What you eat can have a direct impact on your everyday life - from maintaining healthy skin, to feeling happy and energised. We've put together a list of foods that will help you overcome the various hurdles put in your way on a daily basis.

Control snacking
Always hungry? You could be deficient in Zinc. This trace mineral helps to control appetite among other things and a deficiency can harm your sense of smell and taste making your food less satisfying and leaving you wanting more. Lean meat and seafood are good sources of this mineral, but pumpkin seeds are one of the most concentrated vegetarian forms of zinc and make a handy snack to carry with you.

Increase metabolism
Before the Chinese began to adopt a more westernised diet and way of life they had one of the leanest populations in the world, so what were they doing we weren't? One of the things was sipping on green tea. Studies attribute weight loss from drinking green tea to the catechins (a type of antioxidant) found in a greater abundance in green tea than other types because the leaves are not fermented before drying. Green tea is also thought to help lower LDL cholesterol levels.

Look younger
The antioxidant vitamin C has long been seen as the key to holding back time, but which fruit can give you the biggest hit? A guava has five times more vitamin C than an orange, making it one of the easiest ways to fight free radicals that cause premature ageing.

Improve IQ
To help boost your IQ levels do yourself a favour and ditch the junk food for something more nutritious. Studies have shown that indulging in an iron-rich dried fruit snack such as apricots or prunes enhances nerve activity in the part of the brain responsible for analytical thought.

Feel happy
Could your mood do with a bit of a lift? Low serotonin levels could be to blame. To make serotonin your body needs foods containing tryptophan these include Brazil nuts, sardines, cottage cheese and turkey, but it's important to combine these protein-based foods with carbohydrates to help aid absorption. So give your body a helping hand and make yourself a turkey sandwich, slather cottage cheese onto a cracker and indulge in sardines on toast.

Energise
If you're feeling lethargic your breakfast (or lack of one) might be to blame, and porridge oats could be the answer. They are a low GI food containing soluble fibre and protein which can work wonders on your vitality levels. The slow-release nature of oats keeps you feeling fuller for longer and balances your sugar levels while the soluble fibre helps to lower blood cholesterol for a healthy heart. Spice it up with a bit of cinnamon or nutmeg, add a sprinkling of berries and you've just created the perfect meal to put a spring in your step.

Relieve aches and pains
When exercise, housework or gardening leaves you suffering from stiffness and muscle pain, turn to inflammation-reducing ginger. For centuries this spice has been used for its painkilling properties and now modern medicine is taking note. Ginger contains chemicals which work in a similar way to non-steroid based drugs such as ibuprofen and not only that, it tastes good. Try shredding and adding to stir-fries and hot drinks.