It's common to think that we should consume an "healthy diet," but what exactly does it mean? From the beginning you're probably thinking that you're getting enough proteins and fatty acids (notably the crucial omega-3s) and also vital minerals and vitamins. However, there are other things that are less obvious, such as the prebiotics and, as the subject of this post antioxidants

Antioxidants As I've mentioned earlier, shield the body from damage caused by free radicals. They are unstable substances that slam around, taking electrons from other molecules, and creating DNA damage and the oxidative stress. If free radicals get out of control their damage can lead to premature aging and chronic illnesses.

Antioxidants' function is to reduce free radicals' formation and neutralize them if their numbers get excessive. Animal and plant foods provide vital antioxidant vitamins minerals, flavonoids, carotenoids, as well as other substances that your body isn't able to make itself. To ensure that you have all the antioxidants because there's no way to stay away from free radicals, we've compiled a list of antioxidant-rich foods you should add to your diet.

How Do You Measure Antioxidant Levels in Foods?

Certain antioxidants are relatively easily quantifiable. It is possible to make use of any food tracking app to calculate the amounts of antioxidant vitamins C, A and E consumed in a single day.

Other antioxidant enzymes, such as antioxidants are a lot more complicated. Scientists have developed a variety of methods to determine the antioxidant power of a foods. You've got your crocin-bleaching assay (CBA) as well as trolox's equivalent antioxidant capability (TEAC) and TOSC, total oxyradical scavenging capacity (TOSC) ferric reduced antioxidant capacity (FRAP) assay for DPPH and a host of other. 1 Don't worry that there will not be an exam later.

The most widely-known antioxidant index one is called that of the ORAC score. ORAC is an acronym for oxygen radical absorbance capacity was conceived by scientists at the National Institute on Aging in 1992. Despite its acclaim ORAC was not endorsed by the USDA stopped using ORAC in 2012 on the basis that ORAC does not necessarily indicate the amount of antioxidant activity that occurs within the body, and also to deter supplement makers from stating a strong claim regarding the efficacy of their antioxidant formulas.

However, researchers remain adamant about using ORAC to determine the antioxidant content of food, and it is the most effective method for an general public to find out what foods contain a high or less antioxidant content. Don't get caught up in the numbers, however. The question of whether these food items can actually boost your body's ability to combat free radicals is open to discussion. There are a lot of variables that could play a role, including the amount of these substances you consume and the freshness of the food that you consume.

According to me the main reason to think about antioxidants is that you'll be tempted to revisit some healthy foods that you may not have been eating. The foods that have high antioxidant scores are also those that are often regarded as healthy according to other standards: vibrant fruits and vegetables seafood, organ meats, and a variety of other fish.

Super Food List: High-Antioxidant Foods

Plant foods that are high in antioxidants

Plant foods are typically more antioxidant-rich as compared to animal foods, even though they are both important for checking antioxidant boxes. "Eating the rainbow" will provide you with a wide range of minerals, vitamins, as well as other antioxidants. You can also choose to include high antioxidant foods to the mix.

Here are 12 plant-based food items and beverages that will increase the amount of antioxidants you consume (based on a mix of ORAC and FRAP scores):

Berries

Coffee

Chocolate (the darker, the more dark)

Chia seeds

Artichokes

Prunes and plums

Pistachios

Pomegranate

Figs

Kalamata olives

Kale

Green tea

If you're fortunate enough to be blessed with dog roseberries or rowanberry trees in your area make sure you include them too.

Animal food sources rich in antioxidants

In absolute terms the antioxidant power of these food items is lower than those of the plant food group above. However, these animals are among the top sources of trace minerals iron, selenium, copper manganese, zinc, and copper as well as other antioxidants such as the lutein which are vital components of the body's antioxidant defense.

Liver

Oysters

Salmon

Crab

Lamb

Beef

Eggs

Mussels

Tuna

Sardines

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