Every few months yet another new 'superfood' is hailed as a dietary saviour. It seems everything from royal jelly to seaweed has, at some point, been considered the key to health and longevity. Yet the scientific evidence is often shaky and even the experts can't agree whether we should dose up on algae, bee pollen or soya milk. But you don't have to travel the health food shops or spend a fortune on special pills and potions to enjoy the benefits of true superfood.

There is now little doubt that more than any other foodstuff, straightforward fruit and vegetables deserve this accolade. Probably one of the only things on which doctors, dieticians and alternative health practitioners all agree is that we should all eat more fresh fruit and vegetables.

Researchers are now confident that a diet rich in fruit and vegetables will reduce our risk of a host of illnesses including heart disease, breast cancer and cancer of the colon. More than 150 studies show that the people who eat most fruit and vegetables are about half as likely to develop cancer as those who eat the least.