Beetroot
Beetroot isn't just great for sweetening up hamburgers.
It also happens to be one of the best sources of betaine and folate, two nutrients that reduce heart disease risk.

TIP Wash and peel one fresh beetroot, then shred it on the widest blade of a grater. Toss with one tablespoon of olive oil and the juice of half a lemon.

Cabbage
Cabbage might make you gassier than Barney Gumble, but each 92kJ cup is loaded with sulphoraphane, a chemical that increases your body's production of the enzymes that disarm cell-damaging, cancer-causing free radicals. Just avoid eating it before a date.

TIP Top off a burger with crunchy cabbage instead of soggy lettuce leaves.

Dried plums
Prunes' popularity among the geriatric set has ruined their image (foodies are trying to restore their reputation by calling them "dried plums").

It's too bad, because these little gems contain high amounts of neochlorogenic and chlorogenic acids, antioxidants that are effective at protecting against cancer growth.

TIP Wrap a slice of prosciutto around a dried plum, secure with a toothpick and bake in a 200°C oven for 10 to 15 minutes. Yum.

Alfalfa sprouts
They may smell like grass, but alfalfa sprouts have more than twice the protein of rocket (1.3g protein per cup compared with 0.5g) and more than twice the fibre (0.8g fibre per cup compared with 0.3g). They contain eight times more vitamin C than lettuce and they're one of the best sources of saponins, which can lower LDL (bad) cholesterol.

TIP Load up homemade rolls with crunchy alfalfa sprouts.

Guava
The deliciously sweet yellow and pink guava has a higher concentration of the cancer-fighting antioxidant lycopene than tomatoes and watermelon, often considered to be the best sources of the protective red pigment.

TIP You can eat the entire fruit, from the rind to the seeds.

Silverbeet
Like spinach? You're going to love silverbeet (aka chard). A cooked half-cup has 10mg of lutein and zeaxanthin and carotenoids that guard against retinal damage caused by ageing, say researchers from the Oregon Health and Science University, US.

TIP Sauté with a little olive oil and garlic for a simple side.