List of Antioxidant Foods that You Should Start in Your Diet

The importance of antioxidants in your daily diet cannot be ignored, which is the reason we have introduced you to it. You may have had a little knowledge of antioxidant recipes in your grade or high school or from nutritional experts. Most of the food articles that you have read will often ask you to stay on diets that are good for both stomach and heart.

However, the best part is in staying on diets that will not only boost the health of your body’s vital organs but will replenish the dead cells. These are antioxidant foods. Before we get to the list of antioxidant foods, let us take you through the meaning of ‘antioxidants’ and how it can be of benefit to our health.

Certain fruits and vegetables contain naturally occurring substances or compounds that are called antioxidants. Examples of antioxidants are beta-carotene, which is found in carrots, flavanols in chocolate, and lycopene in tomatoes. Antioxidants work by preventing the body cells from being destroyed by oxidants.
 

Oxidants are produced in the body to fight bacteria and other disease-causing organisms. They are good for the body; aren’t they? However, when their number becomes too much for your body’s capacity, they will attack the healthy cells in your body which could result in a heart attack or cancer.
 

Oxidants can enter your body from the environment either by smoke, alcohol or pollutants. Now, the role of antioxidants is to neutralize the harmful effects of the oxidants by eliminating them from your system.

There should be a balance between the number of the oxidants and the antioxidants in your body if you are to stay healthy. In most cases, the number of oxidants in the body is higher than the number of antioxidants, which brings to bear the need for you to balance things up consuming the right antioxidant food.
 

Eating a balanced diet with the right quantity and quality of antioxidant will keep you refreshed with a lower risk of aging, poor skin, cancer or heart disease. In addition to this, you will have an active brain and a healthy gut.  You need a quality and youthful life which is what you stand to enjoy by eating antioxidant foods.

Let us take you through the list of antioxidant foods for your daily diet and good health.

Chocolate is good for your health, we know this is good news to you as a lover of chocolate. Cocoa packs and dark chocolates contain good amounts of antioxidants, including flavanols and polyphenols. It is proven that they are good for your heart, but they should be taken in moderation.

You can hardly find a type of beans that is not an antioxidant and include black, kidney, pinto and red beans. There is no way you can name the various protein food sources without mentioning beans. They are proteins with no cholesterol, which can be combined with grains to complete its form. However, if you feel its somehow sticky along the gut, take more water.

Blueberries have high antioxidant content but are low in calories. A recent report has that blueberries have the highest amount of antioxidant among various fruits and vegetables that are commonly consumed. Consumption of blueberries can delay the degeneration of the brain which is common with aging.

Strawberries are rich in both vitamin C and antioxidants. The red color in strawberries is because of the presence of the antioxidant referred to as anthocyanins, which are found to reduce LDL levels in persons with a heart attack.

Having a handful of raisins will automatically increase your load of antioxidants. Add them to your oats or salad to get the energy boost that follows its consumption. It might interest you that raisins contain thrice the number of antioxidants in grapes.

Kale is one of the most commonly consumed vegetables and is rich in antioxidants. It contains vitamin C, K, and A. Red varieties of Kale contain a higher number of antioxidants which is derived from the presence of more anthocyanin and other antioxidants. Kale has a strong presence of calcium, which is needed in your bones and teeth.

Barley is one of the most ancient grains known to man. It has a very high antioxidant content which tends to increase when they are soaked and sprouted. Barley can be easily absorbed in the body than nutrients.

Broccoli has become increasingly popular because of its rich cancer-fighting properties. It belongs to the category of cruciferous vegetables and contains antioxidants like beta-carotene, carotenoids lutein, and zeaxanthin. To get the best of its antioxidizing properties, steam it. This is because beta-carotene antioxidizing properties can be boosted by boiling the vegetable.

Having a handful of nuts daily is recommended for your healthy growth. They have no cholesterol and are rich in antioxidants such as polyphenols.

Tomatoes contain three types of antioxidants, which are lycopene, Vitamin A and Vitamin C. The red color of juicy tomatoes is because of the presence of the antioxidant Lycopene. Cooking tomatoes is the best way to extract the potency of its antioxidants.

To add more antioxidants to your daily diet, you should follow the chart below:

Antioxidant-rich foods are not only perfect for your health, but it is also essential for your skin. It takes care of your skin from the inside. Your aging process can be accelerated because of the work of free radicals on your skin cells. Taking enough antioxidant foods can counter the effects of these free radicals on your skin.

The rate at which wrinkles can appear on the face can be decreased by taking antioxidants that are rich in Vitamin C and beta-carotene.

The good thing is that these antioxidant foods for the skin have good taste and can be taken with any meal. Your skin will have regenerated look if you take the following foods:

Berries are among the foods with the highest antioxidant for your skin health and can be incorporated with any meal. Some of the berries with the best number of antioxidants are acai, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries.

Pomegranate has been used in many of the skin care available skin care products and contains a high antioxidant rating, which is known to curb an accelerated aging. This fruit contains potassium, vitamin C, Vitamin B5, and other antioxidants.

Green tea contains strong antioxidants such as polyphenols. However, it has a percentage of caffeine, which implies that if you don’t want caffeine in your diet you can avoid its use. Just a cup of green tea contains more antioxidants than a combination of carrot, spinach, and strawberries. You can either drink it hot or ice it.

Red apples have been found to contain a high number of antioxidants, which can take care of an aging skin. It is delicious and can be taken with any meal at any time and occasion. An apple a day can take those wrinkles off your face.

The amazing benefits of garlic consumption to the skin were first discovered during the Roman -Greco era. It has become a tradition for garlic to be used in almost every household after every evening meal. It is a very strong antioxidant and has the potential to remove metals from the body and lower the blood pressure. A single clove of garlic contains calcium, iodine, zinc, selenium, Vitamins A, B, and C.

Your eye is among the most important organs in your body which require a balanced antioxidant diet daily to keep it in good health.

Below are the lists of the top antioxidant foods for your eyes:

Kale leaf contains zeaxanthin and lutein, which are rich in vitamin A and is good for the eye.

They are rich in beta-carotene and vitamin A which is known to help in reducing eye infections.

Rich in vitamin c and antioxidants are known to prevent cataract and other eye infections.

Salmon contains vitamin D and omega 3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids protect eyes from muscular degeneration and prevent dry eye.

Green tea contains catechins which are known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties which help protect the eyes from eye diseases.

As you can see, all the food listed are fresh. Jot down all this food on your phone, notebook and search for them in your next grocery shopping. All these goodness will bring about a healthier and prettier you!