Best Protein -  Fish
Fish offers a great source of protein and B vitamins without the high saturated fat found in meats. Many species of fish contain Omega-3 fatty acids that can help prevent heart attacks. The best choices are salmon, trout, sardines, herring, and mackerel, and should be eaten 2-3 times each week.

Best Grain - Oatmeal
This whole grain food is rich in soluble fibre, the type that helps to lower cholesterol and keeps you feeling full longer. The fibre in oatmeal can also help prevent type 2 diabetes by preventing large peaks in blood sugar. It can also protect from cancer and heart disease, as well as providing magnesium and potassium, 2 minerals that help keep blood pressure under control.

Best Green Vegetable - Kale
Kale is a leafy green vegetable that can be found year-round. Cooked kale packs calcium, beta-carotene, vitamins A, C, and E, potassium, and fibre. Kale is an excellent source of lutein, a natural chemical associated with a lower risk of age-related macular degeneration and cataracts.

Best Starchy Side - Sweet Potato
Sweet potatoes are one of the most nutritious vegetables you can eat. Just ¾ cup of baked sweet potato provides 60% of your daily vitamin C and more than 300 times your vitamin A. You also get folate, potassium, and fibre. What's the difference between sweet potatoes and yams? Sweet potatoes are rich in vitamin A, while yams contain no vitamin A.

Best Fruit - Blueberries
Blueberries get their dark colour from anthocyanins, potent cancer-fighting antioxidants. They also deliver a large dose of vitamins A, C, and E, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and fibre with zero fat. The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of blueberries may protect brain cells from damage caused by free radicals, which reduces the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

Best Snack - Nuts
Nuts are rich sources of vitamin E, minerals, fibre, and essential fatty acids. They also contain monounsaturated fats and plant sterols, which have been linked to protection from heart disease. But remember to keep the servings small, as one cup of nuts packs roughly 850 calories and 18 teaspoons of oil!

Best Dairy - Yogurt
Like milk, yogurt provides protein, B vitamins, zinc, and calcium. One cup of low-fat yogurt packs 300 milligrams of calcium. But, yogurt has something that you can't get in a glass of milk-live bacteria cultures that help your intestinal tract maintain a healthy balance of bacteria.

Best Hot Beverage - Tea
Black and green teas are rich in antioxidants called catechins, which protect from heart disease. There is also growing evidence to suggest that tea protects from certain kinds of cancer, including breast cancer.

Best Treat - Dark Chocolate
Good news! Creamy chocolate has the same disease fighting antioxidants found in red wine and tea. They contain minerals such as iron, calcium, magnesium, and potassium, as well as many vitamins.

Best Fast Food - Pizza
It's true that pizza is not a low-fat food, but one slice does have considerably less calories, fat and sodium than a burger and fries. The cheese provides a fair amount of calcium, and the tomato sauce adds vitamins A and C and the cancer-fighting chemical called lycopene. For a healthier pizza, order a thin crust with half of the cheese, and skip the multi-meat toppings.


DISCLAIMER
The information on www.shapehealthandwellness.com is for educational purposes only. It is not medical advice and is not intended to replace the advice or attention of health-care professionals. Please consult your physician or book a consultation with SHAPE before changing your diet or exercise program, for diagnosis and treatment of illnesses and/or injuries, for advice regarding medications, and prior to making use of any of the information within our website, articles or newsletters.