Antioxidant Rich Foods – Foods That Keep You Young & Healthy

Eating plenty of antioxidant rich foods is a great way to reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease and brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s. Antioxidants help prevent and repair cell damage caused by free radicals.

If you are shopping for produce that has high-antioxidant content, a good indicator is the color. The richest sources are brightly colored plant foods, so lookout for those with a deep red, purple or rich dark green shade.

Good examples of fruits high in antioxidants are blueberries, cranberries and blackberries. If you can find them growing wild in your area, that is even more awesome.

Vegetables are generally not as rich in antioxidants as fruits, but spinach, kale and other leafy greens should be eaten often – along with bright red peppers and Brussels sprouts. If you have trouble including large portions of leafy greens in your diet, juicing is always a good option.

Other plant foods with a high-antioxidant content are legumes. The darker colored types such as red kidney and pinto beans are particularly good sources.

If you don’t drink alcohol, taking up a wine drinking habit just for its rich antioxidant content is probably not a great idea, but if you do like to have an alcoholic drink or two, opting for red wine instead of beer or spirits is an excellent way of getting more antioxidants.

Resveratrol is a nonflavanoid antioxidant found in abundance in red wine. Studies have shown that Resveratrol is helpful in preventing clogged arteries. However until now most research has been performed on animals.

Spices are another good source of antioxidants. Add cloves, cinnamon or oregano to meals and desserts for additional doses.

Surprisingly, peanuts contain a high amount of a type of antioxidant known as polyphenols, and more surprisingly those that have been roasted contain an even higher amount. Roasted peanuts contain about 22 percent more polyphenols than raw peanuts.

Polyphenols have been found to have anti-aging properties, and also play a role in preventing cardiovascular disease and cancer, as well as inflammatory diseases. Other good sources of polyphenols are green tea, olive oil, and all types of berries. If you eat commercial breakfast cereals, check the labels as some also contain quite high amounts of polyphenols.

Antioxidants can also be found in supplement form, but as always, supplements shouldn’t be used in place of healthful foods in the diet, but rather used additionally.