We’ve all grown up hearing that to have strong bones you need to drink milk. Or to have strong muscles you need to eat protein like steak or chicken. But how true are these claims that specific foods and drinks help maintain the health of particular body parts? Here’s a guide to foods and drinks that scientists and nutritionists recommend we eat to keep different parts of our body in good shape.

For silky, strong hair dieticians like Claudia Ehrlicher recommend a diet high in calcium and quality protein products. Foods like eggs, dairy or fish promote strong hair and hair growth. Vitamins B6, B12 and folate nourish follicle cells too. Foods like tangerines also promote healthy hair.

Protein is found throughout the body, and with the skin being the biggest organ it’s important to get nutrients from foods like salmon to maintain that healthy glow. The Harvard Institute of Medicine recommends that adults get a minimum of 0.8 grams (0.03 ounces) of protein for every kilogram (2.2 pounds) of body weight per day for healthy skin. Vitamin C, found in citrus foods, is also recommended as it facilitates collagen production, a critical component for vibrant skin.

There are quite a few foods that help brain function including oily fish, olive oil, berries, nuts and dark chocolate. Omega-3 in fish has what your brain needs to stay healthy and the good fats in nuts reduce the risk of both depression and dementia. Research from Tufts University shows that B12 in lean protein like turkey and folate in many grains help improve memory and lower the risk of Alzheimer's.

Carrots have always been given credit for good eye health and being able to see at night but, according to a study published in the Archives of Ophthalmology, they’re not the only things to eat for healthy eyes. Eggs, leafy greens, broccoli, winter squash, and Brussels sprouts all contain the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin as well as vitamins C and E, zinc, and beta-carotene.

According to Professor Colleen Le Prell from Florida University, people with healthy diets who eat adequate fruit and vegetables have better hearing thresholds than people with a substandard diet. In particular bananas provide the body with much-needed magnesium that helps prevent noise-related hearing loss.

Health professionals believe a healthy body stems from a healthy mouth. The first way to take care of your mouth health is to eat foods packed with nutrients that will kill bacteria. One of the best ways to do this is to have matcha, a special green tea leaf ground into a powder, that can be drank as a tea or eaten in a variety of foods.

While taking care of your mouth, it’s important to pay attention to the health of your teeth. It might sound strange but the main ingredient of chocolate has been proven in an American Dental Association study to be good for teeth health. An ingredient in cacao called theobromine apparently has better tooth-preserving qualities than fluoride. That doesn't mean you should embark on a high-chocolate diet though!

A well-functioning thyroid system is critical for a healthy metabolism. The thyroid hormone, along with insulin and cortisol, is one of the big three hormones that control metabolism and weight. The Total Diet Study by the US Food and Drug Administration found that foods containing iodine boost the thyroid function. Iodine-rich foods include seaweed, sea vegetables, sardines and salmon.

Lymph nodes are found throughout the body including the head, neck and underarms. They’re the sewage system for cellular metabolic toxins. There is more lymph fluid in the body than blood but there’s no pump for lymph so it’s important to eat the right foods to maintain the healthy detoxifying body function. Cleavers and Indigo herbs help the function of lymph nodes as well as goldenseal and Echinacea.

Countless studies support the belief that milk helps joint function and prevents joint pain. But a less talked-about food that promotes healthy joint function is cherries. Health professionals always recommend to keep moving for healthy joint mobility while cherries and turmeric help combat inflammation caused through such exercise. They can also prevent or help arthritic pain in joints from the hands and knees to feet.

Olive oil, as well as nuts and fatty fish, are proven to support heart health in a report published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. It showed that monounsaturated fats in olive oil, nuts and fish have anti-inflammatory effects, which help stave off heart disease and many other conditions.

Cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and kale are full of healthy antioxidants that have been linked to preventing lung cancer. What we eat may not directly affect the lungs, but our food indirectly touches them through the cardiovascular system and by providing antioxidant protection.

In Doctors Health Press, Dr Richard Foxx noted that researchers in Israel had found that eating garlic, white onions and red onions promote a healthy liver, even when eating a high cholesterol diet. It was proven that raw garlic supplemented with cholesterol-containing diets significantly prevented aorta and liver damage. So when eating a high-cholesterol meal, add some garlic to minimize any health threats to the liver.

For healthy intestines you should reduce sugar intake and increase carbohydrate intake from vegetables. Dr Raphael Kellman recommends eating radishes, Jerusalem artichokes, leeks, jicama, asparagus, carrots, and garlic and turmeric for great functioning intestines.

Sour-tasting foods like lemons encourage the release of vital digestive enzymes from the pancreas and ensure it’s healthy. Limes and kiwi fruit are also beneficial for the pancreas, as is licorice and cedar berries.

Watermelon contains a lot of water and functions as a diuretic which can make you produce more urine, removing more wastes from your body. It flushes out what the body doesn’t need. Other useful foods to help the health of the kidney are lemon, berries, apples and pumpkin seeds. The pumpkin seeds can help reduce the chances of kidney stones.

Healthy bladders need plenty of liquid like water and cranberry juice which can help prevent infection. Cranberry juice can reduce the chance of urinary tract infections and is most effective in women who have recurrent infections.

Natural oil in ginger has powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that help to treat digestion problems, nausea and motion sickness. Ginger speeds up emptying of the stomach, which can be beneficial for people with indigestion and related stomach discomfort. it can also help with menstrual cramps.

To cleanse the colon it’s recommended that you eat apples and also drink apple cider vinegar. The high fiber content in apples promote healthy digestion while pectin, a carbohydrate compound, acts as a thickening agent inside the gut. According to Dr James Balch, pectin, which is also found in bananas and in the rinds of citrus fruits, helps remove heavy metals and other toxins from the body.

A trial in 2013 at Bedford Hospital proved that pomegranate, green tea, turmeric and broccoli help fight prostate cancer.

Like women need more of an excuse to eat ice cream! A 2007 Harvard study found that women who ate high-fat dairy products such as ice cream reduced their risk of infertility. Despite being unclear as to why, the authors summarized that the fat might somehow improve ovarian function when women are trying to conceive.

Sometimes called hemp hearts, hemp seeds are rich in amino acids that muscles drink in to gain power and tone up. Hemp may also boost fat burn thanks to its gamma-linolenic acid content, an Omega-6 fatty acid that encourages a healthy metabolism and fights inflammation in the body.

According to the Oxford Performance Review, nitrate-rich foods such as beetroot are beneficial for those who suffer from high blood pressure. However, these foods should not be exposed to very high heat to avoid the risk for cancer. Beetroot juice is a great supplement to reduce blood pressure in just a few hours.

Copper and zinc are important for healthy nails and can be found in things like oats. They also have manganese, silicon, and B-complex vitamins, all of which promote healthy strong nails. If you are concerned about the phytic acid content of oats, you can soak them for a few hours or overnight. Soaking helps break down the phytic acid.

Vitamin C encourages blood circulation and helps maintain vein health and functionality. People with varicose veins should include oranges and foods high in Vitamin C to improve the condition. Citrus foods good for veins include lemons, grapefruits and peppers.

Calcium is very important for strong bones and the traditional way to get that nutrients is by eating dairy. But figs are very high in calcium and a great food to eat for bone health and overall health. There’s more calcium in your body than any other mineral, and it's very important for general health. Dried figs are also a great source of antioxidants and fiber, and have more calcium than other dried fruits.