Sweet Potatoes

More colorful -- and better for you -- than a regular old spud, this root vegetable comes in a variety of hues, from yellow to dark orange to reddish purple. When cooked, an enzyme in the sweet potato breaks down the tuber's starch and turns it into maltose, creating an appealingly sweet flavor.

Like carrots, brightly colored sweet potatoes are packed with beta-carotene -- so they may be good for vision, help prevent some kinds of cancer, and boost immunity. Low in calories and high in fiber, sweet potatoes are also great for weight loss or maintenance. And as if all that weren't enough, they deliver folate and vitamins B6, C, and E.