Chronic oxidative stress can increase your risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer. Antioxidants (or sometimes called free-radical scavengers) are substances that can prevent or slow damage to cells caused by free radicals.
Antioxidants are compounds in foods that scavenge and neutralize free radicals. Among nutrients with antioxidant activity: vitamin C, vitamin E, carotenoids, selenium, zinc, phenolic compound.
Eating a diet rich in antioxidants can help increase blood antioxidant levels to fight oxidative stress and reduce the risk of these diseases. Higher intakes of antioxidant-rich fruits, vegetables, and legumes are found to have associated with a lower risk of chronic oxidative stress-related diseases like cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and deaths from all causes.
The best antioxidant sources are fruits and vegetables, as well as products derived from plants. Some good choices include blueberries, raspberries, apples, broccoli, cabbage, spinach, eggplant, and legumes like red kidney beans or black beans.
Antioxidants β-carotene and other carotenoids can be found in apricots, asparagus, beets, broccoli, cantaloupe, carrots, corn, green peppers, kale, mangoes, turnip and collard greens, nectarines, peaches, pink grapefruit, pumpkin, squash, spinach, sweet potato, tangerines, tomatoes, and watermelon
Vitamin A: Dairy produce, eggs, and liver
Vitamin C: Most fruits and vegetables, especially berries, oranges, and bell peppers
Vitamin E: Almonds, avocado, sunflower seeds, oatmeal and legumes (beans, lentils, split peas)
Selenium: Eggs, tuna, salmon, brown rice, onions and many other vegetables
Antioxidants in food
