The tomato is listed among the super foods.

Skip the aspirin and instead have a giant helping of spicy curry? Forget your blood pressure meds and sip another cup of green tea? Give up cholesterol-lowering statins and try a handful of almonds or walnuts?

Could good health and reduced risk of disease really be as easy as eating some super nutritious foods few nutritionists would ever guarantee that super foods will make you super healthy, most agree that edible superstars will give your body many of the nutrients it requires to operate at peak performance.

"More and more, what we see is that what we eat and do not eat is becoming the central front in (determining) whether we (are in) a state of optimum health," says Dr. David Leopold, family practitioner and integrative medicine specialist at the Scripps Center of Integrative Medicine in San Diego. "When we look at why people do well throughout life, it continually comes down to two things: regular exercise and eating a nutritious diet."

So, which foods offer the healthiest bang for your buck?

It all depends on whom you talk to, the latest research and the hottest hype. To find a list of super nutritious foods you can really sink your teeth into, we asked six nutrition experts and one chef of healthy cuisine for their favourite nutritious super foods.

Those that were recommended by the majority comprise our superstar list. Other nutrient-rich foods advocated by some of our experts are offered as healthy runners-up and should also be part of your regular eating plan. But, no matter how nutritious, these foods must be part of an overall healthy diet.

"Super foods are meant to replace other (less healthy) things in the diet," Leopold says. "They're not to be eaten on top of a Big Mac."

GREEN TEA

Superstar qualities: Contains beneficial polyphenols, antioxidant compounds that act as anti-inflammatory agents to promote heart and digestive health and reduce the risk of cancer, diabetes, hypertension and vision loss.

BROCCOLI AND OTHER CRUCIFEROUS VEGETABLES

Superstar qualities: High in vitamins A, C and K, along with antioxidants that prevent damage to the body's cells. Low calorie.

TOMATOES

Superstar qualities: Rich in lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that may reduce the risk of macular degeneration and breast and prostate cancer. Lycopene is easier to absorb from cooked tomatoes, such as sauce or paste, but fresh tomatoes are also beneficial.

LEAFY GREENS

Superstar qualities: Spinach, collard greens, swiss chard and mustard greens are concentrated source of carotenoids, such as beta-carotene and lutein, which provide powerful antioxidant protection.

NUTS

Superstar qualities: Nuts, especially almonds and walnuts, might lower LDL ('bad') cholesterol. High in protein and healthy unsaturated fat, which contain naturally occurring cholesterol-lowering compounds called plantsterols. High in omega-3 fatty acids. Contain ellagic acid, a cancer-fighting antioxidant.

BERRIES

Superstar qualities: Blueberries, cranberries, blackberries or strawberries, they're all a rich source of antioxidants, so they fight cell-damaging free radicals, which may help prevent cancer and slow ageing.

WILD SALMON

Superstar qualities: Rich in essential omega-3 fatty acids, which help keep triglyceride levels normal and may reduce the chance of heart disease. Has anti-inflammatory properties that can help with rheumatoid arthritis pain. A good protein source. Wild is better than farm-raised salmon because there are fewer contaminants. Eat it canned, frozen or fresh.

SOY FOODS

Superstar qualities: Whether in the form of tofu, soy nuts, soy milk or edamame, soy foods are good sources of vegetable protein. Soy also contains isoflavones, oestrogen-like substances that protect and help maintain healthy bones. Contains omega-3 fatty acids, which promote heart health.

SUPER FOODS: RUNNERS-UP

Extra virgin olive oil, yogurt or kefir, spices and herbs, beans, pomegranates, dark chocolate, Kiwi fruit, oats and whole grains.