In doing research for this piece on the top health foods, I came across a website touting over 129 foods as being the healthiest in the world. In one sense, this is good news, because you can easily build a complete diet around a variety of food choices. On the other hand, boring readers with a long list of foods and their benefits is not the goal here, so I’ve chosen to select some fruits, vegetables, grains and other foods that provide exceptional benefits to your health and body.

Healthy Food #1: Avocado

photo credit: faeryboots

These little rich California buttery delights do a lot more than add some zip to salads and sandwiches. Avocados contain oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat that may help to lower cholesterol. Avocados are also a good source of potassium, a mineral that helps regulate blood pressure. Not only that, but one cup of avocado has 23% of the daily value for folate, a nutrient important for heart health. Avocados are a great protector of the chest region of the human body, providing a dietary source of monounsaturated fatty acids including oleic acid, which has recently been shown to offer significant protection against breast cancer.

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