1) ALMONDS

Almonds are a great, natural snack food which are packed full of nutrients.  They can be eaten on their own, as part of a dried fruit and nut mix or even fried and served with seafood.  Almonds have antioxidant properties and protect your body from oxygen related damage whilst also promoting good heart health and supporting healthy weight loss.  When it comes to microminerals, they are an excellent source of boron (which promotes good bone health), copper (which supports the production of collagen, elastin, haemoglobin, melanin and myelin), manganese (which activates key enzymes in the body), nickel (which supports metabolism) and silicon (which supports healthy growth).

Despite many concerns about the health risks of beef, more recent research has suggested it is actually very good for you.  This red meat is extremely versatile and can be eaten with vegetables and gravy, as part of a salad or even added to a casserole, curry or stew.  Beef has many health benefits which include promoting good heart health, supporting proper growth and preventing colon cancer.  On top of this it is rich in the microminerals chromium (which helps to regulate blood glucose, cholesterol and insulin levels), iron (which is key for the formation of haemoglobin), selenium (which supports the immune system and prevents certain types of cancer) and zinc (an antioxidant which protects the body and supports the healing of wounds).

Brazil nuts are another nutrient packed, natural snack food.  They make an excellent alternative to processed snack foods such as crisps or chocolate.  Brazil nuts have numerous health benefits which include protecting you from cancer, heart disease and oxygen related cellular damage.  They also promote good immune system and thyroid gland health.  In terms of microminerals Brazil nuts are an excellent source of boron, copper, iron and selenium.

Many people view cheese as an unhealthy food due to its high saturated fat content.  However, an increasing body of research is now supporting the health benefits of this food.  Cheese makes a great companion to almost any dish.  It can be used to flavour curries, casseroles, meats, salads and sauces.  Aside from the great taste, cheese can help prevent numerous health conditions (such as breast cancer, colon cancer and osteoporosis) and support healthy growth (through its high levels of calcium and protein).  It is also a fantastic source of the microminerals calcium, phosphorus and sodium (which helps maintain blood pressure, blood volume, fluid balance and regular heartbeats).

Garlic is one of the healthiest foods around and is versatile enough to complement fish, meat and vegetable dishes.  Just a small amount of garlic can boost your heart health, prevent cancer, reduce inflammation in your body and strengthen your immune system.  It also provides you with high levels of the microminerals germanium (which can prevent many health conditions such as asthma, arthritis, cancer, diabetes, depression, heart disease, high blood pressure and osteoporosis) and manganese.

Liver is one of the most nutritious meats available.  It goes great with vegetables and can also be used to thicken up a curry, casserole or stew.  In terms of health benefits eating liver keeps your heart healthy, promotes energy production, protects against cancer and supports your immune system.  It also supplies your body with high levels of the microminerals chromium, copper, iron, selenium and zinc.

Oranges are a popular fruit, particularly at Christmas time.  They can be eaten on their own as a healthy snack, added to a fruit salad or if you are feeling festive they can be made into a Christingle.  Enjoying an orange a day can provide antioxidant protection to your body, help prevent a variety of health conditions (including arteriosclerosis, cancer and heart disease) and keep your bones and blood healthy.  Oranges are also an excellent source of the microminerals boron and silicon.

Oysters are best known for their aphrodisiac properties but they are also a brilliant food for all round good health.  They are normally eaten raw from the shell but can be fried, grilled or even steamed if you want to experiment.  In terms of health benefits oysters can help your wounds heal, strengthen your immune system and support the production of collagen (the main protein in animal connective tissues which helps keep your skin firm).  Oysters are also a brilliant source of the microminerals copper, iodine (which promotes optimal thyroid health), vanadium (which supports proper metabolism and keeps your bones and teeth strong) and zinc.

Spinach is a light, nutritious vegetable that you can add to almost any salad or serve boiled as part of a hot dish.  Due to its very high vitamin content, spinach is an extremely healthy food that can protect you from cancer, inflammation, oxygen related damage and also keep your bones healthy.  In addition to this, spinach is rich in the microminerals iron, manganese and vanadium.

Whole grain bread is the healthier option when it comes to sandwich making.  It has more fibre, more nutrients and more vitamins than white bread which means it promotes good bowel health, energy production, healthy metabolism and much more.  In terms of microminerals whole grain bread is a great source of arsenic (which supports healthy growth), chromium, manganese and silicon.