It's not rocket science. The foods you eat affect every part of your body. Make sure that whenever you eat, you get the maximum health and beauty benefits!

Eat yourself beautiful

The secret of eternal youth may not lie in syringe full of Botox! Discover 6 of the best anti-ageing foods that will nourish your body and give you a youthful appearance. Vitamins and minerals are what you're after, so try these ideas to help you get started.

Get large doses of vitamin C quickly and easily with these 8 fresh and tasty smoothie recipes, or be a bit naughty and get your blueberries in a muffin.

Oats and whole grains are other wonder foods so posh up your porridge with plums or try some pink grapefruit muesli bars, for an on-the-move snack.

Brown rice is an excellent source of zinc which is essential for growth and healing. Boost your zinc intake with this brown rice salad, or try a fruity quinoa salad, rich in protein, calcium and iron.

Eat more oily fish with these fabulous and speedy salmon suppers, or try James Martin?s recipe for smoked trout and rhubarb salad with elderflower dressing. For a quick and easy snack that's packed with omega-3s, try a sardine bruschetta, or spicy sardines with chickpea and avocado salad.

Are mushrooms the secret of youthful looks?

Leading American well-being doctor, Andrew Weil believes they are! But not just any mushroom - that would be too easy! Dr Weil says eat Asian mushrooms, like oyster, shitake or enoki, to get the maximum benefits.

Try these great tasting mushroom dishes and see if you notice any difference. Shrimp-stuffed shitake mushrooms make an appetising lunch, while a chilli mushroom stir-fry with Chinese noodles will add some heat to your evening. For a comforting yet refreshing meal, try miso, ginger and udon noodle soup. Share the mushrooms benefits on a special occasion and serve pink champagne chicken in a mixed mushroom sauce

Discover the beauty benefits of green tea

Long the preferred drink of supermodels, green tea's antioxidant properties are well-known, helping rid the body of free-radicals. But you don't just have to drink it! Make green tea into a refreshing spritzer, totally natural mouthwash or use as a refreshing face mask.

Or try a delicious and light tea cream as a tasty change from creme brulee or creme caramel.

Some people believe green tea will aid their weight loss - so why not give it a go? Check out our guide to slimming teas.

And just for fun, check out what your preferred cuppa says about you, or learn the mystical art of tassology - that's reading tea leaves to you and me!

Cleansing foods

We all know that some foods are better than others at eliminating toxins from the body and aiding cleansing so here are some tasty ways to include them in your diet.

Nuts and seeds are rich in folate, B vitamins and Vitamin E as well as being packed with minerals and fatty acids. Try a pumpkin and walnut loaf or up your almond intake with this sticky chicken with sherry, almonds and dates.

If you're feeling lethargic, bloated and generally not as fabulous as you'd like, try a 24-hour mini detox with lemon juice. Your digestive system will thank you for it.

Gorgeous garlic

Garlic is one of the oldest known medicial plants, and it's credited with fighting heart disease, lowering blood pressure and helping to fight off colds. Discover more about its health benefits.

When cooking with garlic, finely chop or crush the bulbs, then leave for about 10 minutes to allow the allicin - the magic ingredient that is beneficial to health - to develop fully. Add the garlic to your food about 5 minutes before the end of the cooking time to get the maximum health benefits.

It can be fiddly to prepare but follow these tips and you'll look just like a chef, peeling a clove in one second with the slap of your hand!

Add more garlic to your food with these yummy garlic and mushroom burgers, great on a barbecue, or Nigel Slater's simple supper of chicken, garlic and herbs.

For a quick and easy meal with very few ingredients try pasta with garlic and chilli or dress salads with a garlic and chive vinaigrette.