Top 9 Antioxidant Rich Foods

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Just like everyone else I’m sure you want to be healthy and eat right. The best way to go about this is to eat foods that are rich in antioxidants. You may have heard that they are good for fighting and preventing diseases, but I can tell you right now, antioxidants offer much, much more. According to scientists and medical experts are the following.

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1. Beans

redbeansHalf a cup of red beans has more 13,700 antioxidants, while the same amount of black beans has 4,191 antioxidants. Pinto beans have 11,864 and red kidney beans 13,259. They have more antioxidants than most fruits or vegetables. I also want to point out that beans have a lot of fiber, calcium, vitamins and protein. In fact, red beans have more antioxidants than any other fruit or vegetable.

2. Red Wine

I have to add red wine to this list. Work by Kate Flanigan-Sawyer of the Occupational Health Division of the Dept. of Health and Human Services says that it boosts your HDL (“good”) cholesterol. It is also rich in vitamins, resveratrol, phenols and bioflavonoid, all potent antioxidants. While red wine does have benefits, you should not drink more than a glass per day.

tomatoes

3. Tomatoes

Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, an antioxidant. A study conducted at Harvard showed that women who took high amounts of lycopene reduced their risks of developing heart disease by 30%. In fact a study done at the Stress Institute shows that tomatoes cooked in ketchup, sauces and soups can reduce risks of digestive tract cancer, prostate cancer and other diseases.
But I also want to tell you that there are a lot of other benefits you will get from tomatoes.

  • The more tomatoes you eat, the greater your chances of fighting stomach and prostate cancer.
  • Tomatoes are rich in vitamin A and vitamin C.
  • Tomatoes can also prevent DNA damage by fending off free radicals.
  • Tomatoes can also reduce the risk of heart ailment.

I have also come across research showing that it can ward off ailments such as diabetes, and atherosclerosis.

4. Green Tea

I love to drink green tea, and you should too since it is rich in epigallocatchin-gallate (EGCG), an antioxidant that slows the aging process, and can only be found in green tea. I also want to point out other health benefits that green tea provides.

  • Green tea improves your body’s immune function.
  • It can fight off cardiovascular infection
  • Green tea can reduce high cholesterol levels.
  • It has anti-cancer properties.

blueberries

5. Blueberries

In a study by Richard J. Flanigan, Health and Sciences Director at Colorado University, it was proven blueberries are a rich source of antioxidants and fiber as well. The flavonoids in blueberries help fight radical damage caused by cancer and heart disease. Because blueberries are also rich in fiber, they improve digestion and prevent urinary tract infections and improve brain power too.

6. Cinnamon

I also want to say that cinnamon should be included in this list as it is rich in antioxidants. In addition to this, a study by conducted by Richard Anderson, PhD of the US Agriculture Department shows cinnamon, if eaten daily, reduces your bad cholesterol and triglycerides by 20%. This result is actually comparable to those produced by statin drugs. Here are other benefits:

  • It lowers your cholesterol.
  • Cinnamon can also regulate your blood sugar.
  • Cinnamon can be used to prevent yeast infection, something that has been proven in many medical studies.
  • Cinnamon can prevent cancer, according to a study by the US Agriculture Department. In fact, the study showed that cinnamon can stop the proliferation of lymphoma cancer cells and leukemia.

7. Black Tea

Research indicates that black tea protects your body against different forms of cancers and also rheumatoid arthritis, Parkinson’s disease, and even Alzheimer’s and cardiovascular ailments. Research done by Dr. Jack Bukowski at Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital proved that drinking 20 oz of tea every day will triple your body’s production of interferon gamma, a substance used to fight infection.

strawberries

8. Strawberries

A study by Dr. Gene Spiller, PhD shows that strawberries reduce artery damage and improve circulatory health, mainly because it is rich in antioxidants. Strawberries also have the following benefits.

• Strawberries have phenols, a chemical compound that fortifies your immune system.

• The phenols in the strawberry can fight atherosclerosis, asthma, osteoarthritis and various inflammatory disorders.

• It has anti-in?ammatory agents and antioxidants that help your body fight different types of cancer.

pomegranate

9. Pomegranate

These are rich in polyphenols and punicalagins, naturally occurring antioxidants. A study conducted at Florida University showed that eating pomegranate boost the blood antioxidant levels by more than 33%, reducing the risk of heart disease. In addition, pomegranate will reduce the bad cholesterol (LDL).

The 5 Most Important Benefits of Antioxidants

  • Antioxidants eliminate free radicals: free radicals are the by-products of molecule oxidation. When there’s too much of it, your cells become unstable and may contribute to the development of cancerous cells.
  • Antioxidants bolster the immune system: because antioxidants destroy free radicals, your cells are protected and strengthen your body.
  • It has certain properties that fight many diseases: antioxidants have certain properties that enable them to fight all kinds of diseases, including many types of cancers and heart ailments.
  • Antioxidants slow down the aging process. This is possible because they allow your body to absorb nutrients and vitamins. At the same time they also flush out the toxins in your body.
  • Antioxidants reduce bad cholesterol in the body. If your cholesterol is too high, it means your body is full of unhealthy fats that are clogging up your arteries, making you more susceptible to a heart attack and other life threatening diseases.

Those are just some of the benefits you will get from eating antioxidant rich foods. I suggest you include them in your diet and use them as substitutes for sweets and pastries. In no time at all, you’ll lose pounds become healthier.

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