Eat well, live long!

Here is a list of the top ten healthy foods for lifelong health and longevity.

1. Onion

Onions contain the potent antioxidant Quercetin which guard against tumours. They also contain flavanoids which help prevent heart disease, chromium which controls blood sugar and aid digestion, a great boon for many older people.

2. Garlic

Garlic boosts cardiovascular health and is a great prebiotic containing healthy bacteria to fight infection and line the gut. Master herbalist and natural medicine expert Philip Weeks says: "'Garlic is the king of anti-ageing foods, thanks to its high concentration of sulphur compounds."

3. Carrots

Carrots are cheap, very healthy and fight the ageing process due to their high concentration of beta carotene.They are great for keeping your skin supple and young-looking and are also good for heart health.

4. Pumpkin

Pumpkins are bursting with beta carotene and a perfect seasonal vegetable that is so good for you and keeps you young and healthy!

5. Watercress

Eat these amazing green leaves in your sandwiches, on toast and regularly in your salads and you will definitely fight back the years as watercress protects against premature sking ageing. Eaten regularly watercress will reduce DNA damage to white blood cells which in turn may reduce the risk of cancer.

6. Apples

The old saying is true about apples, that an apple a day keeps the doctor away. They contain nutrients which assist the immune system and keep away colds and fevers. It's important not to peel them as most of the goodness is from the skin - which also saves your skin!

7. Mushrooms

It's recently been discovered that chemicals found in mushrooms may significantly reduce the risk of breast cancer. Mushrooms also lower blood pressure and the risks of developing heart disease and strokes.

8. Beetroots

Abundant in antioxidants, beetroots help maintain a healthy heart and their large nitrate content guard against high blood pressure. Beetroot soup is warming and colourful to cheer up a cold autumn day. Drinking beetroot juice is a great antidote against strokes as has been recently discovered.

9. Sweet potato

According to Philip Weeks sweet potatoes contain "unique proteins with significant antioxidant qualities, which encourage the body's self repair mechanisms." They are invaluable for older people who suffer from rheumatism or arthritis as they are a great aid for these conditions.

10. Parsnips

These contain lots of vitamin C, phosphorus and potassium which all encourage collagen in the skin, keeping it young and supple.

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