When it comes to choosing what to eat, I like to get a lot of nutritional bang for my buck, so to speak. The best deals? “Superfoods” that are far more plentiful in nutrients than they are in calories and that research has shown deliver health benefits. You’re probably already eating a lot of everyday superfoods-like bananas, eggs and broccoli-and maybe even some exotic ones (acai, anyone?).

Read more: 7 of the Healthiest Foods You Should Be Eating but Aren’t

Ask most dermatologists what you should eat to help improve your skin and you’ll probably get a vague answer about a balanced diet and plenty of water. “Doctors have been taught to be very skeptical about nutritional approaches to health, because past advice wasn’t based on hard science,” says dermatologist Valori Treloar, M.D., coauthor of The Clear Skin Diet. But their skepticism is fading as more patients sing the praises of food’s skin-morphing powers, and newer research backs them up. Take teens with acne: They swear that chocolate makes breakouts worse, and (vindication!) a preliminary study of 18- to 35-year-olds presented at this year’s American Academy of Dermatology conference suggests they’re right.

Read more: Superfoods for Glowing Skin

It’s tasty and versatile — but is coconut the latest health food? We look at the benefits and myths behind this famed fruit.

Coconut milk, coconut oil, coconut water, coconut pulp — there’s been a lot of buzz in recent years about the health benefits of coconut. This tasty fruit has been a staple food and natural remedy in various cultures for centuries, but more recently its been making a comeback in North America. Some cooks swear by it, and some companies say their products can treat everything from kidney stones to HIV — and even help you lose weight.

But is coconut really the latest superfood? Here’s a look at two of the products getting all the attention.

Read more: The wonders of coconut?

Is Greek yogurt already old hat? If you love expanding your nutrition horizons get ready for a whole new crop of superfoods bound to become the next big thing:

Skyr This Icelandic yogurt is technically a soft cheese, but its texture and nutrients are similar to Greek yogurt, and it includes the same basic ingredients: skim milk and live active cultures. Skyr is made using a centuries-old straining processes that removes the whey (liquid), which makes it creamy and thick (stick a spoon in it and turn it upside down – it won’t fall out!) without providing any fat. A single 6 oz container of plain, nonfat packs 17 g of protein compared to about 15 g in Greek and 8 g in traditional yogurt.

Read more: 5 Hot New Superfoods

To reduce your risk of cancer, look no further than your fridge. “All the studies on cancer and nutrition point to eating plant-based foods for their phytonutrients and other special compounds,” says Richard Béliveau, PhD, chair in the prevention and treatment of cancer at the University of Québec at Montreal and author of Foods to Fight Cancer.

Aim for five to nine daily servings of all kinds of fruits and vegetables—especially these six superstars.

Read more: 6 cancer-fighting superfoods

I have a love/hate relationship with “superfoods.” What I love about them is that they’re multi-taskers—brimming with various disease-fighting nutrients, usually without providing too many calories, and delivered in a delicious form (think: blueberries).

What I dislike is that some foods deemed “super” are exotic (ahem, the goji berry?!) or something—like, say, sardines—that you’d only have once in a while. Healthy? Yes. Would you eat them every day? Probably not.

Read more here: 10 everyday superfoods—are they on your menu?

Experts say good nutrition isn’t just about one superstar ingredient; it’s about group dynamics — the way certain food combinations work together for maximum health benefits. These superfood combinations can lower your cancer risk, strengthen your bones, boost your immunity, and give you better skin.

Read more here: Superfood Combinations

Add these foods to your diet – they’re high in nutrients and have proven health benefits that’ll give you a major boost

Read more here: The top superfoods

After reviewing the findings of more than 60 existing studies that explore the nutritional aspects of mushrooms, a team of dietary students concluded that overall they have some powerful health benefits, says Kaila Hauck, a fourth-year student at the university.

Read more here: Mushrooms have powerful health benefit: study

Remember when any fat was bad fat? When the only difference between a croissant and Krispy Kreme was snob appeal? Now that science has happpily found that some fats are good fats, it’s all about avoiding the bad guys. But if sorting out omega-3s from sat fats makes you want to drown your frustration in a quarter-pounder and fries (a whopping 56 grams of the ickiest stuff), here’s a simple list that rates fats from the top dog to don’t-even-think-about-it.

TOP FATS: THE OMEGA-3s
Among the best fats on the planet, omega-3s add years to your life by dramatically reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke. They may also stave off arthritis, depression, some cancers, and even tame menstrual cramps and post-workout soreness. Looking for clear, soft skin, and great hair? Omega-3s do that too.

Eat these frequently:

• Fatty fish, such as wild salmon, sardines, herring, and tuna
• Flax seeds and flax seed oil
• Walnuts
• Canola oil and leafy greens (modest amounts)

GOOD FATS: THE MONOS

All monounsaturated fats are kind to your heart, because they up good HDL cholesterol and lower bad LDL cholesterol (the kind that clogs arteries). But virgin olive oil, the MVP of monounsaturates, does more. For starters, it contains micronutrients that are needed for hormone and enzyme production. But olive oil also boasts compounds that may fight breast and colon cancer, as well as boost the cancer-fighting power of other foods.

Delicious sources are:

• Olives
• Virgin olive oil—be sure it’s virgin; processing destroys nutrients
• Canola oil
• Peanut and other nut oils
• Nuts
• Avocados

PRETTY GOOD FATS: THE POLYS

Most polyunsaturated fats are heart-friendly, but with the exception of omega-3s, they don’t have the star power of other healthy fats. Also, they contain omega-6s, which are healthy unless you get too many of them—and most Americans get up to 25 times more omega 6s than they need—because they can overwhelm the superstar omega-3s. Overall, try to get most of your polyunsaturated fats from omega-3 sources.

Find them in:

• -Corn, soybean, safflower, canola, sunflower and cottonseed oils
• -Fatty fish (canned light tuna counts)

LOUSY FATS: THE SATS

Saturated fats are mainly trouble because they raise blood cholesterol to artery-clogging levels. In one study, eating a single slice of carrot cake and drinking a milkshake hindered the body’s heart-protective functions. Loading up on sat fats may also harm brain molecules that help form memories, raising the risk of dementia.

Skimp or skip:

• Meats, particularly with visible fat
• Poultry skin, fat, and dark meat
• Whole-milk dairy foods including butter, full-fat cheeses, ice cream, sour cream
• Coconut and palm oils
• Lard and shortening

DON’T EVEN THINK ABOUT ‘EM: TRANS FATS

These fats are so scary that they’re being banned in some cities, and food manufacturers and restaurants are working fast to find substitutes. Trans fats are formed when liquid oils are zapped with hydrogen, turning them solid (like stick margarine). Processed foods that contain trans fats have nearly eternal shelf life — ironically, that’s why trans fats were invented: to keep food from going bad. But trans fats turned out to boost bad cholesterol, decrease good cholesterol, gum up arteries, and set off inflammation throughout the body, which can trigger a host of problems, from stroke to diabetes.

Bypass completely. Though things are changing quickly, be suspicious of any fast or processed food that’s not labeled trans-fat free (packaged-food labels now must list trans fats), including…

• All deep-fried foods-chips, French fries, onion rings, donuts, etc.
• Many fast foods
• Candy
• Commercial baked goods-cookies, pies, cakes, rolls, muffins, etc.

Bottom line

Stay away from trans fats the way you’d avoid highways the day before a holiday weekend. Clog city.