The Power of Antioxidants part IV
…the rest of the top 20 best antioxidant foods:
11. Strawberries
12. Red Delicious & Granny Smith apples
13. Pecans
14. Sweet cherries
15. Black plums
16. Russet potatoes
17. Black beans
18. Plums
19. Gala apples
20. Walnuts
The consumption of antioxidant-rich foods may lower the risk or even prevent certain diseases resulting from cellular damage, caused by oxidation.
The US FDA may have recently suggested that the average person should consume up to 7000 ORAC* units daily, in order to reduce the risk of cancer. As this is nearly 12 servings of high-ORAC*-value fruit, the use of nutritional supplements containing bioflavonoids is likely necessary to reach this target.
Benefits of antioxidants
- Antioxidants neutralize metal ions (free radicals that can cause oxidation) by wrapping around them – that prevents the formation of ion-dependent free radicals and the metal ions from oxidizing cells
By neutralizing free radicals antioxidants promote:
- Liver protection
- Eye health and prevent degenerative eye diseases
- Improved immune system
- Anticarcinogenic effects – prevent DNA damage and cancer
- Cardiovascular health and help prevent artherosclerosis, heart attacks, strokes
- Antioxidants can decrease LDL and cholesterol and lower blood pressure
* ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) – is a method of measuring antioxidant contents in foods; fruits ORAC units vary between 500 and 900 per 100 grams.