By Laurie Herr
You love to eat, but you also love to feel great. You can do both if you choose foods that make you smarter, leaner, stronger-and use them in tasty new ways.
We've made that easy to do with Health's top 10 superfoods for women. They were selected by our panel of experts for their mega benefits-from bone building and energy boosting to fat busting and disease fighting.
What's even more delicious: When you mix and match these America's Healthiest choices, you get super combos with even more power-a breakfast that's good for your heart, a dinner that fights cancer, a sweet treat that helps keep your tummy calm and mind sharp. So read on (and start eating) for a super you!
Wild Alaskan salmon
"It's all about omega-3s," says health guru Andrew Weil, MD, explaining why fish like sockeye top his must-eat list for women. All of our experts agreed: wild salmon packs a wallop with two kinds of heart-healthy omega-3s, including DHA, a fatty acid essential for a healthy pregnancy.
Omega-3s also boost mood, fight depression, and may protect against Alzheimer's disease and cancer. Add in salmon's lean protein and vitamin D (a critical nutrient many women lack), and you've got yourself a near-perfect food.
How much you need: Eat at least two servings of a fatty fish like salmon a week, the American Heart Association recommends. Can't find it fresh? Canned wild Alaskan salmon is almost as good, says Steven Pratt, MD, author of SuperFoods Rx and SuperHealth.
Health.com: 20 healthy salmon recipes
Wild blueberries
If berries are nutritional treasures, wild blueberries are the crown jewels. "They're truly one of nature's ultimate antiaging foods," says Kate Geagan, MS, RD, author of Go Green Get Lean. Research suggests the tiny gems not only help prevent memory loss but also may improve motor skills and help lower blood pressure. Another reason to love 'em: they're high in antioxidants that help fight wrinkles.
Why choose wild? When scientists at Cornell University came up with a new way of testing the antioxidant activity in foods, wild blueberries scored the highest. They have compounds called anthocyanins, one of the most powerful forms of antioxidants. Another plus: at only 80 calories a cup, you can eat them without guilt.
How much you need: Aim for a half-cup to one cup of any kind of berries a day, but mix in wild blueberries as much as possible. Many supermarkets carry them frozen.
Oats
We all know that oats can help lower cholesterol. Now scientists say oats, rich in soluble and insoluble fiber, are also good for helping you feel full so you can control your weight. They keep you regular, too.
Which type of oats should you choose? If you're making oatmeal, steel-cut oats take longer to cook than rolled oats but deliver more fiber, says Health Senior Food and Nutrition Editor Frances Largeman-Roth, RD. Always in a morning rush? Instant works, too.
How much you need: Add oats (and other whole grains) to your diet throughout the day. The American Heart Association recommends 25 to 30 grams of dietary fiber a day-that's about six times the amount of fiber in an average serving of oatmeal. So eat up!
Broccoli
This humble vegetable is a winner, thanks to research that suggests the chemicals in cruciferous vegetables, especially broccoli, may help prevent breast cancer by fighting excess estrogen. Rich in vitamin C and a good source of vitamin A, broccoli helps you feel full on less than 30 calories per serving. And it gets bonus points for fiber, folate (folic acid), calcium, iron, and potassium.
Cooked or raw, broccoli delivers a nutrient punch, says John La Puma, MD, host of What's Cooking With ChefMD? and author of ChefMD's Big Book of Culinary Medicine.
How much you need: Eat two or more half-cup servings of cooked broccoli per week.
Walnuts
"Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and omega-3s-what else is there to say?" asks David L. Katz, MD, MPH, associate professor at the Yale School of Medicine.
Eating just a handful of walnuts a day can help you lower cholesterol, boost brain power, sleep better, cope with stress, prevent heart disease, fight cancer, and more. In fact, a new study showed that walnuts appeared to lower the risk of breast cancer in mice.
How much you need: Have one ounce (about 12 walnut halves) daily.
Avocados
Yes, they're high in fat. But in this case that's not a bad thing. "We shouldn't be so fatphobic," says Cheryl Forberg, RD, nutritionist for The Biggest Loser and author of Positively Ageless.
The heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) in avocados can actually help you lose belly fat, a risk factor for heart disease and even some fertility problems. Avocados also pack high amounts of potassium, magnesium, folate, protein, and vitamins B6, E, and K. Add to that fiber and cholesterol-lowering plant sterols, and you have one nutrient-dense food.
How much you need: Limit yourself to one-quarter to one-half an avocado a day.
Health.com: 8 avocado recipes beyond guacamole
Red Beans
Beans of any kind are nutrition dynamos. But red beans made our top 10 list for several reasons: they're rich in antioxidants and packed with protein, folate, minerals, and fiber, including resistant starch. "That's the hot new thing in fiber research," says Health Contributing Editor Maureen Callahan, MS, RD.
Resistant starch seems to have several important benefits, like boosting the body's ability to burn fat, helping you feel full, controlling blood sugars, and even reducing cancer risk.
Don't have time to cook a pot of dried beans? Canned beans are a good option, too, says Liz Applegate, PhD, director of sports nutrition at the University of California, Davis.
How much you need: Enjoy three cups of cooked beans a week. Worried about getting gassy? Build up slowly, David Grotto, RD, suggests. Start with one tablespoon of beans a day and double the amount each week. Rinsing canned beans before using also eases the problem.
Greek yogurt
We love its thick, creamy texture and tangy taste. But when it comes to yogurt, there are plenty more reasons you'll want to go Greek. "It's rich in calcium and good for our bones," dietitian Kate Geagan says. In fact, one serving supplies nearly one-fourth of a woman's daily calcium needs, and the fat-free variety is packed with twice as much protein as regular yogurt.
Fat-free Greek yogurt is also high in probiotics, cultures that can help ease irritable bowel syndrome, a condition that affects mostly women. And even though the evidence is inconclusive, some experts say probiotics help boost immunity-a plus during flu season.
How much you need: Have at least three servings of dairy a day; fat-free Greek yogurt is a good choice. "It's a healthy swap for artery-clogging sour cream," Geagan says.
Olive oil
No list would be complete without this flavorful oil. A staple of the Mediterranean diet, it has long been linked to heart health and longevity. But mounting evidence shows that olive oil may be good for your brain, too. A study from Columbia University suggests that sticking to a Mediterranean diet not only protects against Alzheimer's disease but also helps with mild fuzzy thinking.
And that's not all: findings from a 2008 study in Spain suggested that compounds in extra-virgin olive oil seem to fight certain kinds of breast cancer. Want to get more of this healthy staple in your diet? Substitute olive oil for other fats: use it on bread instead of butter and in the place of less-healthy cooking oils.
How much you need: Get two tablespoons a day; it may lower your risk of heart disease.
Health.com: Surprising beauty secret: Just add olive oil!
Dark chocolate
It's "the food you love that loves you back," Dr. Katz says. Rich in heart- protective antioxidants, dark chocolate can help reduce the risk of stroke and heart disease. It's loaded with magnesium, manganese, copper, zinc, and phosphorus-all important for strong bones.
Studies suggest chocolate may also help hydrate the skin, lower blood pressure, and sharpen thinking. And then there's the fun factor. "Chocolate is a sensual pleasure, something women often don't get enough of in their food," Dr. La Puma says. We say, let the pleasure begin.
How much you need: Eat just one-quarter ounce a day. And be sure to look for kinds made with at least 70% cocoa.
Read more: 15 Runners Up for Extra Power
