10 Ways to Eat More Antioxidants
Antioxidants are incredibly beneficial to good health. They help prevent cancer, reverse and slow aging, enhance immunity, increase energy, and improve heart and other organ health. Let's dive into what they are, why you should eat more, and how to get more into your daily diet.
What Are Antioxidants?
Antioxidants are compounds that can neutralise free radicals in the body, which are molecules that cause damage to cells and contribute to the development of cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer's disease. Antioxidants work by donating an electron to free radicals, which stabilises them and prevents them from causing further damage.
Where Are Most Antioxidants Found?
Most antioxidants are found in plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and herbs. Some specific examples of antioxidants include vitamins A, C, and E, beta-carotene, selenium, and flavonoids. Different foods contain different types and amounts of antioxidants, so eating a varied diet that includes a wide range of fruits and vegetables is essential.
Antioxidants are critical for good health, as they can help prevent cancer, reverse or slow aging, enhance your immune system, increase your energy and improve heart and other organ health. So, without further ado, let's dive in!
How to Get More Antioxidants into Your Diet
1. Breakfast
Add berries and seeds to your daily breakfast! Fresh blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries are some examples of delicious sources of antioxidants. Frozen work well if you can't find fresh, but avoid canned. Order The Whole Elixir for whole seeds combined for the perfect antioxidant punch. Add them to your morning oatmeal, yogurt, or smoothie for a quick and healthy breakfast.
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2. Snacks
Here's an easy way to get more antioxidants in your diet. How about a handful of goji berries or fresh red grapes for a snack? Dip some strawberries into yogurt. You'll feel decadent, but the berries provide the colour you're looking for. Need crunch? How about some baby carrots dipped in hummus?
Nuts and seeds are excellent protein and healthy fats sources, but they also contain antioxidants such as vitamin E and selenium. Enjoy them as a snack, or sprinkle them on your salad or roasted vegetables for added crunch and nutrition. Consider a handful of pecans for crunch and a nice antioxidant boost.
3. Lunch and Dinner
The best way to add antioxidants to your lunch and dinner meals is to include as many vegetables or salad ingredients as possible. They don't have to be boring, and they don't have to be just salad greens. If you're going classic, add some red pepper slices to your green salad, some tomatoes to the Greek salad, or tart cranberries to your field greens. Whip up a broccoli salad for lunch, or be adventurous and mix up a rice salad with a mélange of fresh vegetables like string beans, tomatoes, peppers and red onions.
4. Dessert
Dark chocolate and berries are delicious options for satisfying your sweet tooth while getting a healthy dose of antioxidants. Dark chocolate contains flavonoids, powerful antioxidants that reduce inflammation and lower your risk of heart disease. Look for chocolates with at least 70% cocoa content for maximum benefits.
Berries are packed with various antioxidants, including anthocyanins, which give them their vibrant colour. Blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, and blackberries are all excellent choices, and you can enjoy them fresh or frozen in smoothies or as a topping for yogurt or oatmeal.
5. Beverages
Drinking warm teas, such as green and matcha, are great ways to boost your antioxidant intake. Green tea is loaded with a type of flavonoid called catechins, which are shown to have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. Matcha tea is a powdered form of green tea that is incredibly high in antioxidants, as it contains the whole tea leaf. Both green tea and matcha tea can be enjoyed hot or cold, and you can throw in a touch of honey or lemon for added flavour. Here’s an easy match tea recipe.
6. Learn to Cook
If you're cooking, you're not opening bags and boxes. Cooking involves preparing whole foods and paying attention to how things are cooked. If you're ordering out every night, you're far less likely to eat the whole foods and natural fruits and vegetables that provide the base for our antioxidant intake.
7. Eat From the Entire Rainbow
Eat a whole variety of fruits and vegetables to ensure you get a wide range of antioxidants. Include at least one fruit or vegetable from each colour group in your daily meals.
Different colours of fruits and vegetables are associated with various antioxidants and other beneficial compounds. For example, orange and yellow fruits and vegetables are high in beta-carotene, while dark leafy greens are rich in lutein and zeaxanthin. Red and purple fruits and vegetables are packed with anthocyanins, and white fruits and vegetables contain allicin, which has anti-cancer properties.
8. Cook Lightly
You think you're being good, preparing vegetables each night for your family's dinner. But if you're overcooking the vegetables, you're cooking out many of the antioxidants' beneficial properties. Steam (don't boil) vegetables, and stop cooking them when they have their bright colour and most of their bite.
9. Plant a Garden
Experts believe that people who plant and harvest vegetables from their yards are far more likely to eat more vegetables and fruits than people who buy their produce from the store. So plant a garden, watch it grow and eat the fruits (literally) of your labour.
10. Take Your Healthy Diet on Vacation
Too many consider vacation an opportunity to take a break from everything, including healthy eating. Instead, think of relaxation as a way to be introduced to new foods. Order an interesting vegetable dish in a restaurant and then pay attention to how the chef prepared the dish.
Get Started Today!
Incorporating more antioxidants into your diet is a simple and delicious way to improve your health and well-being. Try incorporating some of the tips mentioned in this article, such as adding more fruits and vegetables to your meals, drinking green tea or matcha, and enjoying dark chocolate or berries for dessert. You can reap the benefits of these powerful antioxidants by making minor changes to your diet. I hope you’re inspired to start making some delicious and nutritious choices today!
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