text: If you already follow a healthful meal plan filled with whole grains, fresh fruits and veggies, and lean protein, congratulations! You’re on your way to a long, healthy life and are taking a major step in controlling your weight and blood glucose levels. Plus, you’re probably already eating a bunch of the foods on this list.
  For those who are taking the baby-steps approach to eating better, this list is even more helpful. Not only are these power foods high in fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins and minerals, they’re also familiar and easy to find. That means you don’t have to hunt down any exotic ingredients or shop at specialty grocery stores to find foods that will help you get on track with a healthful meal plan.
  Red onions don’t just add great color to salads, sandwiches, and stews. They also score highest in antioxidant power, with yellow onions not far behind and white a distant third.
  Onions are also a good source of fiber, potassium, and folate-all good for heart health. Onions’ high flavonoid content also puts them on the map for cancer and cardiovascular research and other chronic diseases, such as asthma. According to a 2002 study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, having a high dietary intake of the flavonoid quercetin found in onions may lower the risk of these chronic illnesses.
  One serving of the nonstarchy vegetable is 1 cup raw or 1/2 cup cooked. If you love onions but not the scent that lingers on your breath, try chewing on a few sprigs of parsley or a mint leaf.
  1. Coat an unheated grill rack with cooking spray. Place peppers, corn, and onion on the prepared rack on an uncovered grill directly over medium heat. For onion, grill about 10 minutes or until crisp-tender, turning once; remove from grill. For corn and peppers, grill for 25 to 30 minutes or until corn is crisp-tender and lightly charred and pepper skins are charred, turning occasionally; remove from grill. Wrap peppers in foil; cool slightly.