Antioxidant FoodsNatural antioxidant foods are vegetables, fruits, cereals, legumes, seeds, nuts, poultry, fish and some meats.Antioxidants are nutrients or substances that may protect your body against the damages of free radicals. Free radicals are by-products of oxygen that your body uses or the molecules produced when you body breaks down food or by environmental exposures like radiation and tobacco smoke. They can lead to cell dysfunction and the onset of problems like heart disease, diabetes and cancer. The antioxidant process is similar to stopping an apple from browning. Once you cut an apple it begins to brown, but if you dip it in orange juice, which contains vitamin C, it stays white.
Most Commonly Known Antioxidant Substances:Vitamin A (Beta-carotene) is what gives yellow and orange fruit and vegetables their colour. The main food sources are yellow and green leafy vegetables such as spinach, carrots and red peppers and yellow fruits such as mango, melon and apricots.Vitamin C serves a predominantly protective role in the body, found in parsley, broccoli, bell pepper, strawberries, oranges, lemon juice, papaya, cauliflower, kale, mustard greens, and brussels sprouts. Vitamin E protects your skin from ultraviolet light , prevents cell damage from free radicals, allows your cells to communicate effectively; found in sunflower seeds, almonds, olives, spinach and other green leafy vegetables, broccoli, whole grains and mangos. Selenium plays an important role in our immune system's function, in thyroid hormone metabolism and in reproduction, brazil nuts, bread, fish, meat and eggs. Lycopene is linked with reduced incidence of cancer, cardiovascular disease and macular degeneration; found primarily in tomatoes and tomato products, also in fruits like watermelon, pink grapefruit and guava. Lutein is a yellow or orange pigment concentrated in the retinas of your eyes and is necessary for good vision, found in carrots, squash and other orange and yellow fruits and vegetables, green leafy vegetables such as spinach. Polyphenols / flavonoids may protect against some common health problems and possibly certain effects of aging, can also block the action of enzymes that cancers need for growth, found in legumes, fruits- apples, berries, cherries, grapes and vegetables- broccoli, cabbage, celery, onion and parsley; red wine, coffee, chocolate, green tea, coffee, olive oil and whole grains. Top 20 High Antioxidant Foods:1. Small red beans- dried2. Wild blueberries 3. Red kidney beans- dried 4. Pinto beans 5. Blueberries 6. Cranberries 7. Artichoke hearts- cooked 8. Blackberries 9. Prunes 10. Raspberries 11. Strawberries 12. Red delicious apples 13. Granny Smith apples 14. Pecans 15. Sweet cherries 16. Black plums 17. Russet potatoes 18. Black beans- dried 19. Plums 20. Gala apples *Here I'd like to tell you about a healthy diet program that uses a lot of these antioxidant foods with low to medium glycemic index values: Isabel de los Rios' 'The Diet Solution Program'. The Diet Solution Program favours a long term health orientated approach to fat loss, but not offering anyone a quick fix to their weight troubles. It has loads of valuable data and research to support its approach. I personally investigated the program thoroughly and my mum has been using it for a while now. I have to say she got some great results. The nutrition plan is one of the healthiest we have seen, a strong core focus on vegetables, fruits, vitamin dense foods, lean proteins, select dairy produce and a clear approach to not expecting one diet to work for all body types. So give it a go and let me know how you went. 'The Diet Solution Program' is without a doubt one of the best diet programs out there.*
References: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ List_of_antioxidants_in_food. Ensminger AH, Esminger M. K. J. e. al. Food for Health: A Nutrition Encyclopedia. Clovis, California: Pegus Press; 1986 1986. PMID:15210. Venturi S & Venturi M. (2007) Evolution of Dietary Antioxidant Defences. European EPI-Marker. 11, 3 :1-12. Sies H (1997). "Oxidative stress: oxidants and antioxidants" (PDF). Exp Physiol 82 (2): 291–5. Antioxidant Foods, http://www.bellaonline.com/ articles/ art48532.asp. |
