will see an abundance of `designer foods'. Juice fortified with calcium, breakfast cereals pumped up with folate and fibre granola bars with added antioxidants.

Manufacturers have created these foods to meet consumer demand for better nutrition and good health. But before you fill your grocery cart with these designer products, try some of Mother Nature's own superfoods. Here are 10 sure winners not to leave out on your next trip to the grocery store.

Collard Greens This leafy green vegetable is full of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals that will boost your health and perhaps preserve your vision. A study suggests that regularly eating collard greens and spinach can lower the risk of age-related degeneration of the retina.

Collard greens are loaded with phytochemicals, especially carotenoids, which are believed to protect the eye from cell-destroying free radicals. They are also packed with folate and vitamins A and C and calcium. Be sure to add to your favourite soups or steam or microwave and eat on their own.

Yoghurt Two cups a day may keep colds and allergy symptoms away. A study found that people that ate two cups of yogurt daily, the kind made with live bacteria cultures, suffered from fewer colds. Also, those with allergies had fewer symptoms.

The theory is that the bacteria in the yogurt boosts the immune system. Yogurt is also a great source of calcium. Look for a yogurt with a seal on the container that says it contains live cultures. Look for the low fat versions.

Green or Black Tea This ancient and popular drink has long been thought to have health promoting properties. A study showed that green tea drinkers have a lower risk of cancer of the oesophagus than nondrinkers. The protective agent in tea looks like a substance called epigallocatechin gailate, or EGCG.

It acts as an antioxidant, protecting cells from the damaging work of free radicals. Black tea provides similar benefits. Black tea can be found anywhere -- it's the kind Bermudians typically drink, but you may have to look in specialty food shops for green tea.

Oysters Six Oysters provides 500 percent of your daily zinc needs. Zinc is vital for building a healthy immune system as well as repairing and maintaining muscle tissue. Add oysters to seafood stews or soups. Be careful when eating raw oysters, since raw seafood can harbour parasites that cause illness.

Pumpkin Pumpkin is so nutritious you should eat it year round. Just 1 cup serving provides more than 200 percent of your daily vitamin A needs. Pumpkin is packed with several carotenes that appear to have antioxidant properties. Try baking or microwaving pieces of pumpkin in a casserole dish until tender or add to breads, muffins or soups.

Soybeans and soy products A soybean-rich diet may protect you against heart disease and cancer. Soybeans contain isoflavones, which are thought to reduce breast and prostate cancers and lower total cholesterol. Isoflavones may also help lessen menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes and mood swings. You need to eat 25 grams of soy protein a day to get these health benefits: 1 cup soybeans has 11 grams of protein 1 cup soy milk has 7 grams of protein.

1 cup soy nuts has 17 grams of protein 4 oz of Tofu has 7 to 18 grams protein Garlic Garlic has been shown to lower blood cholesterol, and it may help prevent the formation of blood clots.

Garlic may also lower the risk of colon and stomach cancer, and new studies suggests it may even lessen the chances of breast cancer. It's probably the phytochemicals allicin and S-allicysteine that are responsible for garlic's disease fighting power. Use garlic in stir-frys, homemade soups, salad dressings, tomato sauces, in roasts or, if you are brave or live alone - eat raw.

Tomatoes Men, this one's for you. Regular intake of tomatoes and tomato based products may cut your risk of prostate cancer. Tomatoes contain Lycopene -- a phytochemical which appears responsible for this cancer protection. Eat raw or puree and drink as juice or simmer in homemade sauces, serve on pizza, on sandwiches.

Fish and fish oils Some fat is essential. Many of us aren't getting enough of a certain group of fats called omega 3's and studies suggests this deficiency may contribute to the development of heart disease and arthritis. Omega-3s are found primarily in fish, especially "fatty'' fish such as sardines and salmon.

In the human body, these fats turn into hormone like substances that help regulate blood clotting and many other functions Try to make fish a regular part of your diet by aiming for two to three servings a week. Have sardines on toast, or use tuna or salmon as your sandwich filling.

Water Water is an essential but overlooked, superfood. New studies show that drinking enough water can reduce the risk of kidney stones; decrease the risk of breast, colon, and urinary tract cancers; reduce childhood and adolescent obesity; makes you feel fuller and takes the edge off of hunger; and improves overall health in the elderly.

In general you need to drink six to eight cups of noncaffeinated, nonalcoholic fluids daily, preferably water. Tea, coffee and alcohol actually cause you to become dehydrated. Exercise, and high temperatures will increase your fluid requirements. Take "water breaks'' throughout the day, have a glass of water with your meals, drink water before, during and after physical activity.

Kathryn Chapman is a registered dietitian at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital and a member of the Bermuda Dietitians Association.

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