Antioxidants
What are antioxidants?
To answer this question first we need to talk about free radicals. In chemistry a radical is an atom, ion or molecule that contains at least one unpaired electron. Your body naturally produces free radicals when you exercise and digest food. Environmental factors such as UV exposure, air pollutants, tobacco smoke and industrial chemicals like pesticides, are also sources of free radicals. If free radicals exceed your body’s ability to regulate them a condition called oxidative stress occurs. Over time this contributes to aging and to the development of diseases, including cancer, damaging DVA and other important structures in your cells.
Antioxidants stabilise free radicals. The main antioxidants, that help regulate free radicals in your body, are vitamins A C & E. Antioxidants prevent the damage caused by free radicals thereby promoting longevity and warding off disease for example, chronic diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer. The body naturally produces free radicals as a by-product of energy metabolism during exercise. The harder, and longer, you exercise the more free radicals your body produces.
Antioxidants in foods
Getting antioxidants from food is a healthier way than taking antioxidant supplements, all foods contain different antioxidants in varying amounts so its important to include a variety of foods in your diet. Animal based products such as eggs and dairy have antioxidants, however, plant-based food are particularly high in them. These plant-based foods include;
Vegetables
Broccoli, Bell Peppers, Spinach, Artichokes, Kale (red varieties of kale contain twice as much), Red Cabbage, Beets.
Fruits
Oranges, Apples, Pomegranate, Berries, Gogi berries ( part of traditional Chinese medicine for more than 2,000 years), Blueberries - which contain the highest number of antioxidants among all the fruit and veg, with studies showing they also delay the decline in brain function that tends to happen with age.
Whole grains
Oats, Quinoa, Brown Rice.
Beans
Kidney, Pinto, Red Beans.
Nuts
Walnuts, Pecans, Almonds,
Drinks
Coffee, Tea, Red Wine (ahh the flavenoids - the main polyphenols present in red wine, derived from the skin and/or seed of the red grape -did i sneak my favourite tipple in i hear you say - well as it happens, red wine is the healthiest of the alcoholic drinks, moderation is key of course, which means light drinking equating to 1-2 glasses per day, Polyphenols are antioxidants found in plant foods and red wine is very high in polyphenols and therefore should be part of a plant based diet).
Sweet Treats
Dark chocolate, chocolate is made using the cacao plant and is naturally plant based, a study in 2011 compared dark chocolate and cocoa powder to ‘super fruits’ such as blueberries and pomegranates.
