You know the old adage: you are what you eat. As it turns out, that’s truer than you may think. Medical experts have compiled a list of “super foods” that you should be eating on a regular basis to stay in the best shape of your life. These miracle foods are purported to erase the signs of aging, prolong your life, prevent disease, and make you feel terrific. They also happen to be delicious and easily accessible to everyone.

It’s all about the Fiber

Digestive track a little sluggish lately? Chances are, you’re not getting enough fiber in your diet. New health guidelines state that you should be getting at least twenty-five grams of fiber a day in your diet, but many experts agree that you should aim for thirty. Super foods high in fiber include a medley of fruits and vegetables: soybeans, lima beans, artichoke, grapefruit, blackberries, and raspberries, to name a few. Another source of fiber is whole grains. Whole grains work to flush fat and cholesterol out of your system and provide powerful antioxidants to help you look and feel younger. Some whole grains, like spelt, bulgar, and quinoa can even lower your chances of cancer and diabetes. Luckily, many whole grain foods are easily found in your supermarket. Just look for breads, cereals, and crackers that say “whole grain” on the package. Don’t be confused, however, by items that contain “whole wheat.” Only foods that have “whole grain” are worth your dollar or your diet.

Along with your need for fiber comes your need for water. Statistics show that most people in America aren’t drinking enough water. Water jump starts your digestive track and bowels, removes toxins from your body, and even prevents and diminishes the appearance of wrinkles. The old standard of 64 ounces of water a day (eight 8 oz. glasses) still holds, but the more water you can drink the better. Remember, if you wait until you feel thirsty you’re already dehydrated. The key is to be proactive in your hydration habits.

Beating Cancer before it Starts

Certain super foods, when paired together, can cut your chances of getting cancer by up to 50%, experts say.

Magnesium is an important, but often overlooked, part of a healthy diet. Foods high in magnesium, such as beets, dates, raisins, and soybeans, help fight a variety of cancers and keep you looking young. If you’re having a hard time getting enough magnesium in your diet everyday consider taking it in supplement form.

Another key ingredient to a healthy diet is folate or folic acid, which also prevents various types of cancer. Folate is found in green, leafy vegetables like spinach and in orange juice. Folate can also be taken in supplement form.

Vitamin D is another cancer fighter easily found in non-fat milk and orange juice. Vitamin D is also produced in our bodies when we have exposure to sunlight. It’s especially important for people living in northern latitudes where there is less sunlight and African-American people who have darker skin to consider taking a vitamin D supplement everyday.

Rounding out our list of cancer fighting super foods is a surprising entry that’s not a food at all: aspirin. Aspirin has long been touted as a wonder drug that can prevent everything from heart attacks to high blood pressure to wrinkles, and it can now add cancer to its list of foes. Because it thins blood and sweeps toxins and fat from your system, two baby aspirin a day can go a long way in preventing cancer.

You say Tomato

Tomatoes are a delicious and easy food to incorporate into your diet. Rich in lycopene, tomatoes help prevent prostate cancer in men, plus they’re chock full of antioxidants to slow the aging process and keep you looking young. Specifically, tomato sauces and tomato paste are the way to go. Tomatoes must be cooked to really release their cancer-fighting properties, and a few tablespoons of concentrated tomato sauce are nutritionally equivalent to pounds of fresh tomatoes. Eating a little olive oil with your tomato sauce is a great idea because this healthful fat helps your body absorb the tomato’s nutrients. Spaghetti, anyone?

Starbucks for Everyone

Another surprising entry on our list of miracle foods is regular, caffeineated coffee, which is now being named by experts as a cancer fighting agent that also helps with symptoms and prevention of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Coffee can cause side effects in some people, such as migraine headaches and heart palpitations, but if you’re not suffering from these twenty-four ounces of coffee a day is considered a reasonable and useful amount.

Heart Happy

Keeping your heart in tip-top shape is as easy as incorporating these delicious foods into your diet. Foods high in Omega-3 fatty acids, such as walnuts, almonds, and salmon, should be added to your diet daily. Garlic and onion are two more wonder foods that will protect your heart. Red wine is another potent heart helper because it contains a chemical called rezveritrol, found in the skins of grapes, which is a powerful antioxidant shown to protect the heart.

How much and When?

So which of these miracle foods should you be eating everyday and which ones can you eat just a few times a week? Experts recommend eating a handful of nuts, like walnuts or almonds, everyday along with five handfuls (five servings) of fruits and vegetables. You also want to include a few servings of whole grain in your diet everyday. You should also strive to include a glass of red wine and a glass of non-fat milk (or vitamin D fortified orange juice) in your diet everyday.

Foods that you should eat several times a week include fish, such as salmon, cod, and mahi-mahi, which will give you all the health benefits with none of the harmful mercury sometimes found in fish. Fish should be eaten three times a week.

The great news is that many of these foods are delicious and easy to build your diet around. Even better is the knowledge that you’ll be helping your body fight disease and stay young and healthy with every mouthful. Bon Apetit!