Antioxidant Superstars

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Monday February 25, 2008Your Daily Tip from Living Well

Antioxidant Superstars You've probably heard that antioxidants are good for

you, but do you know what they are and how they work? Antioxidants are vitamins,

plant chemicals, or minerals that naturally occur in vegetables, fruits, whole

grains, beans, and nuts and help protect your body's cells against oxidative

stress. Oxidative stress, caused by normal processes in the body and outside

elements like air pollution, sunlight, and radiation, is linked to the aging

process and many diseases. But antioxidants can help prevent this damage. They

can work fast, too: The American Institute for Cancer Research reports that

" within a few weeks of adding more fruits and vegetables to their diets, people

who do not smoke have increased blood levels of antioxidants and decreased

oxidative damage. " The best source of antioxidants is food, not pills. Certain

foods can contain complex combinations of many antioxidants that work together

to fight oxidative damage, and pills can't

replicate their effects. The following list contains the top 20 foods that

have been ranked highest in total antioxidant capacity per serving. This is not

a ranking of the most nutritious foods; rather, these foods are examples of

great sources of antioxidants that you should enjoy in your diet.

Small red beans (dried)

Wild blueberries

Red kidney beans (dried)

Pinto beans

Blueberries

Cranberries

Artichokes (cooked)

Blackberries

Prunes

Raspberries

Strawberries

Red Delicious apples

Granny apples

Pecans

Sweet cherries

Black plums

Russet potatoes (cooked)

Black beans (dried)

Plums

Gala apples

Quote of the Day

" Don't let other people tell you what you want. "

– Pat Riley