If you're craving something festively sweet this holiday season, reach for a gingerbread cookie. It's sure to hit the spot -- with it's mere 180 calories -- and it just might fight cancer at the same time.

Two recent studies indicate that the compounds in ground ginger -- the kind used in most gingerbread recipes -- help battle breast cancer. Another study finds ground ginger causes ovarian cancer cells to attack themselves and die. It's not yet clear how much ginger is necessary to combat these diseases, but using ginger in everyday dishes is a good start.

If your mouth is watering for a little gingerbread, check out this cookie recipe.