There are many examples of healthy foods out there, but it can be difficult to figure out exactly what you should be eating and what you should avoid. It is simpler to have three or four core foods in your diet, as all these will provide plenty of fuel. To give you an easy way to figure out how to lead a healthy lifestyle, i compiled 9 essential foods below.

Apples

Apples provide a lot of benefits to your health. Some examples include preventing heart disease, certain cancers, high blood pressure and type-2 diabetes. They also help to reduce the risk of lung cancer and asthma.

Studies have shown that eating apples boosts your body internally by providing fiber, potassium and antioxidants. The potential boost comes from interacting components like Vitamin C, polyphenols and similar substances.

To reap the full benefits of apples, eat a variety and make sure you eat the peel, which contains lots more antioxidants than the fruit. As they say – an apple a day, keeps the doctor away!

Avocados

The best way to make sure you’re absorbing all the nutrients from your food is to include avocado in your diet. The monounsaturated fat in avocado helps better assimilate fat-soluble phytonutrients like beta-carotene.

avocados also help with weight loss because they curb your hunger while they’re high in calories (48 per ounce). They can be eaten two or three times a week at one-third to one-half an avocado each time.

Dark Chocolate

When you want a little indulgence with your healthy snack, try dark chocolate. It contains lots of antioxidants which lower blood pressure and is a natural anti-inflammatory. Keep in mind that it’s only the dark chocolate that provides these benefits: other types may not have them and are just high in sugar.

Study conducted in 2000 revealed that dark chocolate affects blood flow similarly to low-dose aspirin – indicating that it could be used as a potential treatment for certain ailments.

For the best results, try Newman’s Own Dark Chocolate. A recent study by Pratt found this to have the most polyphenols among other dark chocolates. Like avocado, chocolate is high in calories so you should only have up to 100 calories a day.

Olive Oil

There has been a lot of talk about the benefits of this diet lately. It contains high amounts of healthy fats and vitamins from fruits and vegetables. Olive oil is a staple component as it not only helps you to maintain heart health, but provides other more specific benefits. It is a great substitute to oil and fat and has been shown to reduce the risk of breast cancer and colon cancer, lower blood pressure, improve your cardiovascular health. It`s also cholesterol free.

To get the best results, eat a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil that is cold-pressed and green colored. The green color helps you spot high levels of polyphenols

Garlic

Add garlic to your dish! It is a promising element of the Mediterranean diet. Eating it daily can reduce your blood pressure, triglyceride levels, and bad cholesterol while promoting cardiovascular health. Garlic also contains anti-inflammatory agents which protect against various diseases.

Some people find it difficult to eat raw garlic, but you can enjoy benefits of garlic either cooked or raw. Dried and powdered garlic don’t have the same health benefits as fresh.

Honey

Added to many lists of unhealthy foods, honey actually has a lot of hidden benefits. A new study reveals that eating honey on a daily basis can lead to higher levels of antioxidants in the blood stream, it relieves constipation and lowers cholesterol – while reducing blood pressure.

If you are feeling low on energy, reach for a natural sweetener like honey instead of sugar. Honey can help maintain blood sugar levels and should give you a boost in energy. Dark honey is better than light because it’s higher in antioxidants and flavor, too! One to two teaspoons, three to four times per week is usually the appropriate dosage.

Kiwis

To boost immunity and reduce the risk of respiratory diseases, osteoarthritis, and colon cancer, grab a few kiwis. They’ll provide some good Vitamin C and E as well. An intriguing point to consider is that dietary vitamin E appears to lower the risk of Alzheimer’s, and by consuming kiwi, you get all the benefits of vitamin E without having to eat nuts, and other foods high in calories.

Eating one kiwi or two-three a week can help you protect your eyesight and reduce the risk of blood clots. Kiwi is well-known for lowering the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration too.

Onions

In the event you are wondering about the benefits of onions, you can find out more information about garlic’s benefits here, as they are quite similar.

It is recommended to eat onions regularly and let them sit for 5-10 minutes before consuming. By doing so, you’ll ensure that the allicin found within doesn’t simply dissipate when the onion is heated. A tough onion is actually good for you.

Pomegranates

Pomegranates are rich in beneficial phytochemicals like potassium, which is great for lowering your blood pressure. Research also shows that they can slow the progression of prostate cancer and reduce the risk of atherosclerosis.

Instead of struggling with the tiny seeds, try 4-8oz of 100% pomegranate juice a day. Take care not to consume juices that are high in sugar.