Antioxidants can be found in plant foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains and nuts, helping the body eliminate free radicals to protect cells and reduce disease risk.
Diets high in animal products tend to be low in antioxidants. Eating an array of plant-based foods is key in order to consume enough antioxidants.
Walnuts
Walnuts (Juglans regia) contain an abundance of vital nutrients, including polyunsaturated fatty acids, tocopherols and antioxidant polyphenols (such as ellagitannins). All these constituents may work synergistically or additively; furthermore, eating walnuts has also been proven to enhance gut bacteria and cognitive performance.
Multiple studies demonstrate walnuts’ antioxidant activity by measuring their ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and total radical-trapping antioxidant capacity (TRAP) assays. Walnuts also help decrease oxidative stress and inflammation by activating Nrf2 pathways and neutralizing free radicals.
Addition of walnuts to the diet has been found to increase plasma phenols, carotenoids, glutathione levels, GPX, SOD and thioredoxin/dihydrolipoic acid reductase (Trx/DLAR). A recent clinical trial involving various doses of walnuts over 6 weeks resulted in significant increases in ORAC, ORAC with perchloric acid precipitation, FRAP, a- and -tocopherol folate vitamin C magnesium as well as lipid profiles fatty acid composition and glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase production while simultaneously decreasing lipid peroxidation. Furthermore, consumption increased short chain fatty acids from bacterial metabolism while simultaneously decreasing peroxidation by about 40%.
Berries
Berrys are one of the stars of summer fruits, making a delicious and nutritional addition to salads, fruit cups and desserts alike. According to studies, just one cup of strawberries provides all of your daily antioxidant needs; black raspberries (another cousin of raspberrys) offer sweet flavor along with powerful antioxidant benefits.
Edirisinghe et al. [106] found that strawberry beverage consumption reduced postprandial inflammation responses among overweight adults after meals.
Berries contain many beneficial phenolic compounds known to possess numerous health-promoting benefits, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and hypertensive properties. Numerous in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated how consumption of different berry products or juices reduce levels of various biomarkers of oxidative stress in humans (Table 4).
Leafy Green Vegetables
Diets that incorporate leafy green vegetables like kale, spinach, chard and turnip greens provide essential vitamins A, C, K and folate while also providing minerals like calcium, iron, potassium and magnesium. Leafy greens also boast important antioxidants like quercetin and kaempferol that contribute to overall good health.
Legumes like beans, lentils and chickpeas contain high concentrations of phenolic compounds as well as copper which provides essential antioxidant benefits. Add them to chili, soup or curries for an energising boost!
Dried herbs and spices like cloves, peppermint, allspice, cinnamon, oregano, thyme basil sage rosemary are abundant with phenolic compounds and flavonoids, while fresh herbs such as parsley dill are an excellent source of antioxidants.
Cooked Vegetables
Antioxidants can be found in numerous fruits, vegetables and herbs as well as in beverages like tea, coffee and dark chocolate. Antioxidant values vary between foods within each food category – for instance one sample of tomatoes could have different levels of the antioxidant lycopene than another tomato due to it dissolving or escaping during drying processes or processing operations.
Carotenoids like lutein and phytoene, the pigments responsible for giving yellow, orange and red fruits and vegetables their hue, are used by our bodies to synthesize vitamin A which protects against infections while supporting eye health.
Cooking and heating methods reduce water-soluble vitamins such as B and C, but can also amplify or unlock certain nutrients such as beta-carotene in cooked carrots. Steaming or boiling broccoli releases powerful anti-inflammatories and cancer-fighting compounds like glucosinolates and carotenoids which increase beta-carotene production.
