Eat Your Antioxidants

Eat Your Antioxidants!
When I first began writing about health and nutrition, in the early '90s, taking antioxidant supplements seemed like such a good idea. Research suggested that these nutrients had the power to reduce our risk of heart disease, stop cancer in its tracks, and turn back the clock. I had a cupboard full of them myself. It seemed that you couldn't get too much of a good thing.

But lately, almost all the news on antioxidant supplements has been disappointing, including the recent finding that taking antioxidant supplements may undo many of the benefits of exercise! Yet, evidence that eating more antioxidant-rich foods can improve your health continues to stack up.

As sales of vitamin supplements fall, plenty of people are now trying to make a quick buck off the latest superfood, but there is little evidence that these expensive products offer any extra health benefits. If you want to get the benefits of antioxidants, try eating foods that are naturally rich in these disease-fighting compounds. Not fortified foods, not extracts, not super-juice concentrates or powders, but fresh, whole, unprocessed vegetables and fruits. The more variety, the better.

Monica Reingel
Good Health and Good Eating