Are Red Beans the New "Apple a Day"?

If you

were living in a primitive environment, you wouldn’t have to worry too much about free radical damage from stress.

You’d already have a natural defense system already in place. In primitive cultures like the ones I’ve seen in Peru, Brazil, and Africa, the native diet contains thousands of antioxidants to fight free radicals.

In our westernized world, antioxidants are still the best way to guard against disease.

Antioxidants are vitamins, minerals, and enzymes that neutralize free radicals. Any time you increase your intake of antioxidants, you’re saving your healthy cells from damage.

To get you started, here is a list of the some of the best sources of antioxidants:


BEST SOURCES OF FOOD ANTIOXIDANTS: TOP 20 FRUITS, VEGETABLES, AND NUTS

Rank

Food item

Serving size

Total antioxidants per serving

1

Small red beans (dried)

Half cup

13,727

2

Wild blueberries

1 cup

13,427

3

Red kidney beans (dried)

Half cup

13,259

4

Pinto beans

Half cup

11,864

5

Blueberries (cultivated)

1 cup

9,019

6

Cranberries

1 cup (whole)

8,983

7

Artichoke (cooked)

1 cup (hearts)

7,904

8

Blackberries

1 cup

7,701

9

Prunes

Half cup

7,291

10

Raspberries

1 cup

6,058

11

Strawberries

1 cup

5,938

12

Red Delicious apple

One

5,900

13

Granny Smith apple

One

5,381

14

Pecans

1 ounce

5,095

15

Sweet cherries

1 cup

4,873

16

Black plum

One

4,844

17

Russet potato (cooked)

One

4,649

18

Black beans (dried)

Half cup

4,181

19

Plum

One

4,118

20

Gala apple

One

3,903

Source: J Agric Food Chem. 2004 Jun 16; 52(12):4026-37.

Take a look at the variety of fruits on the list. If you add a bowl of strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries to your breakfast, you’ll take in thousands of antioxidants. If you eat just a half cup of red beans for lunch, you’ll get almost 14,000 antioxidants.

Spices, herbs, and teas also contain a surprising number. You will find the highest amounts in cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and peppermint. Oregano, sage, rosemary, and Indian spices like turmeric also contain high levels of antioxidants.1

  1. Wu X, Beecher GR., et al. “Lipophilic and hydrophilic antioxidant capacities of common foods in the United States.” J Agric Food Chem. 2004 Jun; 16;52(12):4026-37.