A Mediterranean feast is good for your body and your soul. Check out these Top 5 Foods for nutritional value as well as robust flavor.

GARLIC. This aromatic member of the onion family can lower your bad LDL cholesterol, improve blood pressure, reduce cancer risk and improve immunity, as well as preventing blood clotting. You can't beat fresh garlic. After you remove the bud from the clove, squash the bud with the side of your chef's knife. The papery wrapping comes off easily, and you can easily chop the remaining garlic. Sauté gently before adding other ingredients – such as tomato sauce.

TOMATO SAUCE. In addition to Vitamins C and A, it provides the antioxidant lycopene, a red-colored pigment that has strong antioxidant properties. This carotenoid may lower your risk of cardiovascular disease and prostate cancer. Surprisingly, lycopene is better absorbed from cooked tomato products than from fresh tomatoes. Cooking tomato products with olive oil also enhances lycopene absorption.

OLIVE OIL. Use extra virgin olive oil for its lighter flavor. This Mediterranean basic has a high monounsaturated fat content, which can lower your bad LDL cholesterol. Use olive oil for cooking and in salads. Watch the amount; it is an oil so is calorie dense.

SPINACH. Fresh is best, both for salads or lightly steaming. Add some extra virgin olive oil and garlic for more taste and added nutrients. Spinach is a nutrition powerhouse, with significant amounts of Vitamin C, folate and magnesium as well as the disease-fighting carotenoids beta-carotene, lutein and xeanthin. For better absorption of these nutrients, enjoy your spinach lightly cooked (just a little steaming) with some olive oil. For salads, look for tender spinach leaves, as in baby spinach.

RAW NUTS. Enjoy a handful of raw nuts for vital nutrients and appetite control. Be sure to purchase raw nuts only, available at your health-food store. Store them in your refrigerator. Don't get the roasted, salted version. Different types of nuts have different benefits. Walnuts have omega-3 fatty acids that aid cardiovascular health. Pecans have a good amount of ellegic acid, a cancer fighter. Almonds have more Vitamin E, and Brazil nuts have the antioxidant selenium, which may help prevent prostate cancer. Nuts are high in fat, so you need to limit your servings. For a triple nutrition bonus, add walnuts to your spinach salad and sprinkle on olive oil.

ADD POMEGRANATE JUICE AND CHANGE THE WAY YOUR ARTERIES AGE

The pomegranate, with its tough skin and 800 seeds, may be a tricky fruit to eat, but its juice is easy to consume and so good for you. It has phytochemicals in more concentrated form than most other juices. It can help prevent artery-clogging LDL cholesterol and aid in maintaining blood flow, thus keeping your arteries healthier. Its ellagic acid may help prevent cancer. You don't need much of the tart juice. Medical studies usually use a 1.5-ounce serving. When buying pomegranate juice, check the label to make sure you're getting a high amount of the juice itself, and not much sugar. Some sweetened versions may have only 20% pomegranate juice.