10 Healthful Foods

We often eat food that we are fond of eating - some, not for their benefits. Perhaps we need to focus more on what goes into us, at least for health reasons.

Here are ten superfoods you may want to consume more of for better health.

1. Beets - great for fighting cancer. Eat them raw for a full effect of the nutrients. Even the leaves and stems are edible.

2. Cabbage - contains cancer-fighting enzymes higher than any other plant chemical.

3. Guava - has a higher concentration of lycopene -- an antioxidant that fights prostate cancer. Guys may want to take note.

4. Swiss chard - Hidden in the leafy-greens cooler of your market, you'll find this slightly bitter, salty vegetable, which is actually native to the Mediterranean. It contains carotenoids that protect your retinas from the damage of aging. This vegetable can also be stirred fried.

5. Cinnamon - helps control your blood sugar, which influences your risk of heart disease. No need for the fancy oils and extracts sold at vitamin stores; just sprinkle the stuff that's in your spice rack (or in the shaker at Starbucks) into your coffee or on your oatmeal.

6. Purslane - an antioxidant that may inhibit cancer growth, Purslane has the highest amount of heart-healthy omega-3 fats of any edible plant. It is a broad-leaved weed and is a popular vegetable and herb in many other countries, including China, Mexico, and Greece.

7. Pomegranate juice - found to decrease high-blood pressure.

8. Goji berries or wolfberries - a highly-effective antioxidant. These potent berries have been used as a medicinal food in Tibet and China for thousands of years. They can be eated dried or fresh.

9. Dried plums or prunes - contains high amounts of antioxidants that fight cancer. Great for the bowel system too.

10. Pumpkin seeds - contains a high level of magnesium and for men, it prevents early death.

Okay, you have heard a lot of 'antioxidants' but what does it mean? I could not have put it any better so here is what 'antioxidants' is, explained is simple, easy-to-understand terms, straight from abc news.

Antioxidants, Explained
The science is clear: Plant foods are good for you. And the credit often goes to chemicals they produce called antioxidants. Just as the name suggests, antioxidants help protect your cells against oxidation. Think of oxidation as rust. This rust is caused by free radicals, which are unstable oxygen atoms that attack your cells, inducing DNA damage that leads to cancer. Thankfully, antioxidants help stabilize free radicals, which keeps the rogue atoms from harming your cells.

So by eating more antioxidant-rich foods, you'll boost the amount of the disease-fighting chemicals floating in your bloodstream. The result: Every bite fortifies your body with all-natural preventive medicine.

Abcnews has details on the above 10 Healthful Foods.