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What Are Antioxidants and Should You Add Them to Your Diet?

    When it comes to maintaining a healthy body, you need to consider the different foods you put into your body daily. Many people cannot commit to eating healthy for one reason or another. Fortunately, eating healthy does not have to be complicated. Below is a closer look at antioxidants and the reasons to incorporate them into your diet.

    What Are Antioxidants

    Antioxidants can slow down or prevent damage caused to various cells in the human body. The damage is caused by free radicals, which are unstable molecules the body produces because of environmental changes and other causes. You can incorporate antioxidants through the foods you eat or by taking supplements that contain antioxidants. There are various products at c60purplepower.com for you to take a look at and choose some to help your health goals get back on track.

    Health Aspects of Antioxidants

    As stated above, antioxidants defend your cells from damage caused by free radicals that are produced in your body. If free radicals accumulate in the body, they will cause oxidative stress. This can damage DNA and other vital aspects of cells found in the human body.

    If left untreated, oxidative stress can lead to chronic diseases such as type-two diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. Fortunately, you can combat this by incorporating foods that are high in antioxidants. This will increase the antioxidant levels found in your blood to reduce the risk of these diseases.

    Foods Rich In Antioxidants

    Who would have ever thought that chocolate is good for you? Dark chocolate is very much advice when it comes to antioxidants. It has up to 15 mmol of antioxidants in 3.5 ounces of chocolate. Dark chocolate has more cocoa beans than milk chocolate, as well as minerals. Research shows that the antioxidants found in cocoa beans and dark chocolate reduce inflammation and risk factors for heart disease.

    Blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries are amazing when it comes to antioxidants and your health. Low in calories, berries are packed with antioxidants and nutrients. Studies show that blueberries have the highest amount of antioxidants among all the fruit and vegetables consumed daily. There are numerous ways to incorporate berries into your diets, such as eating them fresh, adding them to your cereal in the morning, baking them in pastries and desserts, or adding them in smoothies and milkshakes.

    Vegetables

    All vegetables have essential health benefits for your body. However, kale, red cabbage, beets, and spinach are exceptionally high in antioxidants and should be incorporated into your diet. Kale is one of the most nutritious vegetables and is rich in vitamins A and C, not to mention antioxidants. You can simply saute the kale, add it fresh to your salad, or throw it into a green smoothie to reap its many benefits.

    Red cabbage, beets, and spinach are wonderful vegetables to add to your diet because of the many vitamins, nutrients, and high levels of antioxidants that are found in them. Such foods can easily be introduced to your diet. For example, boiling and stir-frying red cabbage can increase its antioxidant levels, but steaming it can decrease the antioxidant levels by 35%.

    When it comes to consuming food, make it a rule to eat a colorful variety. Not only are colorful foods appealing to your senses, but they are also usually high in minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, and health benefits.