Beans
It’s hard to imagine a more perfect food than beans. One cooked cup can provide as much as 17 grams of fiber. They’re also loaded with protein and dozens of key nutrients, including a few most women fall short on—calcium, potassium, and magnesium. Studies tie beans to a reduced risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and breast and colon cancers. Keep your cupboards stocked with all kinds: black, white, kidney, fat-free refried, etc.
Lean beef
Lean beef is one of the best-absorbed sources of iron there is. (Too-little iron can cause anemia.) Adding as little as one ounce of beef per day can make a big difference in the body’s ability to absorb iron from other sources, says Mary J. Kretsch, PhD, a researcher at the USDA-ARS Western Human Nutrition Research Center in Davis, CA.
Beef also packs plenty of zinc and B vitamins, which help your body convert food into energy. If you can, splurge on grass-fed beef. Compared with grain-fed beef, it has twice the concentration of vitamin E, a powerful brain-boosting antioxidant. It’s also high in omega-3 fatty acids.