Antioxidant Zone

Posted By admin on September 22, 2008

I had lunch with my mum yesterday. She is over 75 and younger than 90 (I don’t think she’ll mind me putting it this way).

Anyway the first thing she did as we sat down for lunch was to open a small plastic box. She picked out twelve different tablets, in various sizes and colors. I won’t go into detail but apart from some age and feminine related tablets, the others were a mix of antioxidants and vitamin supplements.

Many people, and I include my mother here, use different supplements on a daily basis, and that is good as long as they stress the supplement side of things.

A balanced diet is the best way of keeping healthy and the best way of getting the vitamins, antioxidants, fiber, minerals and nutrients we need. Supplements definitely help, but not instead of or as the main source of these needs.

So I thought it a good idea to identify some of the food sources that are rich in antioxidants and as part of a balanced diet keep us healthy.

Groups of food:

Oranges, grapefruit and citrics in general, mangoes, strawberries and kiwis. Broccoli, spinach, capsicum.

• Benefit: Vitamin C, which strengthens our immune system.

Mangoes, apricots. Pumpkin, carrots, spinach and parsley

• Benefit: Provide beta-carotene, good against sun rays.

Watermelon and pink grapefruit. Tomatoes.

• Benefit: Provide lycopene, although not proven it is thought to be beneficial for certain types of cancer, namely, prostate.

Grapes and berries. Eggplant.

• Benefit: Provide natural antinflamatories through anthocyanins.

Citrus fruits and apples. Tea, green tea, red wine and onions.

• Benefit: Provide flavonoids, which have been linked to reduction of coronary illness and some breathing illness.

Vegetable oils, avocados, nuts, seeds and whole grains.

• Benefit: Vitamin E has a host of benefits, specially in relation to the skin

Seafood, offal, lean meat and whole grains, garlic, Brazil nuts, walnuts and raisins.

• Benefit: Selenium which in turn promotes the antioxidant activity in the body.

Spinach, broccoli, egg yolk.

• Benefit: Provide lutien (from the Latin yellow), good for age related aspects and keeping skin and eyes healthy.

Now this is not a full list for either all the antioxidants available nor the food groups where they are found. Nor is it a full list of benefits.

What it is, is a simple guide that could help you (and you too Mummy) to expand and balance your diet.

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Categories: Natural Antioxidants
Tags: antioxidant benefits, Antioxidant Food