| Benefits of Antioxidants | | | | phytonutrient content. Therefore, if you are choosing |
| Let us briefly look into the benefits of antioxidants | | | | between white and red onions, get the red ones. If |
| before we address antioxidant foods. | | | | you are choosing between green grapes and red |
| First, what are antioxidants? | | | | grapes, go for the red ones. Same with the peppers, |
| Antioxidants neutralize free radicals and stop them | | | | instead of green peppers, try yellow, orange, purple, |
| from impairing our cells. Free radicals are highly | | | | or red. |
| reactive chemical substances that can cause cellular | | | | Blueberries and bilberries are very rich in |
| damage if left unchecked, leading to premature aging | | | | phytonutrients and so are the best antioxidant foods. |
| and disease. | | | | Antioxidant foods |
| In fact, many health experts believe that one of the | | | | Organic Fruits and Vegetables are Better |
| most prominent causes of destructive diseases is the | | | | On the contrary, we also have a problem with the |
| damage of free radicals. Deadly diseases like the | | | | mass commercialized fruits and veggies. They are |
| cardiovascular disease which can grow about to | | | | produced using chemical pesticides, herbicides, and |
| cause heart attacks and cancer and even are killing | | | | fertilizers. |
| people in the western world, are a pert of this | | | | Organically produced fruits and vegetables are proven |
| effect. More surprisingly, some experts have | | | | to have higher quantities of antioxidants in them. |
| hypothesized the aging process as a result of the | | | | They even have a higher concentration, compared to |
| free radical damage. | | | | their commercialized counterparts. |
| Antioxidants are powerful substances that are | | | | One of such studies was published in the 2003 |
| capable of diminishing the free radicals before they | | | | Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. This study |
| damage your cells. | | | | resulted in proving that the plants grown organically |
| This forms the base for the recent hype in the | | | | had hugely additional polyphenol content than those |
| publicity of antioxidants. Antioxidants have been | | | | grown conventionally, while, polyphenols are naturally |
| discussed vigorously in the media and health | | | | occurring antioxidants. |
| professionals are advising their patients to include in | | | | The results of an analysis of a range of antioxidant |
| their diet, foods that are rich in antioxidants. | | | | foods in Canada, was quite shocking. This study |
| Antioxidant foods | | | | included foods like potatoes, tomatoes, bananas, |
| Which foods high in antioxidants? | | | | apples, onion, broccoli etc, and was commissioned by |
| Vegetables are high in antioxidants content and this | | | | The Globe and Mail and CTV news. |
| probably is not a surprise. Tomatoes, broccoli, | | | | Consider potatoes as an example. This is what the |
| cauliflower, peppers etc are all excellent sources. | | | | analysis concluded: Over the last 50 years the potato |
| The spotlight is on eating fruits and vegetables that | | | | has lost 100% of its Vitamin A, 57% of its Vitamin C |
| have rich color tones. The reason is that, such foods | | | | and iron, 28% of its Calcium, 50% of its riboflavin and |
| are rich in what are known as phytonutrients. | | | | 18% of its thiamine. At the end, is any nutrient still |
| Phytonutrients are often mistaken to be vitamins and | | | | present in the potatoes today? |
| or minerals. But the truth is that they are in a broader | | | | Of the seven nutrients analyzed only the nutrient |
| sense Pigments, or more precisely, they are a | | | | niacin's levels had increased. The results were similar |
| pigment's biologically active constituents. The skin of | | | | for all the 25 fruits and vegetables tested. One of |
| vegetables and fruits contain this concentrated | | | | the worst results was from broccoli in which ALL |
| nutrient. This nutrient is responsible for their color, | | | | nutrients had declined significantly including niacin with |
| hue, scent, and flavor. Phytonutrients are the best | | | | Calcium down by 63%. |
| antioxidant foods that exist in nature. | | | | Bottom line? The nutrients and vitamins (which are |
| Recent clinical trials have revealed that this nutrient | | | | themselves antioxidants) are declining sharply in |
| can boost the strength of your immune system, and | | | | commercialized fruits and veggies. |
| also may assist in preventing certain types of cancer. | | | | So, in order to ensure that you and your family get |
| So, next time you're walking through the produce | | | | the best antioxidant foods, make sure you buy only |
| aisle, remember the thumb rule; the deeper and richer | | | | organic fruits and vegetables! Your local farmer's |
| the color of the fruit or vegetable, the more is the | | | | market would be a great place. |