Variety is key

Add the following foods to your must-buy list, and you'll be well on your way to: eating a diet for optimal health, reaching your ideal weight, and developing a strong body.

* Almonds: Nuts are full of fats. But they're the healthy, mono- and polyunsaturated kind, which can help lower cholesterol levels and help prevent heart disease. In addition, nuts are a good source of protein, fibre, selenium, vitamin E, and vitamin A.

* Sweet potatoes: A single 100-calorie sweet potato supplies the recommended daily intake of vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant. Sweet potatoes are also a good source of vitamin C, potassium, iron, and the two trace minerals, manganese and copper.

* Whole-grain cereal with protein: Look for whole-grain cereals that offer at least seven grams of fibre and eight or more grams of protein. Whole grains contain fibre, folic acid, selenium and additional B vitamins (crucial to energy metabolism), and disease-fighting compounds such as lignans.

* Oranges: Oranges are packed with vitamin C, which helps with the absorption of iron and folate, and helps boost your immune system.

* Salmon: Besides being an excellent source of high-quality protein, salmon is one of the best food sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which can help protect your heart.

* Rainbow of vegetables: Vegetables are important sources of many nutrients essential for maintaining a healthy body, including potassium, dietary fibre, folic acid, vitamin A, vitamin E, and vitamin C.

* Tomatoes: Tomatoes are high on the 'superfoods' list, because they contain an abundance of vitamins A and C, potassium, phytochemicals and lycopene (an antioxidant that may help may protect against certain cancers).

* Lean meat: Protein is needed for muscle growth and repair. Lean meats are a great source of iron, and also contain zinc, which promotes tissue growth and repair, as well as cell reproduction.

* Blueberries, raspberries and blackberries: These berries contain vitamin C, folic acid, fibre, Carotenoids and Anthocyanins (antioxidants that help neutralize "free radicals," cell-damaging molecules that can contribute to chronic diseases, including cancer and heart disease).

* Low-fat plain yogurt: Besides being a good source of vitamins and minerals such as calcium and vitamin D, low-fat yogurt with live cultures provides the healthy bacteria your digestive tract needs to function optimally.

* Dark green vegetables: Dark green vegetables are loaded with vitamins, minerals, beta-carotene, vitamin C, folate, iron, magnesium, and antioxidants.

* Beans and legumes: Eating beans and legumes regularly can help reduce the risk of certain cancers, lower blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and stabilize blood sugar.

* Eggs: Egg protein is one of the most complete food proteins, which means it contains all the crucial amino acids.