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Writer's pictureHeidi Sharman

Easy ways to add antioxidants into Your Diet

Updated: Jan 7, 2021


It’s no secret that antioxidants are incredibly beneficial to good health. It’s believed the antioxidants in food can help prevent cancer, reverse or slow aging, enhance your immune system, increase your energy and improve heart and other organ health.


Given all we know about antioxidants and their beneficial properties, it’s amazing more people don’t get enough fruits and vegetables, the primary sources of antioxidants. Experts recommend a minimum of 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily but say getting 7-10 servings is best.


Here are 10 steps to getting more antioxidants into your diet:


1.Breakfast


Breakfast doesn’t have to be a hurried pop tart on the way out the door. Throw some strawberries, and yogurt into a blender; pour your delicious mixture into a cup and head out the door. You’ve just added one to three servings of fruits to your daily intake. Or throw some berries onto your cold or hot cereal.


2.Snacks


Dip some strawberries in yogurt. You’ll feel decadent, but the berries provide the color you’re looking for. Need crunch? How about some baby carrots dipped in hummus? Consider a handful of pecans for crunch and a nice antioxidant boost.


3.Lunch and dinner


Adding a salad to meals can add loads to your overall health and well-being. They don’t have to be boring, and they don’t have to be just salad greens. If you’re going classic, add some red pepper slices to your green salad, some tomatoes to the Greek salad, or tart cranberries to your field greens. Whip up a broccoli salad for lunch or be adventurous and mix up a rice salad with a mélange of fresh vegetables like string beans, tomatoes, peppers and red onions.


4.Dessert


Berries, with or without whipped cream or chocolate are a wonderful way to end your day of healthy, antioxidant-rich eating.


5.Beverages


Replace your soda with tea or coffee, both of which boast antioxidant compounds. Have a glass of wine with dinner, or for a real change of pace, pour a glass of chai tea.


6.Think outside the box


We know we can get our antioxidant fix from berries, salads and the like, but researchers say powerful antioxidants can also be found in a variety of unexpected foods, artichokes, and small red beans. The beans, in fact, may have more antioxidant power than blueberries, experts say. So, to your rice salad full of vegetables, add some beans for even more antioxidants.


7.Cook lightly


You think you’re being good, preparing vegetables each night for your family’s dinner. But if you’re overcooking the vegetables, you’re cooking out a lot of the beneficial properties of the antioxidants. Steam (don’t boil) vegetables and stop cooking them when they will have all their bright color and most of their bite.


8.Plant a garden


Experts believe that people who plant and harvest vegetables from their own yards are far more likely to eat more vegetables and fruits than people who buy their produce from the store. So, plant a garden, watch it grow and eat the fruits (literally) of your labor.


9.Take your healthy diet on vacation


Too many of us consider going on vacation as an opportunity to take a vacation from everything, including healthy eating. Think of vacation as a way to be introduced to new foods. Order an interesting vegetable dish in a restaurant and then pay attention to how the chef prepared the dish.


10.Learn to cook


If you’re cooking, you’re not opening bags and boxes. Cooking involves scrubbing and peeling vegetables, preparing whole foods and paying attention to how things are cooked. If you’re ordering out every night, you’re far less likely to be eating the whole foods and natural fruits and vegetables that provide the base for our antioxidant intake.



There you go, simple steps... now go get your healthy on!


Looking for fresh produce near you? Farmers Markets are a great place to shop for fresh fruits & vegetables and allow you to support the local farmers in your community.


To locate a market near you visit the National Farmers Market Directory at www.nfmd.org


This blog post is provided for educational and informational purposes only and is not medical, mental health or healthcare advice. The information presented here is not intended to diagnose, treat, heal, cure or prevent any illness, medical condition or mental or emotional condition.


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