Asparagus or spinach? Garlic or ginger? All are good for you, but some foods are better than others in the fight against certain diseases

When you’re asked to pick the food that’s healthier for you, it’s often a no brainer – we know that a glass of low-fat milk is likely to ward off osteoporosis better than a glass of water.

More blatant still – eating a piece of salmon will no doubt make for a healthier heart than a hamburger and fries.

But what about when you’re comparing apples with apples? In other words, pitting two foods against each other that are both not only healthy, but have similar resumes?

It certainly makes the task a bit trickier – which is where we come in.

Here are 10 ‘disease-proof-your-diet’ comparisons to help you make the best choice.

To protect against cancer: should you choose raw or cooked carrots?

Pick: cooked carrots.

Why: UK researchers have discovered that when carrots are heated, their composition changes, increasing the concentration of something called falcarinol.

So? Falcarinol, a natural pesticide that protects carrots from a handful of diseases, has also been proven to have a positive effect on the development of cancer.

Health tip: Chop your carrots after they’ve been cooked, rather than before. The same researchers say that ‘boiled-before-cut’ carrots contain 25 per cent more falcarinol than those that are chopped up first.

To protect against high cholesterol: should you eat almonds or walnuts?

Pick: almonds.

Why: Almonds contain plenty of protein, and monounsaturated fat, but also have the highest concentration of vitamin E.

So? Californian researchers proved that, thanks to their makeup, eating about two-and-half handfuls of almonds each day, reduced levels of LDL cholesterol by seven per cent.

Health tip: Chew them for longer. That’s the message from US scientists who found that compared to chewing almonds just 10 times, people who munched each mouthful for at least 25 chews absorbed more of the nut’s unsaturated fats.

Use them generously to top salads, smoothies and breakfast bowls. Easy to integrate into meals and snacks, almonds are a real star superfood.

To protect against stomach fat: will a kiwifruit or an orange be more effective?

Pick: kiwifruit.

Why? Both well known for their high vitamin-C content, kiwifruit has more: 110mg in a serve, or two medium-sized fruit, compared to an orange which, on average, contains 69mg.

So? If you’re lacking in vitamin C, you increase your chances of gaining weight around your stomach – the ‘danger zone’ area for diseases like heart disease and diabetes. Researchers think vitamin C helps reduce how much fat your body absorbs from the food you eat.

Health tip: Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, is light sensitive, which means the longer it’s exposed to the environment the more likely it is to diminish. To make the most of the vitamin C in a kiwifruit, choose the whole fruit, rather than eating it as part of a pre-prepared fruit salad.