Top 10 Superfoods

1. ACAI BERRY

Growing on palm trees in the Amazonian rainforest, this Brazilian berry is rumored to be the best super food around. With its high-fiber, high-protein and low-sugar content, açaí can be found in smoothies, frozen yogurts, juices and even alcoholic beverages. Though their nutritive benefits are on par with blueberries, cranberries and strawberries, açaí berries boast ten times the amount of antioxidants found in red grapes. Antioxidants, which are good for the blood, reduce high blood pressure and can prevent heart disease.

2. CINNAMON

Used in dishes from Indian curry to all-American apple pie, the once rare bark of the cinnamon tree is now ubiquitous. As this sweetly scented spice helps curb high blood sugar, it can be used to treat diabetes. Moreover, cinnamon's anti-inflammatory properties can alleviate the symptoms of arthritis. Among its many other uses, cinnamon also inhibits the growth of food borne bacteria, thereby not only acting as a food preservative, but aiding digestion and preventing some stomach ulcers as well.

3. CITRUS FRUIT

Whether one prefers grapefruits, oranges or tangerines, citrus fruits are high in vitamin C, which is needed to fight off colds and nasty flu viruses. These are often called winter citrus fruits for this reason, since consumption levels peak during that season! Oranges, tangerines and grapefruits have been proven to prevent many kinds of cancer, too, such as prostate, lung and breast cancers. So start off your day right with a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice

4. CRANBERRIES

Loaded with proanthocyanidins (a type of antioxidant-rich, free-radical-fighting flavanoid), a daily dose of this crimson-red berry can help fight off urinary tract infections and other bacterial diseases. Cranberry consumption should not be relegated to the annual Thanksgiving dinner. Besides the benefits for the blood provided by antioxidant-packed cranberries, these tart berries are excellent for the mouth. We're not just referring to taste, though they are delicious. Cranberries have been shown to prevent cavities and gum disease.

5. GARLIC

Don't shrink from the stink just yet; the pungently scented bulb lowers blood pressure as well as reduces the risk of getting bacterial infections. Garlic also acts as an anti-inflammatory, alleviating ailments such as arthritis and asthma. We all know that garlic contributes to bad breath, but one advantage of this potent spice is that you don't have to eat large quantities of it. Just two cloves per week is sufficient to enjoy garlic's benefits.

6. KALE

Kale comes in many colorful varieties: from curly kale to shiny blue-green-leafed dinosaur kale and green, white or purple ornamental kales. This ruffled leafy vegetable boasts a healthy dosage of calcium, vitamin B6 and lutein, helping prevent both skin and eye ailments. As with other cruciferous vegetables, kale is in the vanguard of cancer-preventing foods. Steam or stir-fry kale, though, as boiling the vegetable reduces its nutritive value.

7. POMEGRANATES

Well-represented in ancient art and literature, pomegranates have been slow to migrate away from the Mediterranean and Middle East. Only recently have the seeds of this superfood been found sweetening dishes, such as soups and salads, in Western countries. Drinking the juice of this seedy red fruit promotes a healthy heart as well as helps combat stroke, hypertension and Alzheimer's disease. In Ayurvedic medicine, pomegranates are used as a traditional remedy for diarrhea, dysentary and intestinal parasites.

8. PUMPKIN

Full of flavor and health benefits, pumpkins don't merely belong carved up on your front porch at Halloween or in your pie at Thanksgiving. The meat, seeds and oil of this fall-favorite squash possess vital nutrients that reduce signs of aging as well as the risk of prostate cancer in men. In addition to high mineral content, pumpkin's medicinal properties include anti-diabetic, antioxidant, anti-carcinogenic and anti-inflammatory.

9. TOMATO

Native to South America, tomatoes are now a vital ingredient in cuisine all over the world, yet how did it all happen so fast? It's impossible now to imagine Italian food without them. Indeed, Italians are healthier because of their high consumption of tomatoes, since the ripe red fruit (regarded as a vegetable for culinary purposes) is good for the heart. Packed with the antioxidant lycopene, tomatoes help slow tumor growth as well as prevent breast, cervical, stomach and other cancers. Additionally, the lycopene in tomatoes improves the skin's ability to protect against harmful UV rays.

10. WATERCRESS

In some regions of the world, watercress is regarded as a weed, in others as an aquatic vegetable or herb. Boasting so many health benefits, watercress is definitely not a weed! Most potent when consumed fresh and raw, this leafy perennial helps combat a variety of cancers and has long been used to treat scurvy. Due to its high iodine content, watercress has a strengthening effect on the thyroid gland, which makes it beneficial for sufferers of hypothyroidism.