DELICIOUS SOURCES OF ANTIOXIDANTS

FOR HEALTHY SUMMER EATING

Medical Services Department

We are always looking for simple things that can yield big health gains.

Whether it's remembering to wearsunscreen, walking to the mailbox

insteadof driving, or eating a variety of fruits

and vegetables. These small things make us feel like weare doing something good for ourselves

andour families.

Forget the hype about singleantioxidants, like vitamin E or beta carotene……

They’ve never lived up to the promise

that they can halt heart disease,cure cancer, eradicate eye

disease,or prevent Alzheimer’s.

But that doesn’t mean antioxidants aren’t important to your health.

The notion that antioxidants are goodfor you comes from studies showingthat people who eat foods rich in avariety of antioxidants have better

long-term health. Trials of single supplements, usually

takenin pill form, have yielded disappointing

results.

What do antioxidants do?

Antioxidants stabilize harmful by -products of the body’s energy-

makingmachinery.

These by-products, known as freeradicals, can damage DNA, make LDL(“bad”) cholesterol even worse, andwreak havoc elsewhere in the body.

Why don’t single antioxidant supplements work?

It’s possible that single antioxidantsdon’t work because it takes a network

ofantioxidants — like those that exist infoods — to neutralize free radicals.

If that’s the case, then wouldn’t itbe helpful to know the antioxidant

content of various foods?.....

Yes, it would…..An international team of researchersmeasured the antioxidant content for

morethan a thousand foods that Americans

commonly eat.Topping the list for antioxidant content

were blackberries, walnuts, strawberries,artichokes, cranberries, coffee,

raspberries, pecans, blueberries, andground cloves

Here’s the Top 10 Antioxidant rich foods!

PRODUCT ANTIOXIDANTS mmolslserving

Blackberries 5.756Walnuts 3.721Strawberries 3.584Artichokes

(Prepared) 3.559Cranberries 3.125Coffee 2.959Raspberries 2.87Pecans 2.741Blueberries 2.68Cloves 2.637

And here’s 10 to 20PRODUCT ANTIOXIDANTS

(mmolslserving

Grape juice 2.557Chocolate(Baking;

unsweetened) 2.516Cranberry juice 2.474Cherries (Sour) 2.205Wine (Red) 2.199Power bar (Choc) 1.875Pineapple juice 1.859Guava nectar 1.858Juice drinks (10%

juiceVitamin C enriched) 1.821Cranapple juice 1.79

Interesting fact…..Cooking appears to increase the

antioxidant potential of most foods.

With the exception of grains such asrice, pasta, and corn grits, whichshow lower levels after cooking.

and finally…….The researchers were careful not to claim

that eating foods at the top of the listwill keep you healthy.

Instead, they believe that rating theantioxidant potential of different foods

could help test whether antioxidants reallydo prevent disease.

In the meantime, the list toppersAre healthy foods, so don’t

hesitate to dig in.