We all know that dairy products are packed with calcium and tomatoes are good for your heart, but did you know that each also have cancer-fighting properties? Didn't think so. Read on to discover more hidden benefits of the foods we already cherish for their nourishing, health-boosting ways.
Best known for: Calcium to keep your bones strong.
Bonus benefit: Its also packed with menaquinones, a type of vitamin K. A recent large-scale European study of more than 24,000 people age 35 to 64 found that a high dietary intake of menaquinones may reduce the risk of developing cancer, possibly by activating genes that kill cancer cells. Other sources of menaquinones: egg yolks, chicken and leafy greens.
Best known for: Lycopene to protect your heart.
Bonus benefit: Tomato-based sauces also contain apigenin, a powerful flavonoid (antioxidant). Women with the highest intake of apigenin (also found in celery, parsley and other plant-based foods) were less likely to develop ovarian cancer, according to research from Brigham and Womens Hospital and Harvard Medical School.
Best known for: Omega-3 fatty acids to lower triglycerides and prevent plaque buildup in your arteries.
Bonus benefit: People who ate the largest amounts of this fishor other omega-3rich foods like nutswere 20 percent less likely to have gum disease than those who ate the least, according to a recent Harvard study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.