List of foods rich in Antioxidants

Antioxidants are the substances that slow deterioration and wear of the skin, organs, tissues, and more.  This means that is prevents premature oxidation of the cells exposed to free radicals, which are “imbalanced” molecules that flow throughout our bodies, trying to grab electrons from stable molecules.  They do this trying to achieve electrochemical stability, which causes destructive chain reactions to our cells.

¿What are antioxidants?

Antioxidants are great friends to health and beauty for fighting aging, and cellular degeneration and death caused by free radicals.  We must extract them from foods, as our bodies are incapable of neutralizing free radicals.  In addition to everything previously mentions, antioxidants are essential substances for preventing diseases like cancer.

Below, we will give you a list of foods that have a high percentage of antioxidants, so you can include them in recipes and your daily diet.

High antioxidant foods

GARLIC: is one of the richest foods in antioxidants because it contains a substance called elicina.

RASPBERRIES, STRAWBERRIES, KIWIS, BLUEBERRIES: they contain ellagic acid with high antioxidant and hemostatic properties.  All of these foods contain anti-tumor properties.

DRY FRUIT: antioxidant properties in dry fruit contribute to controlling cellular oxidative stress, and are useful for preventing diseases, like some types of cancer and cardiovascular diseases, as well as cognitive degeneration related to old age and aging in general.

GOJI BERRIES: these tiny fruits have large amounts of natural antioxidants, which is why they are highly recommended in diets not only for health, but for beauty as well.

GRAPE SEEDS: contain a large amount of antioxidants (OPC) which, along with everything previously stated, promote blood circulation.  The antioxidant contained in these tiny seeds surpasses vitamin C, E, and beta-carotene.  It also stays in the body for a long time, fighting free radicals.

VITAMIN E: is a classic antioxidant that protects cells from outside aggressors, like contamination, pesticides, tobacco smoke, etc.  It is found abundantly in avocado, walnuts, peanuts, vegetable oils like sesame, olive, sunflower, etc., fish like salmon, tuna, etc., seeds like pumpkin seeds, etc.

VITAMIN C: is also very popular as a potent antioxidant.  It is found abundantly in kiwis, citrus fruit (oranges, lemons, mandarins, etc.), pineapple, broccoli, tomatoes, sprouts, peppers, guava, plums, etc.

PEPPERS, CHILE PEPPERS, SWEET PEPPERS: are powerful antioxidants.  They know how to under-nourish cancer cells before they cause any sort of problem.

CARROTS, TOMATOES, PAPAYA, ORANGES, SPIRULINA SEAWEED: all of these foods are rich in carotenes, vitamin a precursors, which act as powerful antioxidants.

GREEN TEA: beyond just being a great companion for weight loss, it is a powerful antioxidant, as it has heightened catechin and polyphenol contents that act as antioxidants and metabolism activators.

WHEAT GERM, BREWER’S YEAST, GRAINS, CACAO: all of these foods are rich in zinc, copper, sulfur, selenium, and magnesium, which are good antioxidants in general.

ROSE HIP: this fruit from the wild rose known as Rosa Canina, stands out for being one of the best natural antioxidants, as well as having a high vitamin C content.

CITRUS FRUITS: these are some of the most potent antioxidants and are found in oranges, lemon, mandarin, grapefruit, etc.

APPLES, RED ONION, CHERRIES, BROCCOLI, RED WINE: contain heightened percentages of quercetin, which is a potent antioxidant.

GRAPES: this fruit’s seeds are one of the foods that contain the most antioxidants.

CHIA: this tiny seed is an excellent source of antioxidants.

SOY ISOFLAVONES: their powerful antioxidant action prevents toxins from sticking to the skin, and keeps people from looking worn out, old, and emaciated.  Soy and its byproducts, like tofu, also posses high antioxidant contents.

BLUEBERRIES: besides being rich in fiber and helping intestinal movement, these berries (especially the red ones), have a great antioxidant effect.  They were traditionally used to make jelly.

ACAI: besides providing a lot of energy and vitality, this fruit increases the body’s defenses, and has some of the highest levels of antioxidants than any other food, 33% more than black grapes.  In terms of beauty, it is one of the most valued foods for rejuvenating.

References

1. Schauss, A. G., Wu, X., Prior, R. L., Ou, B., Huang, D., Owens, J., … Shanbrom, E. (2006). Antioxidant Capacity and Other Bioactivities of the Freeze-Dried Amazonian Palm Berry, Euterpe oleraceae Mart. (Acai). Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 54(22), 8604–8610.

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