Recently, more and more people have become interested in foods that are high in antioxidants. This is because antioxidants are helpful in fighting and neutralizing free radicals, which can cause severe damage to your health. Consuming foods that have antioxidants in them is an easy way to make your diet healthier while ensuring your body the protection it needs against cancer, cardiovascular disease, strokes, etc.
There are different types of foods with these properties so here’s a list of them to make research easier on you:
- Fresh fruits – As it stands, fruits are the best antioxidant foods out there. Many darker fruits contain the antioxidants anthocyanins, which influences their pigment. Two examples would be aronia berries and blackberries, which are both dark purple, blue, and black colors generally. These fruits are also high in vitamin C and other valuable nutrients so it certainly doesn’t hurt to give them a shot!
- Vegetables – Green and red veggies typically have powerful antioxidant properties and high levels of phytochemicals. Cabbage, spinach, and beetroot are a few examples that come to mind. These vegetables also help to prevent problems like fungal, bacterial, and viral infections, as well as cancer.
- Beans – Foods like soy and pinto beans are easy to add to a meal and also provide the protein and iron that your body needs.
- Nuts – Some of the nuts that are antioxidant-rich are walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, and almonds, so these are the ones you want to grab from the grocer. On top of their antioxidant properties, they also serve as a great source of protein and fiber and are high in vitamins E and B2 and minerals potassium and magnesium.
- Cereals – This is not true of all cereals, especially not ones with a large amount of sugar in them. The cereals you want to look for are those with oats, barley, and corn as the primary ingredients. You can add some of the aforementioned fruits to them for more flavor.
- Spices – Yes, that’s right, you can use spices like basil, cinnamon, celery, cloves, oregano, and lemon grass to not only spice up your meal but also add a healthy edge to it.
