Top 10 Foods Rich in Antioxidants!
The main foods rich in antioxidants are quite healthy they need to be included in our daily diets. We each have antioxidants and free radicals present within our bodies at all times.
For example, the liver produces and uses free radicals to detoxify the body , while white blood cells send free radicals to destroy bacteria, viruses, and damaged cells. When certain types of oxygen molecules are allowed to travel freely through the body , they cause what is known as oxidative damage, which is the formation of free radicals.
When levels of antioxidants in the body are lower than those of free radicals – due to poor nutrition, exposure to toxins or other factors – oxidation wreaks havoc on the body . The effect? Accelerated aging, damaged or mutated cells, broken tissue, activation of harmful genes within DNA, and an overworked immune system.
What are antioxidants?
While there are many ways to describe what antioxidants do within the body , a definition of any substance that inhibits oxidation, especially one used to counteract the deterioration of stored food products or remove potentially harmful oxidizing agents in a living organism.
Antioxidants have dozens of food-based substances you may have heard of before, such as carotenoids like beta-carotene, lycopene, and vitamin C. These are several examples that inhibit oxidation, or reactions promoted by oxygen, peroxides and/or free radicals.
Why do we need antioxidants?
Herbs, spices and teas reduce the effects of free radicals, which play an important role in disease formation . Major health problems we face today – including heart disease, cancer and dementia – have been linked to increased levels of oxidative damage and inflammation.
In simpler terms, oxidation is a chemical reaction that can produce free radicals , leading to other chemical chain reactions that damage cells.
Top foods rich in antioxidants:
Antioxidants may be easier to add to your diet than you might think. Based on ORAC scores, below are some foods:
- Goji Berries: 4,310 ORAC score
- Wild Blueberries: 9,621 ORAC score
- Dark chocolate: 20,816 ORAC score
- Pecans : 17,940 ORAC score
- Artichoke (cooked): 9,416 ORAC score
- Elderberries: 14,697 ORAC score
- Beans: 8,606 ORAC score
- Cranberries: 9,090 ORAC score
- Blackberries: 5,905 ORAC score
- Coriander: 5,141 ORAC score
The ORAC scores above are based on weight. This means that it may not be practical to consume large amounts of all these antioxidant-rich foods .
Other foods not listed above, which are still great sources and highly beneficial, include common foods like tomatoes , carrots, pumpkin seeds , sweet potatoes, pomegranates, strawberries , kale, broccoli, grapes or red wine, squash, and wild salmon. Try to consume at least three to four servings a day of these antioxidant-rich foods (even more is better) for optimal health.
Benefits of Antioxidants:
1. Against free radicals:
As described above, the single most important benefit of antioxidants is neutralizing the free radicals found within every human body , which are very destructive to things like tissues and cells. Furthermore, free radicals are responsible for contributing to many health problems and have connections to diseases such as cancer and premature aging of the skin or eyes.
2. Eye health:
Antioxidants present in vitamin C , vitamin E and beta-carotene have been shown to have positive effects in preventing macular degeneration or age-related vision loss/blindness. Additionally, many foods that provide these nutrients also provide antioxidants called lutein and zeaxanthin, dubbed eye vitamins, and found in brightly colored foods like fruits and vegetables — especially leafy greens and types that are orange or yellow in color.
3. Skin health:
Perhaps most notably, free radicals accelerate the aging process when it comes to the appearance and health of the skin . Antioxidants can combat this damage, especially by consuming sources rich in vitamin C , beta-carotene, and other antioxidants.
4. Against stroke:
Because antioxidants help prevent tissue and cell damage from free radicals , they are necessary to protect against heart disease and stroke. At this point, the data doesn’t show that all antioxidants are effective in protecting against heart disease, but some, like vitamin C , appear to be.
5. Against cancer:
Studies have found that consuming vitamin A , vitamin C , and other antioxidants can prevent or treat various forms of cancer, thanks to their ability to control malignant cells in the body and cause cell cycle arrest and apoptosis (destruction) of cancer cells. Retinoic acid, derived from vitamin A , is a chemical that plays important roles in cell development and differentiation, as well as cancer treatment.
6. Contra or alzheimer:
Oxidative stress is thought to play a central role in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases, but a nutrient-rich diet appears to lower the risk. Expert publications report that consumption of foods rich in antioxidants , such as vitamin C and vitamin E , may modestly reduce the long-term risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease .
Many studies have found that people who consume plant-based diets high in antioxidants, such as the Mediterranean diet , have better protection over cognition.