We all remember the stern tone of our mum spilling up these words when we try to slip away from the dining table! Our Moms know it well that vegetables and fruits need to be on our menu for sure. She knows they’re healthy!
But if we take a peek at the nutritional values, there are a bunch of them very high in anti-oxidant property apart from providing other important nutrients to the body.
Our body produces free radicals as well as gain some from the environment too. Excess of them can lead you to a number of health issues. So it becomes necessary to counter these oxidants and that is done by anti-oxidants present in our food.
As said earlier, there are a number of food items which have these antioxidants present in them naturally. So here in this post, I have compiled a list of such food items which you can have in your food for sure.
1. Goji berries
Goji berries come with amazing health benefits. They are rich in amino acids, vitamins, phytonutrients, antioxidants, minerals and iron. The amount of iron and vitamin C in the berries is very high compared to any other vegetable or fruits available in the market. The amount of protein in the berries is also too good.
Goji berries are high in anti-oxidant properties and is beneficial to the body in a number of ways. It reduces the chances of heart diseases, improves the immune system, fights against certain kinds of cancers and even boosts brain activity.
2. Dark chocolate
Dark chocolate comes with a bundle of nutrients just right for your body. If you can get your hand on the cocoa beans that are unprocessed then it can be the best thing you can have. The cocoa seeds are high in anti-oxidant compounds like catechins, flavonols, polyphenols and others.
Moreover, remember that we are just talking about dark chocolate and if you are planning to gain this benefit, be sure to find dark chocolates with at least 70% cocoa content.
3. Pecan nuts
If you just check out the different nuts out there, pecan nuts come with amazing health benefits. It has a high level of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals for a healthy heart and glowing skin.
Some of the elements you will find in these nuts are lutein, beta-carotene, ellagic acid, zeaxanthin and vitamin E. This kind of antioxidant has proved to be very effective against free radicals that cause ageing and increase the risk of other diseases.
This nut even has a good proportion of vitamin B, which can improve the thyroid function, metabolism, mood, digestion and even the nervous health.
4. Wild blueberries
Wild blueberries is an amazing stock of vitamin C, K, dietary fibre and manganese. If you take up a cup of the berries, you will find 25% dietary fibre and 200% manganese in it. This helps to fight type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity. Moreover, they are very low on calories.
5. Elderberries
Elderberries which comes with healing properties is a good source of minerals and vitamins along with fibers.
During the ancient time, people used to apply elderberries on the wounds and even treated cold and flu by consuming it. Moreover, the berries come with anticancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-influenza and antiviral properties. If you are suffering from any diseases or injuries, taking it regularly can help you recover.
You can also have cranberries, artichoke, kidney beans, prunes, red apple, blackberries and cilantro in your diet as they too are rich source of antioxidants. Antioxidants act as a defensive mechanism for our body and help to tackle the issue of free radicals that can damage the DNA at the cell level. So including these amazing foods in your diet can solve a number of issues while fighting against free radicals and helping you stay healthy.
Guest Post by Freya Lowe, Founding Editor at thedietsuggestions.com