Which foods give you the most energy

A.� Researchers have identified a list of energy-promoting edibles, which the body converts into fuel. These include apricots, dates, avocadoes, bananas, watercress, nuts, oats, wholemeal pasta, liver and seafood. There are more exotic foods too, including burghul wheat, couscous and buckwheat. Each of these foods is said to contain a unique combination of vitamins and minerals.

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Q. Can you eat your way to good health alone

A� Eating particularly nutritious foods is one way to optimise your health.

Dried apricots, for instance, cultivated by the Chinese since 2000BC, are reputed to be the secret of longevity for the citizens in the Hunza region. It's a food prized by food scientists for its high beta-carotene content, a fighter in the battle against disease-promoting free radicals. Apricots provide slow-release energy which will boost stamina and endurance, while containing high iron content.

Similarily, avocadoes, much prized by the Inca tribe, have been around for 7000 years and grow well in Europe. It's the richest of all fruits, around 30 per cent of an avocado is oil - the monosaturated variety that guards against heart disease.

Other foods such as polenta, once regarded by the Italians as peasant food, is a healthy alternative to rice and potatoes. It's a good substitute for people who can't tolerate gluten in wheat and other starchy foods. Popular with marathon runners and mountaineers, corn is also a good source of eye-protective carotenoids.

Watercress is possibly one of the most impressive superfoods on the planet. This leafy green foliage plant, much favoured by the ancient Greeks, whose soldiers ate it as a tonic, is packed with vitamins, minerals and other useful plant hormones. Scientists say it can also cut down the harmful effects of cigarette smoke. The oils in watercress are a natural antibiotic.

Nuts contain vital omega-3 fats which help prevent blood clotting and huge amounts of fibre. A New England study showed vegetarians who consumed one ounce of walnuts daily over a 13-year period, had a 23 per cent lower than average death rate than non-nut eaters.

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Q.� What's the simplest way of getting these foods into your diet

A.� Boost your immune system by nibbling on fruit, vegetables, beans, pulses and pasta. If you're ravenous, snack for energy on homemade fruit smoothies, porridge, nuts, wholemeal muffins and samosas. Get your starch from bananas, dates, breakfast cereal and digestive biscuits. To power a health heart eat plenty of vitamin E and selenium-enriched wholegrains such as sweet potatoes, bread and pasta.

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By Katharine MacColl