The Best Antioxidant Rich Foods

Antioxidants are an important component of your diet because they help neutralize free radicals within the body and blunt their potential for causing damage. What are free radicals you ask? In short, free radicals form from oxygen and can actually oxidize many of the structural components of your body's cells (e.g., membranes, receptors, enzymes, and even DNA). To get an idea of what free radicals can do to your body over time, think of a pair of scissors that have been left outside in the rain for a few days and is beginning to rust. Or an apple that turns brown a liitle while after you bite into it. In both scenarios, this is oxidation (i.e., oxygen's corrosive effects on a solid). This is what oxygen can do to your body's tissues over a lifetime. When too many cells begin to mutate or die from the molecular onslaught brought on by oxidation, things like heart disease, cancer, arthritis, and Alzheimer's can begin to develop. It is this oxidative damage from free radicals that is at the root of all these diseases of lifestyle and aging.

One of the best things we can do to help defend our bodies from free radicals is to fortify it with large amounts of antioxidants from antioxidant rich foods. Beta-carotene, for instance, can actually destroy free radicals after they have formed. Vitamin E saves body tissues from damage by scavanging free radicals, and Vitamin C keeps free radicals from destroying the outermost layers of cells. Although the science of antioxidants is still developing, researchers suspect that getting most of your antioxidants from whole foods has major advantages over getting them solely from a pill. Not only do you get the antioxidants from the whole foods, but you also get a whole host of other nutrients as well and it is likely that your body best absorbs and uses antioxidants when these other nutrients are present.

What are the best antioxidant rich foods? Below, we are going to give you more information than a simple list, while not boring you with a dissertation on every food that has antioxidant value. To this extent, we are going to hand out a few Antioxidant Awards. Now, on with the show....

The Best Antioxidant Rich Foods:

The food award for most underrated antioxidant goes to Herbs. Greek, Italian, and Mexican oregano all outscored fruits and vegetables for Vitamin E when measured for antioxidant activity, according to the U.S Department of Agriculture. Rosemary, dill, thyme, coriander, and bay all scored nearly as well. Because herbs tend to be lightly sprinkled over whatever you happen to be eating, they are not a substute for the quantities of antioxidants found in whole fruits and vegetables. However, they are an easy way to increase your overall antioxidant consumption.

The best antioxidant food for fighting pain award goes to Cherries. They are an amazing inflammation fighter. In terms of antioxidant content, cherries rank among the top 10 making