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"The foods we feature here are perennial nutrition standouts, yet\nthe reasons to eat them might surprise you. Did you know walnuts\nare as rich in heart-friendly omega-3s as salmon, and that the\nlignans in berries may hedge against breast and endometrial\ncancers?\nWe asked registered dietitians, medical doctors, and researchers\nfor the latest on why you should include these power foods in your\ndiet. Here are their answers and suggestions on how to do so.\n\n1. Soybean Superlatives\n\"Whole soybeans have multiple benefits, and canned yellow\nvarieties are a wholesome, convenient choice that can help you\nreach that magic number of 25 grams of soy protein daily, which the\nfda recommends to support cardiovascular health. Soy fiber may also\nprevent the gyrations of blood sugar in those with type II\ndiabetes. Soy protein helps to conserve calcium for stronger bones,\nand soy isoflavones invariably lessen hot flashes and other\nsymptoms during menopause. The soluble fiber in yellow and other\nsoybeans has also been shown to lower blood cholesterol almost as\neffectively as that in whole oats.\"\nRecipe: \n\n  Spicy Yellow Soybean, Lentil, and Carrot Curry\n\n&#8213; \nStephen Holt, M.D., author of The Soy Revolution \nand adjunct professor at New Jersey Institute of\nTechnology\n\n2. Keep an Eye on Kale\nWe know that yellow or orange vegetables like pumpkin and\ncarrots have a lot of beta-carotene. But, surprisingly, so does the\ndark green, leafy vegetable kale&#8213;about 6,200 micrograms in a\ncup. It is also a rich source of the antioxidants lutein and\nzeaxanthin, which are associated with eye health. In fact, for so\nfew calories&#8213;just 22 in a cup of raw kale&#8213;the green\nvegetable is packed with a laundry list of nutrients: potassium to\nprevent hypertension; vitamin C; fiber; and calcium for bone\nhealth. You even get two grams of protein in a serving.\nRecipe: \n\n  Braised Kale with Bacon and Cider\n\n&#8213; \nWahida Karmally, R.D., Dr.P.H., director of nutrition, Irving\nCenter for Clinical Research, Columbia University\n\n3. Dried Plum Particulars\nPrunes, or dried plums as we call them now, are a sweet snack\nthat also carry a lot of nutrients. They are a rich source of\nfiber--three grams in five dried plums&#8213;and contain two\nmilligrams of iron in a serving. This is good news for women on\nvegetarian or reduced-calorie diets, who often don't get enough of\nthis mineral every day. And don't forget about the disease-fighting\nantioxidants. Dried plums have carotenoids and other antioxidant\ncompounds that may help reduce the risk of heart disease and\ncancer.\nRecipe: \n\n  Pork Loin with Dried-Plum Stuffing\n\n&#8213; \nJo Ann Hattner, R.D., spokesperson for the American Dietetic\nAssociation\n\n4. Jazzy Combo in Cran-Grape Juice\nThe combination juice is a strong one-two punch. Grape juice\nis rich in flavonoids&#8213;antioxidants that help the heart by\npreventing LDL('bad') cholesterol from oxidizing and perhaps by\nreducing inflammation in the arteries. Cranberry juice also\ncontains heart-friendly flavonoids as well as tannins, which\ndramatically lower the risk of developing urinary tract\ninfections.\nDrinking two 8- to 10-ounce glasses of cran-grape juice a day\ncan maximize the benefits. Look for products that contain cranberry\nand grape juice as the first ingredients&#8213;not other juice\nconcentrates, like apple or pear.\nRecipe: \n\n  Cran-Grape Syrup\n\n&#8213; \nAmy Howell, Ph.D., research scientist, Rutgers\nUniversity\n\n5. Yogurt and the Calcium Connection\nEating yogurt can make your weight-loss efforts easier. A\n12-week study we conducted showed that obese adults who had about\n1,100 milligrams of calcium from three servings of low-fat yogurt a\nday lost 22 percent more weight, 61 percent more body fat, and 81\npercent more stomach fat than those who consumed only 500\nmilligrams of the mineral. What's more, the yogurt eaters were\nabout twice as effective at maintaining lean muscle mass, which\nhelps burn calories. High levels of calcium seem to trigger the\nbody to burn more fat and reduce the amount of new fat that body\nmakes. The body does this by suppressing the release of the hormone\ncalcitriol, which signals the cells to make more fat and burn\nless.\nFor 50 years, we've been recommending three servings of dairy\nevery day for bone health and other benefits. Now you have one more\nvery good reason to get it.\nRecipe: \n\n  Savory Yogurt Cheesecake with Caramelized Onions\n\n&#8213; \nMichael Zemel, Ph.D., professor of nutrition, University of\nTennessee\n\n6. Take Walnuts to Heart\nEveryone thinks you have to eat salmon a couple of times a\nweek to get the heart-healthy benefits of omega-3 fatty acids. A\nhandful of walnuts will also give you a generous supply of this\ngood fat. One ounce contains 2.5 grams of omega-3s, not to mention\nample amounts of antioxidants, protein, and fiber. In fact, the fda\nsuggests that eating 1.5 ounces of walnuts a day as part of a diet\nlow in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart\ndisease. The omega-3's ability to reduce inflammation and clumping\nof platelets may have broad health implications for many chronic\ndiseases facing us.\nRecipe: \n\n  Chicken Braised in Walnut Sauce\n\n&#8213; \nBeverly Utt, health consultant, R.D., M.S., M.P.H.\n\n7. Oatmeal Beyond Breakfast\nOatmeal is rich in soluble fiber--beta glucan to be\nspecific&#8213;which can improve heart health and help with weight\ncontrol by keeping you feeling full longer. The FDA recommends\neating of oatmeal help reduce LDL cholesterol levels. The fiber can\nalso lower your risk for type II diabetes by preventing dramatic\nspikes in blood sugar. Oatmeal is a good source of iron, as well,\nproviding about 1.6 milligrams per cup.\nRecipe: \n\n  Irish Oatmeal Bread\n\n&#8213; \nJulie Walsh, R.D., spokesperson for the American Dietetic\nAssociation\n\n8. Benefits from Berries\nThe National Cancer Institute recommends four to six servings\nof fruits and vegetables a day. I would make berries, frozen or\nfresh, one of those servings.\nBerries are little storehouses of fiber; antioxidants; the\nvitamins A, C, E, and folic acid; and the minerals potassium and\ncalcium. They also contain ellagic acid and lignans, plant\ncompounds that may reduce the risk of some cancers. Studies show\nthat the phytochemicals in berries may also help promote heart\nhealth in humans and reduce the risk of age-related conditions,\nsuch as Alzheimer's disease.\"\nFrozen berries have virtually the same levels of nutrients as\nfresh and are available year-round.\nRecipe: \n\n  Breakfast Polenta with Warm Berry Compote\n\n&#8213; \nGary Stoner, Ph.D., chair of environmental health, Ohio State\nUniversity\n"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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