Soup up your soup with this veggie

I'm not personally a fan of canned soups -- too much sodium for me -- but RealAge says there's a way to make these soups healthier, once you find a low-sodium variety, that is. The secret? Throw some veggies in the mix. The specific veggie RealAge recommends: Fennel.

Fennel, a spice, herb, and veggie all rolled into one, works well in all kinds of soups -- chicken noodle and tomato are two. Loaded with anitoxidants, fennel can also help knock out foodbourne bacteria like E.coli and Salmonella.

Next time you're pressed for time and find yourself grabbing for the can, make sure you have some fennel on hand. Find it in your produce section -- looks like celery stalks -- or grab some spicy fennel from the spice aisle.