Antioxidant Rich Foods

Antioxidants have been a topic of great discussion among health professionals for many years. The general public has become more educated about the importance of eating antioxidant rich foods in order to fight the effects of free radicals as a result of these discussions.

Physicians and researchers alike have continually stressed the importance of antioxidants in preventing heart disease, fighting macular eye degeneration and in slowing the effects of aging in overall health.

Antioxidants rich foods, like broccoli, grapes, and raw cabbage, work to prevent free radicals from attacking the body and causing disease. Free radicals are those unstable chemical molecules that get into the body naturally.

As damaging as free radicals are, they are a part of life. Pollution from the air creates them. After breathing in, a natural part of life, the body undoes an oxidation process which creates the free radicals. In most cases the body is able to neutralize free radicals so that they cannot cause health issues.

The problem however is that in today’s world there is much more pollution than in the past and the body is not able to keep up with neutralizing the overwhelming amount of free radicals that it encounters.

Free radicals have been shown to play a large part in disease and illnesses such as cancers, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, dementia and more. Antioxidant rich foods work to help the body neutralize these free radicals and in turn protect the body from those ravaging diseases.

Even though many people feel they need to take an antioxidant supplement, scientists have proven that more than 4,000 compounds exist in antioxidant rich foods that function in the same manner as antioxidants.
Food sources that are rich in antioxidants also tend to be rich in beta carotene, Vitamin C, Vitamin E and selenium. This finding leads to the conclusion that these vitamins and compounds are also able to help the body fight free radicals.

Most doctors advise eating foods that are rich in antioxidants in order to protect the body. It is perfectly okay to add in an antioxidant supplement, however, food sources should not be overlooked due the simple fact that they contain so many other important vitamins and minerals.

The best food sources that are rich in antioxidants are as close as the nearest garden. Nature provides an abundance of important antioxidants.
Most people don’t have access to a garden; however, fruits, vegetables and whole grains are easily accessible. Citrus fruits, broccoli, grapes, cabbage, and strawberries are all packed full of antioxidants, as are potatoes and leafy green vegetables.
Vitamin E, another vitamin known to have powerful antioxidant properties can be found in natural grains, wheat germ, vegetable oils, fish-liver oils and green leafy vegetables.

Protect the body by insuring it is receiving enough antioxidants and not just in the form of supplements. Eat a healthy diet filled with antioxidant rich foods and slow the aging process while fighting off disease at the same time.