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