20 Fruits and Vegetables Rich in Antioxidants
Which foods are the richest in antioxidants? Researchers at Tufts University's Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging measured various products according to the ORAC index, which measures their ability to absorb free radicals. Their super power, in fact! Here are the 20 Antioxidant-Rich Fruits and Vegetables You Should Eat.
Prunes
Fresh prunes contain 4873 antioxidants while half a cup of their dried counterparts contains 7291 according to WebMD.com.
Raisins
The same goes for red grapes which get 2016 antioxidants per serving unlike raisins which contain 2490.
Blueberries
Blueberries have more antioxidants - those magic molecules that can help prevent a myriad of diseases - than 40 other fruits and vegetables. Eating a cup of wild blueberries will provide 13,427 antioxidants, or about 10 times the USDA recommendation. Cultivated blueberries will give you 9019 antioxidants per cup.
Blackberries
Blackberries are high in antioxidants, but did you know that they are also packed with polyols, one of the main components of sugar substitutes (often accused of causing abdominal health problems)?
Strawberries
Like blueberries and raspberries, strawberries are rich in antioxidants that protect healthy cells from many cancers.
Raspberries
A study published in the Journal of Nutrition showed that ellagic acid (found in raspberries, pomegranates, nuts, and cranberries) improves the ability of quercetin (another type of antioxidant than apples, grapes, onions and buckwheat) are found to kill cancer cells.
Plums
Choose black plums which give you 4873 antioxidants per serving. Dried plums (prunes) offer even more!
Orange
Oranges, along with mangoes, peaches and watermelon, are high in beta-cryptoxanthin, an antioxidant, and one of two compounds that may reduce the risk of arthritis by 20-40%, according to study survey carried out with 25,000 people. Here is what doctors say you need to know about arthritis.
Red grapes
Enjoy this healthy, low-calorie snack: 20 seedless red grapes are barely 100 calories.
Cherries
Juicy and sweet Montmorency cherries (or sour cherries) are an excellent source of antioxidant melatonin . Other cherries are too, but this variety contains the most. Melatonin protects the skin against ultraviolet rays. Researchers have found that this powerful little nutrient also helps repair sunburned skin because it stimulates the growth of skin cells. Cherries are also packed with vitamin C which is needed to build collagen ... your natural source of wrinkles!
Kale
Rich in antioxidants and anti-cancer vitamins, kale is also a good source of beta-carotene and offers an excellent combo of lutein and zeaxanthin.
Spinach
Spinach is loaded with carotenoids that promote healthy eyes and help prevent macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness in older people.
Brussels sprouts
These cousins of broccoli contain sulforaphanes as well as compounds called isothiocyanates that detoxify carcinogens in the body before they have time to do their dirty work of spreading. According to a Dutch study, men who ate Brussels sprouts daily for three weeks had 28% less genetic damage (this is a cause of cancer) than those who did not.
Alfalfa sprouts
This tiny, super-powerful sprout is rich in beta-carotene, an antioxidant, which protects against lung cancer. Also, beta-carotene helps maintain healthy skin, hair, nails, gums, glands, bones, and teeth. Alfalfa sprouts are also a good source of vitamin E which can help prevent heart attacks and heart disease, as well as reduce the risk of death from bladder cancer.
Broccoli
Broccoli is packed with anti-cancer antioxidants plant. One study found that men who ate 5 or more servings per week of cruciferous vegetables , such as broccoli, were 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer over a 10-year period than men who rarely ate them.
Beets
Beets are bursting with healthy nutrients, like five of the most essential vitamins, calcium, iron, potassium, and protein.
Red bell pepper
An average pepper is low in calories (only 32!), But lots of vitamin C (150% of the recommended daily value!) Which prevents atherosclerosis which can lead to heart disease. Here's why vitamin C is important for your health.
Onions
You will get the most out of this vegetable's anti-inflammatory antioxidants by eating it raw. Cooking onions at high temperatures greatly reduces the benefits of phytochemicals that protect against lung and prostate cancer.
Corn
A study in the Journal of Agricultural Food and Chemistry found the longer corn cooked, the higher its level of antioxidants like lutein - which fights blindness in older people.
Aubergine
All types of eggplant are rich in chlorogenic acid which protects against the buildup of cardiac plaque in the artery walls and also fights cancer: this is what USDA scientists in Beltsville, Maryland say. In laboratory studies, eggplant lowered cholesterol and helped the artery walls relax which may reduce the risk of high blood pressure.
