June 3, 2016
Maybe you know a little something about antioxidants. You know they're good for you. You know you need them. But do you really know what they are and how they work? Antioxidants are really essential to anti aging. They can be found in many foods as well as dietary supplements. The most common antioxidants are Beta-carotene, Lycopene, Selenium, vitamins A, C & E, and Lutein. You've probably heard of many of those. But do you know how to work them into your diet? Fruits and vegetables are the richest source of antioxidants. Beta-carotene is a red-orange antioxidant commonly found in green plants, carrots, sweet potatoes, squash, spinach, apricots, and green peppers.
Lycopene is found in tomatoes, watermelons, pink grapefruits, apricots, and pink guavas. Selenium works as an antioxidant, especially when combined with vitamin E. It is found in button mushrooms, cod, shrimp, tuna, halibut, salmon, and mustard seeds.
Vitamin A is a great antioxidant as well. It is found in sweet potatoes, spinach, carrots & kale. And don't forget your vitamin C! It is found in peppers, guava, kale, broccoli, oranges and strawberries. Vitamin E can be found in sunflower seeds, almonds, spinach and papaya.
Finally, Lutein is found in broccoli, spinach, kale, corn, orange pepper, kiwi fruit, grapes, orange juice, zucchini, and squash. Take it with a high fat meal and your benefits will skyrocket!
The lesson? It is easy to find foods you love that are loaded with antioxidants. Think about eating color! The more color you eat, the better and more fun it is for your body! See your aging slow down. Feel healthier and look better!