Tag: antioxidants

                 In your quest for a healthier you, the word “Antioxidant” is going to pop up quite frequently.   What exactly is an antioxidant you may wonder.  They are your “battle” molecules as I like to call them.  Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and Vitamin E act well as antioxidants. Their purpose is to fight off harmful free radicals which basically are the “bad” molecules that cause something called oxidative stress.   These little enemy soldiers surround us in our day-to-day life in air pollution, car exhaust, cigarette smoke, and sunlight.   They are well known for putting us at risk for premature aging because they destroy the cells and tissues that make up our bodies.  They have also been linked to health conditions such as diabetes and cancer. 

                 Thankfully, finding your battle molecules, aka Antioxidants, is not a difficult quest.  You can opt to get them via a supplement as in a pill form.   They are most often synthetic forms of vitamins that may come in massive doses of the daily recommended dose.   Researchers have found that these gigantic doses may a interfere with the body’s balancing between free radicals and antioxidants.   There has been discussion on whether this type hurts or help.

There are the Antioxidant enzymes your own body produces. These are very powerful in stabilizing free radicals, and they are reusable.  Your body can use them countless times to defend, and it can regulate the production to keep an even balance.  

Then there are the Antioxidants you will consistently read about on packages and in advertisements and countless articles about eating healthy.   Dietary antioxidant nutrients.   These come from the foods we eat.  Eating a “rainbow” of foods in all different colors gives you the most variety of the best kind of antioxidant nutrients in their most natural form.

I’m not going to tell you to stop taking vitamins.   Make sure you are watching the doses on them and check with your doctor to ensure you are taking the right ones for your body needs.    I am going to encourage you to fill your refrigerator and cabinets with battle foods.

Fruits – cranberries, red grapes, peaches, raspberries, strawberries, red currants, figs, cherries, pears, guava, oranges, apricots, mango, red grapes, cantaloupe, watermelon, papaya, and tomatoes.

Dried Fruits – The antioxidant ratio is higher in dried fruits than in fresh. Consider taking along dried pears, plums, apples, peaches, figs, dates and raisins. Be careful of sugar content; avoid dried fruits that have processed sugars added to them to make them sweeter.

Vegetables – Broccoli, spinach, carrots and potatoes are all high in antioxidants, and so are artichokes, cabbage, asparagus, avocados, beetroot, radish, lettuce, sweet potatoes, squash, pumpkin, collard greens and kale.

Spices and Herbs – Cinnamon, oregano, turmeric, cumin, parsley, basil, curry powder, mustard seed, ginger, pepper, chili powder, paprika, garlic, coriander, onion and cardamom. Herbs include sage, thyme, marjoram, tarragon, peppermint, oregano, savory, basil and dill weed

Cereals and Nuts – Corn flakes, oatmeal and granola bars, walnuts, hazelnuts, pistachio nuts, almonds, cashews, macadamia nuts  

Beverages – A good portion of our antioxidants come from beverages. Apple juice, cider, tomato juice, pomegranate juice and pink grapefruit juice, green tea, black tea and plain tea.  levels   coffee is high in antioxidants but should be consumed in moderation. Note that adding milk to coffee or tea blocks antioxidants.  Red wine and beer (since it comes from grains) provide a big dose, and the health effects of moderate alcohol consumption have been well documented.

Foods with darker and richer colors like orange, yellow, blue and red tend to be higher in antioxidants.   Remember to eat a variety of both fruits and vegetables in a myriad of colors and your palate will never become bored.

Carry on and fight the good fight!