important place on your plate. Foods such as tofu, soy milk and edamame help fight heart disease when they replace fatty meats and cheeses, slashing saturated fat intake. Soy also contains heart-healthy polyunsaturated fats, a good amount of fiber and some important vitamins.

Soy's isoflavones, or plant estrogens, may also help prevent breast cancer. Some researchers believe these bind with estrogen receptors, reducing your exposure to the more powerful effects of your own estrogen, says Prevention advisor Andrew Weil, MD. But stick with whole soy foods rather than processed foods, like patties or chips, made with soy powder. Don't take soy supplements, which contain high and possibly dangerous amounts of isflavones.

9. Oatmeal

Fiber-rich oats are even healthier than the FDA thought when it first stamped them with a heart disease-reducting seal 10 years ago. According to new research, they can also cut your risk of type 2 diabetes. When Finnish researchers tracked 4,316 men and women over the course of 10 years, they found that people who ate the highest percentage of cereal fiber were 61% less likely to develop type 2 diabetes.

To reap the benefits, eat 1/2 cup daily - preferably unsweetened. For a versatile breakfast, top with different combinations of fruit, yogurt and nuts. You can also use oats to coat fish or chicken or add texture to meatballs.

10. Flaxseed

Flaxseed is the most potent source of omega-3 fats. Studies indicate that adding flaxseed to your diet can reduce the development of heart disease by 46%; it helps keep red blood cells from clumping together and forming clots that can block arteries. It may also reduce breast cancer odds. In one study, women who ate 10g of flaxseed (about 1 rounded tablespoon) every day for 2 months had a 25% improvement in the ratio of breast cancer-protective to breast cancer-promoting chemicals in their blood.

Sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons of flaxseed a day on your cereal, salad or yogurt. Buy it pre-ground and keep it refrigerated.