Antioxidant fruit

By Weight Loss Consultant • Related • Filed Under

We have all heard that antioxidants are important in maintaining a healthy body but what exactly are antioxidants and what foods should we be eating in order to get as many antioxidants as possible? Antioxidants are nutrients found in our food that help slow down and prevent damage to our body from oxidation. Oxygen is necessary to survive but when our bodies use oxygen our cells produce bi-products known as free radicals. These free radicals can cause damage to our bodies. This is known as oxidation. When our bodies consume antioxidants, they help to repair damage that the free radicals have done to our body. Consuming enough antioxidants can help to prevent several major health problems. Oxidation damage can cause diabetes, cancers and heart disease, so having antioxidants that can repair this damage is very important when it comes to maintaining our health. Antioxidants have also been known to improve our body’s immune system, preventing us from becoming susceptible to other infections as well.

Luckily, making sure you are getting enough antioxidants can be as easy as maintaining a balanced diet. There are several foods that are rich in antioxidants. Research has shown that by consuming an average of 4 to 5 servings of fruit and vegetables daily you may be able to get your recommended amount of antioxidants. Results have also shown that by consuming this amount of fruits and vegetables you can also lessen your risk of stroke by nearly 25%.

By now you may wondering just what antioxidants are. Well really the term antioxidant is just a fancy name for some of the vitamins and minerals you may already be familiar with. Vitamins such as A, C, and E are considered antioxidants. There are also some other antioxidants that you are probably already consuming but may not be familiar with the names. Antioxidants such as flavonoids, lycopene, lutein, lignan, conenzyme Q10, and glutathione all sound fancy but you are probably consuming most of these quite often.

These antioxidants are found in all sorts of foods. Fruits and vegetables are some of the best sources of antioxidants with a few rating at the top of the list. Berries of all sorts, including acai berry, blueberries, strawberries, cranberries, blackberries, and raspberries are chock full of healthy antioxidants. Other fruits that taste great, but also pack a powerful antioxidant punch, include watermelon, cantaloupe, peaches, apricots, purple grapes, kiwi, pomegranate, pink grapefruit, oranges, limes and tomatoes. Vegetables that contain lots of antioxidants are easy to find as well. Broccoli, bell peppers, carrots, squash, brussel sprouts, sweet potatoes, and green leafy vegetables, such as kale and spinach, contain lots of healthy vitamins and are easy to find at the local supermarket. One rule of thumb, the brighter and more vibrant a fruit or vegetable is the more antioxidants and vitamins it probably contains.

Good news is there are lots of other foods that contain antioxidants besides fruit and veggies as well. If you are not a vegetable lover then you will be happy to know that you can still get your antioxidants through other sources. Red wine contains antioxidants, however due to the alcohol content it is probably best to stick to a limited amount of this source. Foods such as soy, nuts, seeds, flaxseed, barley, oats and whole grains are easily accessible and contain lots of nutrition including antioxidants.

So if you are trying to maintain good health and are looking for foods with antioxidants you are in luck. Make sure to include as many fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet as possible in order to get the most antioxidants that you can.

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