Antioxidants are essential to any diet. They not only keep us healthy and functioning properly, the may also prevent cancer and aging. So, if youve decided you need more of these wonderful nutrients, youre probably wondering where can I find them? Well heres a list of foods and supplements that will help you get all the antioxidants you need to live a happy, healthy life.
While you can get supplements with antioxidants, the best delivery system is your food. A study was done recently to determine which foods were highest in antioxidants and these are some of the ones that made the list.
* Beans. Youve probably always known that beans were good for you, but you may not have known that they are one of the best food sources around for antioxidants. Beans that provide the most antioxidants are small red beans, red kidney beans, black beans, and pinto beans. Small Red beans were actually found to be the best antioxidant source of any food!
* Fresh fruits. We all know apples are good for us, but what about blueberries, cranberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, cherries, and plums? These are all tasty ways to get your antioxidants. If youre still partial to apples, stick to red delicious, granny smith, and gala apples. They have more antioxidants than other varieties. Berries are my personal favorite source of antioxidants!
* Artichoke. While some people cringe at the thought of eating an artichoke heart, they might be more inclined to chow down when they find out theyre one of the top ten best sources of antioxidants. I actually love artichokes so I have no problem chowing down on them.
If you dont eat enough of these foods, you can always get antioxidants from supplements. Just remember to look closely at the labels before you buy; supplements need to come from natural sources, not be artificially manufactured. That way youll get the best benefit for your money. The best supplements for antioxidant properties are: Vitamin C, Vitamin E, selenium, carotenes, copper, and zinc.
Instead of buying 6 different individual supplements, you should look for something that contains all these vitamins and minerals in one pill. Not only will you be saving money, some studies indicate that a combination pill is a safer and more effective delivery system for antioxidants. Next time youre at the grocery store, take some time to look at multivitamin labels to find the perfect one.
In addition to the foods listed above, those that contain the vitamins and minerals listed as supplements can also be eaten to increase you antioxidant intake if you dont want to use supplements. Try eating an orange for vitamin C or having a carrots as a source of beta carotene.
By taking supplements or making diet changes, you can drastically increase your antioxidant intake and improve your health and quality of life.
