Looking at investing in your health?

Antioxidants may be one of your best options.

These guys protect against heart disease and cancer, two of the biggest killers in Western countries.

Not to mention they slow down ageing.

Antioxidants are your bosses to good health.

Recap

To recap on my last blog post, antioxidants are molecules that defend the body against damage from free radicals. Free radicals devastate the body, by harming DNA, proteins and other important molecules like those found on cell membranes.

Some of the benefits of antioxidants include:

• Help protect you from heart disease and cancers

• Slow down the ageing process

• Protect your eyesight

• Prevent cellular damage

Our body makes antioxidants, as well as obtains them from a good diet.

Vitamin C, Vitamin E and Beta-carotenes are the three best-known dietary antioxidants.

Here’s how to get the most out of your eating…

In general, eat more fruits and veggies, and drink red wine and tea.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C helps regenerate Vitamin E, as well as protects your digestive tract through inhibiting particular carcinogens (substances capable of causing cancer) forming in your stomach.

Foods rich in vitamin C include:

Fruits

• Kakadu plum

• Paw paw

• Guava

• Oranges

• Blackcurrants

• Kiwifruit

• Mangoes

• Strawberries

Vegetables

• Red & green capsicum

• Curly kale

• Brussels sprouts

• Broccoli

• Spinach

Vitamin E

This top-notch vitamin protects your cell membranes from oxidative stress. It has been estimated that there are about 37 trillion cells in your body! That’s 37 trillion cell membranes to protect. And that's 37 trillion reasons to eat more foods rich in antioxidants!

Foods rich in vitamin E include:

Healthy oils

• Wheatgerm oil

• Olive oil

Fruits

• Avocados

Nuts

• Almonds & almond butter

• Hazelnuts

• Peanuts & peanut butter

• Pine nuts

• Brazil nuts

Seeds

• Sunflower seeds

Vegetables

• Spinach

• Swiss chard

• Red capsicum

• Sweet potato

Fish

• Sardines

• Herring

Beta-carotene

Beta-carotene is a precursor to Vitamin A. It contributes to the orange-yellow colour of many fruits and veggies. It has a role in stopping free radicals causing harm, as well increasing the production of glutathione; one of our inbuilt antioxidants. Further to this it can inhibit the early stages of tumour development, as well as improves our immune function.

Foods rich in Beta-carotene include:

Vegetables

• Pumpkin

• Carrots

• Sweet potatoes

• Spinach

• Parsley

• Squash

• Red capsicum

Fruits

• Mangoes

• Apricots

6 tips to eat more antioxidants

1. Eat more fruit – snack on it, add it to smoothies, add it to your yoghurt or juice it. Berries, citrus and kiwifruit are especially good sources.

2. Eat more vegetables – snack on carrot sticks, eat at least 2 cups of mixed salad at lunch, cook soups, make veggie dips and ensure to eat atleast 3 different veggies with dinner.

3. Drink more tea. Especially green tea or yerba mate.

4. Choose red wine instead of white wine. Have a glass at happy hour.

5. Eat more nuts and seeds. Snack on them, add them to your salads, smoothies and yoghurt. Try some almond butter on toast or with celery sticks.

6. Add wheatgerm oil or olive oil to your salads.

In summary. eat more plants.