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NewDayNews Health Matters

Antioxidant foods
By:porceleindoll
Date: Sunday, 30 June 2002, 8:03 pm

I came across this article today, a list of some of the highest antioxidant carrying foods, according to one study. It isn't a complete list, but is a start:

Best Fruit and Vegetable Choices for Antioxidants

by Cathy Wong

Many people are familiar with vitamin C, beta-carotene, and vitamin E, antioxidants that are part of the body's defense against oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is a process that mediates many chronic degenerative diseases such as heart disease and cancer.

Antioxidants are found in fruit, cereals, and vegetables, or they can be taken in the form of dietary supplements. There is some research suggesting that a diet rich in fruit, vegetables, and cereals has additional benefits, because of lesser-known but potent antioxidants in food that may have a combined effect greater than that of any single nutrient.

When it comes to antioxidant content, all foods are not created equal. A study published in a recent issue of the Journal of Nutrition analyzed the total antioxidant content of various fruits, berries, vegetables, cereals, nuts, and legumes.

Overall Best Sources of Antioxidants

Berries: dog rose, sour cherry, blackberry, strawberry, raspberry, crowberry, blueberry, black currant
Walnuts
Sunflower seeds
Pomegranate
Ginger
Ranked List by Individual Plant Group

Berries

Dog rose
Crowberry
Bilberry/wild blueberry
Black currant
Sour cherry
Strawberry
Blueberry
Cranberry
Raspberry
Cloudberry

Fruit

Pomegranate
Grape
Orange
Plum
Pineapple
Lemon
Dates
Kiwi
Clementine
Grapefruit

Legumes

Broad beans
Pinto beans
Ground nut
Soybeans

Nuts, seeds, and dried fruit

Walnuts
Sunflower seeds
Apricots
Prunes

Vegetables

Kale
Chili pepper
Red cabbage
Peppers
Parsley
Artichoke
Brussels Sprouts
Spinach

Cereals

Barley
Millet
Oats
Corn

Roots and Tubers

Ginger
Red Beets

Note: This is not a complete list. There are additional food sources of antioxidants not analyzed in this study, such as garlic.

Reference

Halvorsen BL, Holte K, Myhrstad MC, Barikmo I, Hvattum E, Remberg SF, Wold AB, Haffner K, Baugerod H, Andersen LF, Moskaug O, Jacobs DR Jr, Blomhoff R. A Systematic Screening of Total Antioxidants in Dietary Plants. Journal of Nutrition 132:461-471, 2002.

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