Tomato has anti-cancer properties.

Another food to take advantage of is the not-so-humble tomato. Tomatoes offer vitamin C and a lot more. They are rich in important carotenoids, including lycopene, a relative of the famed beta-carotene. Whole tomatoes and tomato products, including tomato sauce, tomato paste, pizza sauce, tomato juice, and tomato-based soups and stews, all contain lycopene, which may help reduce the risk of prostate cancer.

What's interesting about this recently discovered carotenoid is that it seems the body can better absorb it from tomatoes that are cooked and processed. Ounce for ounce, cooked and processed tomatoes and tomato products contain up to 10 times more lycopene than fresh tomatoes do.

Perhaps the best news of all is that because lycopene is a fat-soluble compound, it is better absorbed if it is eaten or cooked with a small amount of fat. So go ahead and prepare your pasta sauce with a little olive oil and leave out the guilt.

Miracle Food Chart