Free radicals are toxins, chemicals and pollutants we are all exposed to on a daily basis that can damage our healthy cells throughout our bodies. They can also be considered a source that ages the body from the inside out but there is something you can do about it: make sure you give your body plenty of foods that are high in antioxidants.
Antioxidants can slow down the aging process and oxidation. Think of oxidation as a rusting process that occurs on the outside of your car during the winter from all the elements. Antioxidants can prevent the damage that can be done by free radicals by giving an electron to a free radical in the body making it a stable molecule instead of one that is out of control.
Here is a list of foods with the highest antioxidant level according to their ORAC rating. ORAC stands for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity which basically means these foods can prevent free radicals from attacking healthy cells. They are listed below (from highest ORAC rating to lowest):
- Maqui Berry 27,600
- Goji Berry 25,500
- Mangosteen 24,000
- Acai Berry 5,400
- Prunes 5,370
- Raisins 2,830
- Blueberries 2, 036
- Kale 1,700
- Strawberries 1, 540
- Noni 1, 506
- Spinach 1,260
- Raspberries 1,270
- Plums 949
- Alfalfa Sprouts 930
- Broccoli 890
- Beet Roots 840
- Oranges 750
- Red Grapes 739
Make a point of including these foods in your daily diet and look for food manufacturer's that offer products that include these powerful antioxidant foods for nourishment. Another ingredient to look for in food is Resveratrol which comes from red wine. This powerful antioxidant can help keep blood vessels open and flexible, prevent the "stickiness" of blood platelets, prevent the progression of cancer and reduce inflammation. Nourish your body from the inside out with powerful antioxidant foods.
Sherry L. Granader is a Sports Nutritionist, National Speaker and Spokesperson, Author of 2 healthy cookbooks, Writer, Ghost Writer, Nationally Certified Fitness Instructor and Personal Trainer. She has shared the stage with such celebrities as Whoopi Goldberg, Suze Orman and the late Governor Ann Richards and served as the On-Air Nutritionist for QVC television in the United States and the UK. She has cooked for her favorite bodybuilder, Lou Ferrigno (The Incredible Hulk) and his family, shared her nutrition expertise with Chuck Norris on the set of his movie "Sidekicks" and appeared on 8-time Mr. Olympia, Lee Haney's Championship Workouts on ESPN. Sherry hosted her own "Healthy Living" show on PBS for several years. For more information on Sherry, visit www.sgfit.com or write to Sherry at [email protected].
