South Beach Diet. Super Foods For Every Phase

The South Beach Diet encourages you to reap the benefits from nutrient-dense whole foods, rather than trying to get those nutrients from supplements or fortified food products. "When you eat whole foods, you're getting all of the nutrients from the food, but you're also benefiting from the nutrients' interaction within the food — an advantage you just can't get from a vitamin pill," says Dr. Arthur Agatston, preventive cardiologist and author of The South Beach Diet. "That's why I recommend eating delicious fresh foods in a rainbow of colors that contain antioxidant and other disease-fighting nutrients rather than turning to supplements that have not been proven effective," he adds.

Here are some delicious antioxidant-packed foods to incorporate into your meal plans.

1. Blueberries (Phase 2): A 2005 University of Illinois study found that a number of compounds in blueberries, including pigment-producing anthocyanins, have powerful cancer-preventive powers. Other berries have similar antioxidants in smaller quantities.
2. Walnuts (Phase 1): Like all nuts, walnuts are a great source of protein, fiber, and healthy fats. Unlike other nuts, walnuts are high in heart-healthy omega-3 oils. Enjoy up to 15 walnuts a day as part of your nut/seed allotment. Other South Beach Diet-approved sources of omega-3s include flaxseed and, of course, fish and fish oil.
3. Pomegranates (Phase 2): These fruits are high in flavonoids, antioxidants also found in red wine (Phase 2) and cocoa (Phase 1, unsweetened). Recent studies show that pomegranate juice (Phase 3) may also help prevent heart disease.
4. Sweet Potatoes (Phase 2): They're rich in beta-carotene and vitamin C, both powerful antioxidants that work to eliminate cell-damaging free-radicals. Other good sources of beta-carotene are carrots (Phase 2) and apricots (Phase 2).
5. Tomatoes (Phase 1): A 2002 study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found that eating tomato products may reduce prostate cancer risk. The link is so strong that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) now allows tomatoes and tomato-based products, like tomato sauce, to carry a health claim linking tomato consumption with a reduced rate of prostate cancer. The key ingredient: a powerful antioxidant called lycopene, also found in pink grapefruit (Phase 2) and guava (Phase 3).
6. Kale (Phase 1): Research shows that eating dark leafy greens, like kale, may help maintain good health by reducing one's risk of heart disease and stroke, some cancers, and several other illnesses. They're rich in beta-carotene, folate, and vitamins C, E, and K, which help protect against free radicals (damaged cells that injure good cells and harm DNA). Regularly eating dark leafy greens may also lower blood pressure and cholesterol and promote normal eyesight. Spinach and Swiss chard also contain these disease-fighting ingredients.