Healthy eating starts with your food shopping. The healthier your shopping habits, the healthier your eating habits will be.

The following foods are considered healthy:

Broccoli

One medium stalk of broccoli contains more than 100 percent of your daily vitamin K requirement and almost 200 percent of your recommended daily dose of vitamin C, which are two essential bone-building nutrients.

Salmon

Salmon is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, which have been linked to a reduced risk of depression, heart disease, and cancer. One serving contains almost 50 percent of your daily dose of niacin, which may protect against Alzheimer’s disease and memory loss.

Avocados

Avocados are rich in healthy fats proven to lower cholesterol by about 20 percent. One has more than half the fibre and 40 percent of the folate you need daily, which may reduce your risk of heart disease.

Dark Chocolate

Just one piece of dark chocolate a day can reduce blood pressure in otherwise healthy individuals. Cocoa powder is rich in flavonoids, which are antioxidants shown to reduce ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol and increase ‘good’ HDL levels.

Potatoes

One red potato contains 66 micrograms of cell-building folate, which is about the same amount found in one cup of spinach or broccoli and eight times the amount of cancer-fighting and immune-boosting vitamin A you need daily.

Spinach

Spinach contains immune-boosting antioxidants important for eye health. Recent research found that among cancer-fighting fruits and vegetables, spinach is one of the most effective.

Beans

Eating a serving of legumes (beans, peas, and lentils) four times a week can lower your risk of heart disease by around 20 percent and may also reduce your risk of breast cancer. (Source: shape.com)