Antioxidants

Antioxidants are a molecule that is contained in a variety of fruits and vegetables and works to help with the prevention of free radicals attaching to your cells. These free radicals will actually cause damage to your cells by starting chain reactions within the cells. There are many different types of this important nutrient, which serve multiple purposes in regards to protecting and improving your body so it can do things better and more efficiently.

Types of This Nutrient

There are two main types of this molecule. There are the ones that are water soluble and serve the purpose of protecting the inside of the cells. This type of antioxidant is known as hydrophilic. The other type is soluble in lipids and works to protect the cell membrane. These are known as hydrophobic. Between these two types of antioxidants your body will receive many benefits.

Where They Come From

The two primary sources of this nutrient as many of you would have guessed are fruits and vegetables. Of course the different types of this important source in our diet, come from different fruits and vegetables. However not all fruits and vegetables will have these. Additionally they will be contained in different levels.

Fruits that tend to be high in antioxidants are berries for starters. Some of the highest are blueberry, strawberry, raspberry, cherry and acai. Of course there are other berries as well that are high in this nutrient. Other fruits that contain a large amount of antioxidants are oranges, grapefruits, pineapple, kiwi and plum. As far as vegetables are concerned, red cabbage is one of the best one can eat in regards to this high nutrient content. Others that can be helpful are red beets, kale, ginger and peppers. As you can see it tends to be items that are rich in color that seem to carry a good amount of this valuable nutrient. Some other sources besides fruits and vegetables are legumes and nuts. Some great places to find them are in pinto beans and walnuts.

Best Sources

The best sources of this nutritious component are from the legumes and fruits. One cup of most berries or a half cup of dried red beans seem to be the highest as far as carriers of this nutrient. Finding these types of foods is easy and can lead you to have much healthier lifestyle than the one you are currently enjoying. Using a small change in diet to substitute these foods for something like say French fries will lead to a possibly longer and healthier life.By eating foods that are rich in this nutrition source, you will be able to reap the benefits of a stronger cell system in your body which will be more resistant to damage and disease. So throw some blueberries in your cereal in the morning or have some dried beans with your dinner periodically. It will not only allow you to be able to feel better, but it improves your choices for what to make and eat. Mix it up for your health and for your life.