It’s no secret that what you put in your body has a huge effect on your health and the way that you feel. But what may be news to you is which foods you should eat on the regular to help you feel great.
When it comes to your health, the name of the game is antioxidants. A buzzword in the nutrition world amongst both laymen and professional nutrition coaches (for good reason) foods rich in antioxidants are vital to your health, as they help protect our cells from damage caused by free radicals—which can lead to cancer—and are also packed with many other health improving nutrients.
Here are 10 antioxidant rich foods that should add to your diet:
I challenge you to eat at least 5 foods on this list everyday!
Berries
Berries, especially raspberries and strawberries, contain ellagic acid, another phytochemical that may help protect against cancer-causing agents in the diet and the environment.
Walnuts
Most nuts also contain phytochemicals such as resveratrol and plant sterols, which help lower cholesterol. Walnuts are the highest in plant omega-3s and high in protein.
Plums & Prunes
Packed with nutrients, plums are plentiful in minerals like potassium, fluoride and iron which help with red blood cell formation, and help control heart rate and blood pressure.
Kale
Dark greeen veggies like kale are high in nutrients that help fight disease, and are also loaded with magnesium and potassium. But it doesn’t stop there, kale also is brimming with antioxidant phytochemicals such as kaempferol, which may have been known to dilate blood vessels and may have cancer-fighting properties.
Spinach
Like kale, spinach is packed with nutrients that help ward off disease and are rich with glycoclycerolipids—which helps protect the lining of your digestive tract from damage.
Broccoli
Broccoli definitely takes the gold medal for most nutritious vegetable. This cruciferous vegetable contains more vitamin C than an orange and has more calcium than a glass of milk. In addition to minerals and vitamins, broccoli is filled with disease-fighting chemicals called phytonutrients.
Brussel sprouts
A storehouse of several flavonoid antioxidants, brussels offer protection from prostate, colon, and endometrial cancers, as well as are an excellent source of vitamin C.
Beets
Think of beets as red spinach. This crimson vegetable is one of the best sources of both folate and betaine—two nutrients that work together to lower your blood levels of homocysteine, which is an inflammatory compound that can damage your arteries and increase your risk of heart disease.
Red bell peppers
A great source of vitamin B6 and magnesium, red bell peppers have been known to reduce bloating and prevent against hypertension. They also support healthy eye sight, among many other benefits.
Onions
High in vitamin C, and a good source of dietary fibre, and folic acid, onions also contain quercetin—a flavonoid (one category of antioxidant compounds) that helps to eliminate free radicals in the body.
Oh and just because, garlic. Not just for warding off vampires, garlic has so many health benefits that there are books dedicated to it. Definitely eat this one everyday.
If you have any questions about any of the antioxidant rich foods listed above—including how to incorporate them into your diet—come see me. I’m always up to talk superfoods 🙂
Till then, I wish you a wonderful week of healthy and happy eating!
xo
Nicole
