Top 10 Foods Rich in Antioxidants

For years now, scientists have touted antioxidants as the answer to all sorts of diseases, even aging. From preventing heart disease to slowing down degenerative diseases, to stopping cancer, to reducing blood pressure – you name it and everything points right back to antioxidants. But what makes antioxidants so beneficial to the body?

Antioxidants and Free Radicals – The Real Story

They’re called Free Radicals, and they are the real culprits as to why people, especially old people, develop chronic diseases. Free radicals are highly unstable chemical substances that lack one electron. In their attempt to get their full complement of electrons, these free radicals react with other molecules around them (like those found in cell membranes) and in the process cause these otherwise healthy molecules to lose an electron, causing them as well to become unstable. This could result in massive degeneration of cells, leading to the development of chronic disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, cancer, among others.

The production of free radicals is actually a normal part of life. They are a direct result of the process of oxidation. The moment we breathe, our body is undergoing the oxidation process and releases free radicals into our cells. Usually, the body’s natural defense systems neutralize free radicals that develop, rendering them harmless.

Environmental assaults on the body, however, such as UV-radiation, pollutants and alcohol, can overpower the body’s ability to neutralize free radicals. This allows them to cause damage to the structure and function of the body’s cells. Scientists point to accumulation of free radicals as the contributing factors that lead to aging and a host of other illnesses, including cancer and heart disease.

To lessen and ultimately prevent the damaging effects of free radicals, the responsibility lies with antioxidants. These are substances (vitamins, minerals, and other nutritive compounds) whose sole responsibility is to scavenge free radicals inside the body so they can break the damage chain they create and neutralize the free radicals as a result. Antioxidants are very important to our bodily processes, because by preventing cell damage, they help enhance the body’s defense system.

But, the human body is incapable of producing its own concentration of antioxidants. In fact, humans are among the few animal species that cannot produce its own source of antioxidants. For this reason, we depend solely on our daily diet in order to get the store of antioxidants we need to combat diseases.

Antioxidant-Rich Foods – Source of our Body’s Defense System

Antioxidants protect the body from harmful, excess free radicals, sweeping them up before they can cause damage.

These days, when we talk about antioxidants, the first thing that comes to people’s minds is “supplements.” However, studies on antioxidant supplements are for the most part inconclusive and so far, no one study has come up with the same result during antioxidant supplements tests. No problem though because you can always find antioxidant foods almost anywhere.

Through consumption of antioxidant food source, you can help your body provide for itself the tools necessary to neutralize harmful free radicals.

It is estimated that there are more than 4,000 compounds in antioxidant food sources have been found to have the same function as antioxidants. The most studied antioxidant food sources are those that are rich in vitamins C and E, beta carotene and the mineral selenium.

Still, the best way to lay an antioxidant-rich foundation that is inhospitable to toxins and free radicals is through a combination of whole foods. With antioxidant supplements still far from high expectations of the scientific community, you can in the meantime turn to the more reliable source of these helpful compounds – antioxidant-rich foods.

Recently, nutrition scientists working at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) measured antioxidant levels of more than 100 foods contained in their list of antioxidant-rich foods.  The list includes fruits, vegetables, nuts, dried fruits, spices, and cereals. Interestingly enough, several types of beans, berries, and nuts appear frequently at the top of the list.

Below are the top food sources of antioxidants that you may include in your daily consumption of foods:

#1 - Small Red Beans

First on the list is the small red bean. According to the food pyramid released by the USDA, half a cup of dried small red bean can contain as much as 13727 antioxidant capacity per serving size. The healthy elements found in the small red bean include the following:

A Note On Beans:

Just recently, a new dietary guidance message was announced by the American Dry Bean Board. The message said that “diets including beans may reduce your risk of heart disease and certain cancers.”

The reasons are many – from the fact that beans are known to be naturally low fat and contain no saturated fat or cholesterol to it being rich sources of important nutrients, such as fiber, protein, calcium, iron, folic acid, and potassium. Ultimately, however, the health benefits of beans can all be attributed to the rich presence of antioxidants.

“In many parts of the world, beans are an important dietary staple, but Americans are not eating enough,” said Stacey Zawel, Ph.D., the executive director of the Beans for Health Alliance.

She further added that, “Ideally, adults should be eating three cups of beans per week. This dietary guidance message will illustrate to Americans the importance of including beans in their diet.

#2 – Wild Blueberry

The provocative allure, the fragile charm, the rich concentration of nutrients. All these spell the one of the most important antioxidant foods – berries. Berries are full of fibers, minerals and vitamins. They are also loaded with healing antioxidants, which of course make them excellent food sources of antioxidants.

There are several kinds of berries, as you well know, and each kind has a different concentration of antioxidants. In some recent studies, purple berries (such as Elderberry and black currant) are considered as the richest antioxidant foods. However, raspberries, cranberries, blueberries, and blackberries are also good antioxidant foods that are rich in proanthocyanidins which help prevent cancer and heart disease.

Both wild and cultivated blueberries especially have been heralded for their high antioxidant content. In fact, three of the top five antioxidant-rich foods studied were beans. Still, the wild blueberry occupies the second to the top spot. One cup of wild blueberry contains 13427 antioxidant capacity per serving size.

“We’ve always known that all blueberries are healthy and nutritious, but now there’s no longer any doubt that wild blueberries have more antioxidant activity than their cultivated cousins,” said John Sauve of the Wild Blueberry Association of North America (WBANA).

According to Sauve, a team led by Dr. Wilhelmina Kalt, Ph.D., of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Kentville, Nova Scotia, had previously investigated the differences between wild blueberries and cultivated blueberries determining that wild blueberries are consistently higher in anthocyanins, total phenolics, and antioxidant capacity.

“Nova Scotia’s work coupled with USDA’s new findings, clearly show a difference between types of blueberries with wild blueberries emerging as a power fruit,” said Sauve.

According to Susan Davis, MS, RD, Nutrition Advisor to the Wild Blueberry Association of North America, research into antioxidant activity often shows that color is a strong indicator of phytonutrient activity. This means that the more colorful the fruits and vegetables are, the higher they are ranked in terms of overall antioxidant potential.

Davis also noted that anthocyanin, the deep blue-purple pigment in foods like wild blueberries is a potent phytonutrient that acts as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.

“On-going research into the health effects of plant-based compounds is going to dominate research for years to come. We’re only just beginning to understand how fruit and vegetable compounds work together in the body to prevent disease. For wild blueberries, this means more investigation into potential effects in the areas of aging, cancer prevention, heart health, vision health, and urinary tract health,” Davis added.

#3 – Red Kidney Bean

Another member of the bean category, the red kidney bean is ranked third in USDA’s top 20 list of foods with the highest antioxidant capacity. According to the list, a half cup of powdered red kidney bean contains as much as 13259 antioxidant capacity per serving size.

Red kidney beans are available both dried and canned throughout the year. The dried variety, however, are generally more available in prepackaged containers. Kidney beans stay true to their name in that they are kidney-shaped and are especially good in simmered dishes where they absorb the flavors of seasonings and the other foods with which they are cooked.

Kidney beans are very good sources of cholesterol-lowering fiber, as are most other beans. In addition, its high fiber content also prevents blood sugar levels from rising too rapidly after a meal. This makes the red kidney bean an especially good choice for individuals with diabetes, insulin resistance or hypoglycemia.

When combined with whole grains, kidney beans provide virtually fat-free high quality protein. But this is far from all kidney beans have to offer. Kidney beans are an excellent source of the trace mineral molybdenum, an integral component of the enzyme sulfite oxidase, which is responsible for detoxifying sulfites.

#4 – Pinto Bean Spanish-speaking countries, where they are often served with rice or used in soups and stews.