5 of the Healthiest Foods You Should Be Eating—But Aren't

Bone broth is all the rage, and for good reason! Although its healing and nurturing properties have been recognized for ages, bone broth's value in repairing the digestive tract, aiding detoxification and reducing cellulite are more recent additions to its list of good-for-you benefits. Bone broth is filling, and soups have been shown in studies to help weight loss substantially.  One to two cups a day can help the pounds melt away! Bone broth can also boost your energy (which helps to ward off hunger) and shield you from colds and flu—warm, rich bone broth has long been a go-to elixir for those who are feeling under the weather.

Red is the new green! Beets are one of the most regenerative foods for your body. It's hard to keep up with their ever-expanding list of benefits: Beets aid digestion, thin the bile, cleanse the liver, alkalize the blood, and even improve cognitive function and sports performance. Beets also help build strong bile. What does bile have to do with losing weight? Bile is responsible for breaking down fats so they can be used for fuel, instead of padding for your hips and thighs. 

Chia seeds are much more than the magic behind Chia Pets! A concentrated source of protein, beneficial fats, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, chia can sustain your energy, sweep out your digestive tract and keep you from moving down the path toward type 2 diabetes. These tiny seeds pack twice the potassium of bananas and three times the antioxidant power of blueberries. When it comes to nutrient density, chia seeds are really remarkable! Just one ounce (about two tablespoons) packs 11 grams of fiber, four grams of protein, nine grams of fat, and significant, and all of this will keep you full longer so you won't be tempted to overeat.  Adding one to three tablespoons to smoothies, salads, and sides is all it takes.

This forgotten fat-melting food deserves much more attention than it gets. Once the darling of the diet set back in the day, lecithin is a naturally occurring fatty compound found in plant and animal tissues, a vital component of every cell that helps keep cell membranes nourished, pliable and healthy. Adding a tablespoon or two of non GMO soy or sunflower lecithin to your morning smoothie is like adding detergent to your dishwater—it melts fat off of your hips and thighs, breaking it down so your body can use what it needs and flush the rest away. It also comes into play because it can thin out bile, which is especially important for women, who are twice as likely as men to get gallstones. Higher estrogen levels due to hormone replacement therapy or pregnancy can increase cholesterol in the bile and impact gallbladder flow. Lecithin can help move bile along and thin it out.

It's time to get over that fear of fat! Coconut oil has been proven to be not only safe but also extremely effective at targeting abdominal fat in both men and women. By adding two or more tablespoons of this delicious "skinny fat" to your diet, it can reduce your belly fat and elevate your good HDL cholesterol levels. At least two studies document the effectiveness of coconut oil on belly fat burn for both sexes. In one, men and women received a daily dose of two tablespoons of coconut oil for a period of 12 weeks. At the end of the study, both men and women evidenced a reduction in waist circumference while the women also saw their HDL cholesterol levels rise. Coconuts and coconut oil contain an abundance of antioxidants and also can be regarded as an anti-aging food. Additionally, they boost thyroid function, improve digestion and absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, and promote conversion of cholesterol into pregnenolone, which is a precursor to many important hormones.