Top 5 Healthiest Foods – Picked by Dietitians (Updated 2025)

The Whole Foods section of our website is very popular with our readers. It lists many healthy foods which are beneficial to health. Among all the foods listed there, I have decided to pick the top five healthiest foods for this article.

Top 5 Healthiest Foods – picked by Dietitians

1. Salmon

Hands down! Salmon is my favorite food to substitute meats. It is a good source of protein and omega 3 fatty acids – which has been shown to decrease LDL cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol. In 2002, the American Heart Association began recommending eating at least 2 servings of fish a week, particularly fatty fish such as salmon. With increasing public concerns over farmed salmon, choose wild salmon. Most canned salmon are wild.

For details, read Health Benefits of Salmon

2. Soy

Soy products are great substitutes for animal-based protein. I love cooking tofu with various tasty Asian sauces and also enjoy drinking soy milk. Soy beans are good sources for protein, which provides of all essential amino acids (the only few plant-based sources to do so). Soy beans are also a rich source of calcium, iron, zinc, phosphorus, magnesium, B vitamins, omega 3 fatty acids and fiber. Numerous scientific studies demonstrated that a diet containing significant soy protein may benefit heart health¹. In addition, more and more studies are being published suggesting other health benefits of soy such as the prevention of prostate² & breast cancer as well as osteoporosis³.

For more details, read Benefits of Soy

3. Dark Green Leafy Vegetables

Green vegetables such as kale, chard, collard greens, bok choy, broccoli, asparagus, green beans, etc… are packed with vitamins A and C, iron, calcium and phytonutrients. They are very filling, high in fiber and low in calories. Personally, I like eating them cooked so I usually stir fry them in a non-stick pan, but it is absolutely fine to eat them raw as well so go ahead and toss them into your salad and reap the nutritional benefits!

4. Berries

Berries by far are my favorite fruits! They are loaded with Vitamin C, folate, fiber and phytonutrients. Indeed, fresh berries are some of the most powerful disease-fighting foods available as they top the ORAC score chart (a method of measuring antioxidant activity). Berries are easy to prepare – just wash and rinse – no need to peel at all! In addition, you may serve berries (fresh or baked) as part of a dessert dish.

For more details, read Berries: Big Health Benefits in a Tiny Package

5. Whole Grains

Whole grains have some valuable antioxidants not found in fruits and vegetables. They also contain B vitamins, vitamin E, magnesium, iron and fiber. The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans first time highlighted the importance of whole grains; recommending that all adults eat half their grains as whole grains – that’s 3 to 5 servings of whole grains a day. To include more servings of whole grains in your diet, use whole-wheat flour in your recipes instead of white flour. Look for the word “whole” when purchasing packaged foods such as cereals, biscuits, pasta and breads. In addition, try adding wild rice, brown rice, quinoa or barley in your soup to increase whole grain intake.

For more details, read Whole Grains 101

1. Erdman, J W Jr. “AHA Science Advisory: Soy protein and cardiovascular disease: A statement for healthcare professionals from the Nutrition Committee of the AHA.” Circulation vol. 102,20 (2000): 2555-9. https://doi.org/10.1161/01.cir.102.20.2555 ↩︎
2. Applegate, Catherine C et al. “Soy Consumption and the Risk of Prostate Cancer: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Nutrients vol. 10,1 40. 4 Jan. 2018, https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10010040 ↩︎
3. Zheng, Xi et al. “Soy Isoflavones and Osteoporotic Bone Loss: A Review with an Emphasis on Modulation of Bone Remodeling.” Journal of medicinal foodvol. 19,1 (2016): 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1089/jmf.2015.0045 ↩︎