A healthy diet is made up of a variety of fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, lean protein and low dairy fat which must be included daily in a diet. The top 10 in healthy foods are the following and should be amongst those included in your diet:

Cruciferous vegetables: These vegetables include broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower. They contain a number of beneficial phytochemicals which may offer some protection against cancer.

Sweet potatoes and other Carotenoids-rich fruits and vegetables: These include papino, cling peaches, carrots, pumpkin and spinach. Beta-carotene can help to prevent damage by free radicals which might otherwise lead to cancer.

Parsley: This super food is not just there for garnishing. Throw a few springs of parsley into your mixed salad and get 2/3 of your daily needed supply of vitamin C and about a 1/3 of your needed vitamin A. It is also so effective at fighting bad breath if you chew it after you ate something!

Onions and garlic: Onions are thought to control cholesterol just as well as garlic by helping to offset the artery-clogging effects of a high fat-diet. Although these claims are not yet proven fully, there is evidence to suggest that this effect may help to prevent circulatory diseases such as coronary heart disease, thrombosis and a wide range of diseases associated with strokes and poor circulation.

Beans and other legumes: Beans provide an excellent source of protein and fibre, with only a faction of the amount of fat you would find even in lean meat. In recent years medical attention has been focussed on the possible role of dry beans in the diet for the prevention and treatment of the degenerative diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer, and as a result they come highly recommended for good health.

Oily varieties of fish: This include sardines, pilchards, anchovies, herring and mackerel which boast more fat in the form of the heart friendly omega-3 fatty acids. Research has shown that that it is these omega-3 fatty acids which can help against heart disease and circulation problems, and there are many studies that indicate that these same fatty acids may help with the prevention of conditions such as psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, asthma and depression.

Nuts: They are high in fat, but the fat they contain is the monounsaturated kind, which is heart healthy.

Citrus fruits: These fruits are not only rich in vitamin C, but they are also thought to have a role to play in protecting against cancer because the pulp and pith contain compounds known as bioflavonoid which are thought to neutralise cancer-causing substances.

Soya beans: Researchers at this point in time are still examining the possible role of Soya in protecting against cancer, particularly breast cancer, as well as osteoporosis and menopausal symptoms, because of the phytoestrogens they contain – do not wait for the research results – start including it in your diet now! 

 Yoghurt and other dairy products: Few foods are more nourishing than milk and it is such a valuable source of easily absorbed calcium in our diets. Live yoghurt is thought to discourage the proliferation of harmful bacteria and yeasts in the gut that may lead to bowel infection.

 De Villiers