►The payoff: Use these in your cooking for a dose of good-for-you mono-unsaturated fats. Plus, making these oils part of your diet gives you more omega-3s  that help keep your ticker happy.

Reach for: Cinnamon, oregano, thyme and cloves

►The payoff: Oils and extracts from these herbs and spices are antimicrobial. They might be helpful in keeping E. coli and other pesky bugs away from your family’s food, USDA experts say.