The best fruits with antioxidants are usually berries, but there are so many fruit varieties that contain high levels of antioxidants, ranging from tropical to native American. Sure, you know that foods high in antioxidants are great for your health, There are several types of antioxidants which include polyphenols and flavonoids, carotenoids and vitamins like vitamin C, E and A. Some of the best fruits with antioxidants include blueberries, oranges, cherries, plums, raspberries etc.
10 Healthy Foods High In Antioxidants
What if some of your favorite foods may help you prevent chronic disease and inflammation?
That vision might not be so far off from happening!
Discover 10 nutritious foods that are high in antioxidants by reading on.
What are antioxidants?
Antioxidants are compounds that help protect your cells against oxidative stress and damage. Oxidative stress is linked with inflammation and can lead to chronic health problems like heart disease and certain types of cancer.
There are several types of antioxidants. Some antioxidants are available in vitamin form (like vitamin C and vitamin E), while others are in pigments that give fruit and vegetables their color.
Why are antioxidants important for our health?
Antioxidants are primarily found in plant foods like fruit and vegetables. Diets rich in plant-based foods are associated with lower rates of obesity and chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes.
Free radicals are unstable atoms that can damage your cells. Your body is exposed to free radicals through things like tobacco smoke, ultraviolet light (UV rays), pollutants in the air, certain chemicals, and many other sources.
Antioxidants help neutralize free radicals and can even help prevent them from forming in the first place. Without antioxidants, free radicals would quickly do a lot of damage to your body.
Eating antioxidant foods not only helps protect your body against free radical damage and inflammation, but there are other potential benefits as well. Antioxidant foods are often high in other beneficial nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber.
10 Antioxidant Foods To Add To Your Diet
1. Blueberries
Blueberries get their rich color from anthocyanins, a type of antioxidant. Anthocyanins are the largest category of water-soluble pigments in plants.
They are also called flavonoids, a class of antioxidants. Anthocyanins have antioxidant, anticarcinogenic (cancer-fighting), and antimicrobial properties.
Studies have found a correlation between anthocyanin consumption and a lower risk of heart disease. Blueberries are also rich in fiber which can help promote healthy cholesterol levels and promote digestive health.
2. Green tea
Green tea is a source of polyphenols, another type of antioxidant. The polyphenols in green tea make up around 30% of its dry weight.
Green tea is rich in glutathione, a type of antioxidant. Glutathione deficiency can lead to oxidative stress and is linked with diseases like Alzheimer’s disease, liver disease, heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
3. Goji berries
The goji berry (also called wolfberry) is from a shrub native to China. Goji berries are rich in vitamin C and vitamin A, which both have antioxidant abilities.
You can eat goji berries raw, in powder form, or dried. Dried goji berries have a texture similar to raisins, making them perfect for adding to hot cereal or salads.
Three tablespoons of goji berries provide 140% of your daily requirement of vitamin A. Vitamin A is important for eye health as well as immune health and reproduction.
4. Artichokes
One medium artichoke provides 25% of your daily value of vitamin C. Add antioxidant foods like artichokes to your salads or homemade pizza along with other brightly colored veggies.
5. Spinach
While kale might get a lot of attention, spinach is a nutrient-rich “superfood” as well. Spinach contains antioxidants such as vitamin A, vitamin C, lutein, and beta carotene. Lutein is an important nutrient for your eye health since it helps your eyes filter light.
Beta carotene is another important nutrient for eye health. Your body uses beta carotene to convert into vitamin A, a nutrient that helps your vision as well as your immune system and reproductive health.
6. Turmeric
Turmeric is a spice with impressive antioxidant content. Curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, may help ease inflammatory conditions like metabolic syndrome and arthritis.
If you decide to take a turmeric supplement, choose one with piperine, the active ingredient in black pepper. Studies show piperine boosts the bioavailability of turmeric by 2000%.
7. Strawberries
While many people think of oranges as the richest vitamin C fruit, you might be surprised to learn that strawberries are higher in vitamin C by weight than oranges.
Vitamin C is one of the most well-known antioxidants and is important for immune health, wound healing, the formation of collagen, and the absorption of iron.
8. Pecans
Pecans are rich in vitamin E, an antioxidant vitamin. Vitamin E helps promote immune health and can prevent oxidative stress.
Research shows pecans may even help lower your cholesterol, so you can choose to use this type of food as medicine.
9. Beets
Beets get their deep red color from beta carotene and lutein, two antioxidants. Beetroot has been named one of the top ten most potent antioxidant vegetables, so get ready for some stained fingers and add beets to your next meal!
10. Dark chocolate
High-quality dark chocolate not only tastes good, but it also has antioxidant properties. Cocoa contains flavonoids and may also play a role in heart health by boosting nitric oxide production. Nitric oxide helps relax your blood vessels which increases circulation.
Dark chocolate with a high cocoa percentage (80% and up) is a good source of fiber due to the cocoa beans. For instance, one serving of 85% dark chocolate contains four grams of fiber or 14% of the daily value for fiber.
Fiber is a nutrient with heart health benefits as well as digestive health, so what better way to get it through a rich piece of dark chocolate?
Foods Rich In Antioxidants: 10 Foods For Your Better
Antioxidants are one of those things that you must undoubtedly be familiar with. Everyone who answers the phone, from doctors to nutritionists, advises consuming foods high in antioxidants, nutrients, vitamins, etc. Do you know what they are or why they are significant, though, is the matter at hand.
Eating healthy food only on someone else’s advice won’t be all that beneficial until you understand the significance of the meal. However, it’s crucial to understand how the diet benefits your body and you. Therefore, all of your queries will be answered here, and most importantly, you will learn which foods you should include in your diet. It’s time to do your body a favor and fill your plate with the correct fruits and veggies.
What Are Antioxidants?
Antioxidants occur naturally in foods that help fight the free radicals in your body before the damage is done on a cellular level. Also, they help prevent and reduce risks of heart diseases, cancers, and many more becoming essential for all-over health. Therefore, it is important to intake foods rich in antioxidants every day to keep yourself healthy and away from diseases.
Foods High In Antioxidants
There must be a variety of foods high in antioxidants, but it can be challenging to choose which ones to eat in order to boost your body’s antioxidant levels. The list of fruits and vegetables high in antioxidants that you must include in your diet is provided below. Moreover, they are a natural source, safe, inexpensive, and easily available in the market.
1. Raspberries
Raspberries are delicious and moreover, a powerhouse of antioxidants.
| Serving | Antioxidants |
| 3.5 ounces/100 grams | 4 mmol |
Raspberries Benefits
- Raspberries are the best option to eat while sugar cravings as they are fewer calories and low in sugar.
- Also, being a good source of antioxidants they lower the risk of heart diseases, certain cancer, diabetes, and obesity.
- Moreover, they reduce inflammation and are rich in fiber which aid in weight loss.
2. Pecans
Pecans are nuts and therefore, are a good source of rich minerals, healthy, fats, and antioxidants.
| Serving | Antioxidants |
| 3.5 ounces/100grams | 10.6 mmol |
Benefits Of Pecans
- Pecan, however, helps lower blood pressure as they are rich in calcium, magnesium, and potassium.
- It also contains monounsaturated fat that lowers levels of bad LDL cholesterol cutting down the risk of heart attack and stroke.
- Also, it prevents various heart diseases in people who are diabetic and keep blood sugars in check.
3. Blue Berries
Blueberries are, however, very popular berries with several benefits and are one antioxidant-rich fruit.
| Serving | Antioxidants |
| 3.5 ounces/100 grams | 9.2 mmol |
Benefits Of Blueberries
- Blueberry is low in calories but high in fiber, vitamin C and vitamin K, and various antioxidants that may help reduce the risk of heart disease.
- Also, they have flavonoids and their juice reduces the damage of DNA damage, which is a cause of aging and cancer.
- Moreover, blueberries prevent oxidative damage to bad LDL cholesterol further reducing the risk of heart disease.
4. Strawberries
Strawberries are rich in antioxidants called anthocyanins that, therefore, help reduce the risk of heart
disease.
| Serving | Antioxidants |
| 3.5 ounces/100 grams | 5.4 mmol |
Strawberry Benefits
- Strawberries contain polyphenols that help improve insulin sensitivity in non-diabetic adults and also metabolize other forms of glucose.
- Also, they have anti-inflammatory properties that prevent skin damage especially when exposed to ultraviolet radiation.
- Moreover, strawberries protect the joints and reduce pain for people with osteoarthritis.
5. Goji Berries
However, goji berries have Lycium, an antioxidant that helps fight heart diseases and skin aging.
| Serving | Antioxidants |
| 3.5 ounces/100 grams | 4.3 mmol |
Goji Berry Benefits
- Goji berries protect against age-related eye diseases and also help improve vision as they contain a good amount of antioxidants like zeaxanthin.
- Being rich in antioxidants they also boost immunity and fight harmful free radicals.
- Also, they contain beta-carotene which promoted healthy skin.
6. Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolates are delicious, nutritious, and also, the best foods rich in antioxidants. Moreover, the higher the content of cocoa higher the antioxidants. You can, therefore, try the below recipe of chocolates for weight loss.
| Serving | Antioxidants |
| 3.5 ounces/100grams | 15 mmol |
Dark Chocolate Benefits
- Dark chocolates are, however, rich in fiber, iron, magnesium, copper, manganese, and other essential minerals.
- Also, they have cocoa content that further, improves blood flow in the arteries and significantly decreases blood pressure.
- Moreover, it improves insulin sensitivity and lowers oxidation-prone LD, reducing risk factors of diseases.
7. Kale
Well, Kale is one of the most nutritious greens on the planet and however, quite rich in antioxidants.
| Serving | Antioxidants |
| 3.5 ounces/100 grams | 2.7 mmol |
Benefits Of Kale
- Kale has many powerful antioxidants like quercetin and kaempferol that therefore, further help your body in effective ways.
- Also, kale is high in vitamin C which is important for a healthy body.
- Moreover, it binds to the bile acids lowering the cholesterol in the body.
8. Red Cabbage
Red cabbage is, however, the most delicious way to increase antioxidants in the body.
| Serving | Antioxidants |
| 3.5 ounces/100 grams | 2.2 mmol |
Benefits Of Red Cabbage
- However, red cabbage contains several nutrients, vitamin K, and magnesium that keep the bones healthy and strong.
- Being high in fiber, red cabbage helps get food easily and improves the digestive system also.
- Also, it prevents constipation and benefits the heart by lowering blood pressure and the risk of cardiovascular disease.
9. Beans
Beans are foods rich in antioxidants and are inexpensive also.
| Serving | Antioxidants |
| 3.5 ounces/100 grams | 2 mmol |
Benefits Of Beans
- Beans are, however, rich in protein that helps maintain and repair the body.
- Also, it has many nutrients like folate that contribute to the making of red blood cells.
- Consumption of beans lowers the risk of coronary heart attacks, and heart diseases cardiovascular diseases and also helps lower blood pressure.
10. Spinach
Spinach is one of the best antioxidant-rich vegetables that are also rich in nutrients and low in calories.
| Serving | Antioxidants |
| 3.5 ounces/100 grams | 0.9 mmol |
Spinach Benefits
- Spinach is rich in nutrients that help boost the immune system and also fight against germs to keep your heart healthy.
- Also, spinach is a vegetable that is nearly all water that keeps your body hydrated, and reduces hunger levels aiding in weight loss.
- Moreover, spinach has manganese and vitamin K that helps prevent osteoporosis and rebuild bone tissue.
5 High-Antioxidant Foods That Prove Food Is Medicine
Choose these incredibly nutritious foods to keep your brain bright, your heart healthy, and your waistline small.
Consider nutrient-rich foods for your arsenal against chronic disease.
Ever questioned why blueberries are blue? Although blueberries are officially purple, the deep hue you perceive is actually the result of anthocyanin pigments, which are naturally present in foods like blueberries.
According to a study published in February 2016 in Current Opinion in Food Science, all foods have natural pigments that give them a distinctive color. Carrots turn orange due to beta-carotene, kale and collard greens are vibrant green due to chlorophyll, and so on. According to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, these pigments also function as antioxidants, which are substances that prevent molecules from undergoing a process known as oxidation. According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, free radicals are hazardous byproducts that emerge when molecules are under oxidative stress and can harm your body’s cells.
According to a study published in December 2016 in the Journal of Nutritional Science, antioxidants are crucial because they support cell stability and shield them from oxidative stress, which can cause conditions such as cancer, heart disease, and eye illnesses including age-related macular degeneration. Scientists have proposed that antioxidants support longevity based on the free radical hypothesis of aging, according to an earlier article published in the journal Antioxidants & Redox Signaling. However, more recent studies, including one that appeared in the journal Antioxidants & Redox Signaling in February 2014, imply that the underlying cause of aging is significantly more complicated.
Antioxidants often aid in preventing or delaying cell damage, according to Atlanta-based RDN Marisa Moore. “Vitamin C, in particular, may promote healthy aging and help prevent or delay some cancers.”
The majority of organic foods contain antioxidants in some form, but according to Chicago-based RDN Taylor Wolfram, fruit and vegetables are the finest sources. Wolfram advises obtaining antioxidants from plant-based sources as opposed to those created in a lab, even though you can acquire them in supplements.
Fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and legumes continue to be the cornerstone of a healthy diet, she claims. “Stay away from processed meats if you’re eating animal protein, and focus on seafood selections.”
Although there are numerous foods that are high in antioxidants, these 10 are dependable. The NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database has all suggested daily values (DV).
1
Blueberries, Which May Help Fend Off Heart Disease
Blueberries may be small, but they pack a nutritious punch. Full of vitamins and minerals, blueberries are also rich in anthocyanins, which, we mentioned, act as powerful antioxidants.
Blueberries are known as a superfood for a reason, and they may help with cognitive function, maintain healthy bones, and reduce the chance of heart disease, among other health advantages. According to a May 2019 study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, consuming 1 cup of blueberries per day for six months decreased heart disease risk by 12 to 15%. This study was supported by the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council, so the outcomes might be biased in their favor.
2
Broccoli, Which May Play a Role in Fighting Cancer
The nutritional powerhouse that is broccoli is similar to other dark, leafy veggies. According to a study published in March 2015 in the journal Preventive Nutrition and Food Science, broccoli has high levels of phenolics, a type of chemical produced by plants to aid in protecting them from oxidative stress. Phenolics are crucial to human health as well. According to a study published in the International Journal of Chemical Engineering and Applications in October 2014, these chemicals may guard against illness, inflammation, and allergies since they are rich in antioxidants and anti-cancer characteristics.
3
Walnuts, Which May Help Slim Your Waistline
Rich in fiber, protein, and unsaturated fats, nuts make a great snack food. But if you had to dub one nut the healthiest (at least in terms of how much bang you get for your buck, nutrition-wise), it would be the walnut. Used in traditional Chinese medicine for brain health (walnuts have an uncanny resemblance to the human brain), walnuts help keep brain cells healthy and may play a role in improving memory, according to a study published in June 2016 in the journal Natural Product Communications.
Walnuts are heart-healthy because of their polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, according to Harvard Health Publishing, much like all raw, unsalted nuts. Research even reveals that consuming this Mediterranean diet staple in moderation may help you burn abdominal fat, reducing your risk for type 2 diabetes and heart disease. This is according to a review that was published in December 2017 in Nutrients.
However, it is walnuts’ high polyphenol content that really shines. According to a study that was published in November 2017 in the Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, these molecules help avoid oxidative stress by collaborating with antioxidants. They may also aid with inflammation, weight control, and the prevention of diseases like cancer.
4
Spinach, Which May Improve Your Eyesight
A relative of the beetroot, spinach is a low-calorie veggie loaded with nutrients that may promote bone, eye, and hair health. In particular, there’s evidence linking lutein — a carotenoid found in spinach that also gives carrots their orange hue — to promoting eye health and preventing age-related macular degeneration, according to a study published in September 2018 in the journal Nutrients. Because lutein also functions as an antioxidant, spinach may also improve heart health and decrease the risk of cancer, the study found.
5
Potatoes, Which May Protect Your Brain and Lower Blood Pressure
Although they have a terrible reputation for being high in carbohydrates, potatoes are actually a powerhouse of vitamins and minerals. (Sorry, but potato derivatives like potato chips and french fries, while wonderful, are not included.) Aim for more colorful potatoes, such as sweet potatoes or purple potatoes, to reap the health advantages; just like any other fruit or vegetable, as previously mentioned, a more colorful potato equals a higher concentration of antioxidants. Studies have demonstrated that the antioxidants in potatoes may help reduce blood pressure, the risk of heart disease, cancer, and neurological illnesses. One such study was published in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition in April 2016.