Contents:
- Medical Video: How Antioxidants Work and Where to Get Them
- A variety of foods high in natural antioxidants to deter free radicals
- 1. Cherry
- 2. Pecans
- 3. Strawberries
- 4. Blueberries
- 5. Black chocolate
- 6. Raspberry
- 7. Purple cabbage
Medical Video: How Antioxidants Work and Where to Get Them
The food and drinks you eat, the air pollution that you breathe, to the residue or drugs you use, all will form free radicals in the body. There have been many studies that prove that free radicals increase the risk of various diseases, such as Alzheimer's, cancer, atherosclerosis, Parkinson's, and various other diseases. Free radicals are also closely related to premature aging. To fight free radicals, you need antioxidants. The body has antioxidants, but not enough to fight the effects of free radicals. Then you need the following high antioxidant natural food intake.
A variety of foods high in natural antioxidants to deter free radicals
1. Cherry
Cherries are foods high in natural antioxidants, especially anthocyanins which also give the cherry a distinctive red color.
Per 100 grams of fresh cherries has an ORAC score of 4.873. ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) is a benchmark for knowing how much antioxidant in foods that can be absorbed by the body. The higher the ORAC score, the greater the antioxidant effect in the body.
A study found eating at least 20 cherries a day can reduce gout pain. Antioxidants in cherries are also useful for warding off cancer and heart disease,
2. Pecans
Apart from being a source of healthy fats and minerals that are important for the body, pecans also contain high antioxidants. Per 100 grams of pecan beans contains 10.6 mmol of antioxidants with an ORAC score of 5.095.
A study published in Nutrition Research reports that the consumption of routine pecan nuts dramatically increases antioxidant levels in the blood.
Pecans are rich in the antioxidants of flavonoids polyphenols which are beneficial for the health of the heart, bones and skin. In fact, the content of polyphenols in pecans is twice as high as almonds, cashews, and pistachios. Pecans also help prevent constipation.
3. Strawberries
Strawberries are a high source of vitamin C. Vitamin C itself is actually another form of antioxidant, which is useful for maintaining endurance, skin elasticity, to prevent anemia.
In addition to vitamin C, other antioxidants contained in the strawberry fruit are anthocyanin. Not only provides fresh red, anthocyanin can also help reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering bad cholesterol LDL (bad cholesterol) and increasing HDL good cholesterol levels in the body.
In 100 grams of strawberries it contains up to 5.4 mmol antioxidants with a score of 5,938 ORAC.
4. Blueberries
Other high-antioxidant foods are blueberries. Many studies report that blueberry antioxidant levels are the highest among all fruits and vegetables. Per 100 grams of blueberries contains 9.2 mmol of antioxidants with an ORAC score reaching 9,019.
Besides being rich in antioxidants, blueberries are also enriched by vitamin C, and vitamin K, and manganese but are still low in calories. That's why blueberries can be a snack on an ideal diet because it can be eaten a lot without having to worry about rising weight.
Not only that. Research from Nutritional Neuroscience proves that blueberries are useful for delaying decreased brain function that usually occurs with age. Even other studies also reveal that this one fruit can reduce the risk of heart disease, bad cholesterol levels, and lower blood pressure.
5. Black chocolate
For those of you chocolate lovers, try occasionally to eat dark chocolate. Because the mineral content and antioxidants in black chocolate is far more than other chocolate in general.
In 100 grams of dark chocolate contains about 15 moles of antioxidants with a score of 20,816 ORAC. This amount of antioxidants even exceeds that in blueberries with the same portion.
One of the antioxidants contained in dark chocolate is flavonol, which can help lower blood pressure while reducing the risk of diabetes.
6. Raspberry
In 100 grams of raspberries there are 4 mmol antioxidants and OCRA 6,058 scores, which are also accompanied by vitamin C and manganese which are certainly good for the body.
A study published in Nutrition Research found that the antioxidant content in raspberries effectively kills cancer cells in the stomach, large intestine and breast, up to 90 percent. This advantage is thought to come from anthocyanim antioxidants that work to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress causing cancer. Raspberry is also useful to reduce the risk of heart disease.
7. Purple cabbage
Purple cabbage contains 4 times more antioxidants than white cabbage. Pre 100 grams of purple cabbage contains 2.2 mmol of antioxidants with a ORAC score of 2496. Uniquely, the amount of antioxidants in purple cabbage can increase when boiled. The ORAC score in purple cabbage after boiling reached 3.145.
In addition, purple cabbage is also rich in vitamin C, vitamin K and vitamin A.
Just like strawberries and raspberries, purple cabbage also contains antioxidants called anthocyanins. Not only does it affect the color of cabbage, anthocyanin is also associated with a variety of health benefits. For example, it helps reduce inflammation to reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer.
The content of vitamin C in cabbage can also help strengthen the immune system from various infections.
