The Top 10 Healthiest Foods Includes Chocolate

We don't give them much thought in comparison to super-foods like quinoa and kale but it turns out the old dinner table staples are the healthiest on the planet.

Birmingham based catering company Plyvine Catering has revealed the list of relatively inexpensive and easy-to-source fruit, nuts, fish and vegetables that give us the most in health benefits.

From dark chocolate to potatoes, these are the foods to focus on for a healthy diet:

1. Salmon

The omega-3 fatty acids in salmon have been linked to a reduced risk of depression, heart disease and cancer. An 85 gram serving contains almost half your daily dose of niacin, said to protect against Alzheimers and memory loss.

2. Potatoes

One potato holds 66 micrograms of folate. That's about the equivalent to the amount found in a cup of spinach or broccoli. Kumara has almost eight times the amount of vitamin A required daily.

3. Lemons

Just one lemon has more than 100 per cent of your daily intake of vitamin C, which may help increase "good" HDL levels and strengthen bones.

Citrus flavonoids found in lemons may help inhibit the growth of cancer cells and act as an anti-inflammatory.

4. Chocolate

Just seven grams of dark chocolate can reduce blood pressure in otherwise healthy individuals.

5. Walnuts

Of all nuts, walnuts contain the most omega-3, an essential fat shown to improve mood and fight cancer.

6. Broccoli

A medium stalk of broccoli contains more than 100 per cent of your daily vitamin K requirements and just under 200 per cent of your recommended daily vitamin C dose.

7. Garlic

Allicin is a compound found in garlic that works as an anti-inflammatory. It has been shown to help lower cholesterol and blood-pressure levels.

8. Avocados

Avocados can reduce your risk of heart disease. In one avocado, more than half the fibre and 40 per cent of the folate you need daily can be found.

9. Spinach

This leafy green contains two immune-boosting antioxidants important for eye health. Recent research found that among cancer-fighting fruits and veggies, spinach is one of the most effective.

10. Beans

A serving of legumes such as beans, peas and lentils four times a week can reduce the risk of heart disease and breast cancer.

Source: NZ Herald