Top 10 Food Supplements

Foods that grow in the ground or live in the ocean dominate the list of top 10 supplement foods that may help you stay healthy. Nutritional deficiencies can be positively linked to chronic diseases, according to a 2002 article in the "Journal of the American Medical Association." But before you rush to bolster your diet with multivitamins and "all-natural" pills with unknown ingredients, consider supplementing your diet with certain whole foods.

Safety

Herbal supplements found in grocery stores or online may contain unproven or unsafe ingredients. The Food and Drug Administration, which lacks the power to regulate most dietary supplements, nonetheless warned consumers in 2009 that 69 supplements contained tainted ingredients not listed on product labels. Whole foods, easily identifiable, provide benefits with few risks. You may be allergic to some whole foods but can avoid harmful reactions by eliminating the food from your diet. Whole foods can help replenish vitamins and minerals on a daily basis.

Antioxidants

Antioxidants may protect you against heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Put these fruits and vegetables on your top 10 list: blueberries, blackberries, brussels sprouts, spinach and cranberries. Antioxidants in green tea may help you live longer and with fewer health problems. Japanese live longer than people anywhere else on Earth, and green tea consumption may help explain why people born in Japan die from heart attacks and strokes 30 percent less often than people in North America, according to an 11-year study by Shinichi Kuriyami and other researchers at Japan's Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine. The study tracked the health of 40,000 people, according to an article published in the September 2006 issue of the "Journal of the American Medical Society."

Algae

Include spirulina on your top 10 list. The blue green algae, considered a super green food because of its healing and preventive agents, contain beta-carotene, chlorophyll, all the essential amino acids, and the essential fatty acid GLA. You can obtain similar benefits from chlorella, another algae. Chlorella provides vitamin K and serves as a detoxifying agent in your body found helpful in the treatment of fibromyalgia. The chlorophyll in super green foods, when used in ointments, may also aid in treating wounds and helping grown new skin tissue, according to Mark Stengel, a naturopathic doctor and author of "Prescription for Natural Cures."

Fish and Omega-3 Oils

Consider eating fish three times a week to obtain the benefits of omega-3 oils. Fish oil, containing EPA--eicosapentaenoic acid--and DHA--docosahexaenoic acid--decrease inflammation, balance the immune system and thin the blood. Fish and fish oil are also noted for their properties in fighting cardiovascular disease. If you don't like fish, you can take fish oil in supplement form. Other food sources of omega-3 oils include pumpkin seeds, flaxseeds, walnuts and eggs.