It’s safe to say that we all have heard of antioxidants and that they’re good for us but have you ever wondered why that is?
Oxidation is something that is constantly happening within the cells of our body. It’s a natural part of living and aging. Certain environmental factors, however, can accelerate this oxidizing (think smoking, sun) and leads to everything from wrinkles to diseases. When this process is accelerated beyond its normal rate, a molecule called a free radical is generated. The free radical, specifically, is what’s responsible for the damage.
Now with all this talk about oxidation, it may now be easier to see what an antiOXIDANT does. They prevent the reactions within our cells from occurring with the free radicals and overall, they slow down the aging process and all that that can encompass.
Examples of Antioxidant-Rich Foods:
Blueberries
Blackberries
Spinach/Leafy Greens
Green Tea
Dark Chocolate
Red Wine
For a more complete list, check out this list here.
But did you see those last two? That’s cause for celebration. How easy would it be to incorporate more of this stuff into our diets? Eating yogurt in the morning? Throw some blackberries in there. Or maybe you want to try switching out coffee for green tea a couple mornings a week. (Believe it or not, I’ve switched out coffee for green tea monday-friday and it’s not as bad as I thought—also bonus on the less caffeine thing).
Since we’re getting all healthy here, if you’re going to go to all the trouble to incorporate more of these antioxidant-rich foods into your diet, keep in mind that keeping them in raw form is always best. Any time you cook greens or freeze berries, the overall nutrients are automatically reduced and some studies show that the antioxidant concentration goes down as well. Just a good rule of thumb to keep when it comes to consuming veggies, etc. in general.
Here’s to fighting those wrinkles one glass of red wine at a time!
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