Antioxidants

                                                                               

 

What are antioxidants?

Antioxidants are substances or nutrients in our foods which can prevent or slow the oxidative damage to our body. When our body cells use oxygen, they naturally produce free radicals (by-products) which can cause damage. Antioxidants act as "free radical scavengers" and hence prevent and repair damage done by these free radicals. Health problems such as heart disease, macular degeneration, diabetes, cancer are all contributed by oxidative damage. Antioxidants may also enhance immune defense and therefore lower the risk of cancer and infection.

Fortunately, research is also increasingly showing that there is potential health benefits of antioxidant intake by eating a diet rich in antioxidant-containing foods.

When it comes to antioxidant intake, no one food or food group should be your sole focus. It's best to include a wide variety of foods as part of a healthy, well-balanced diet. Some of the better sources of antioxidants include:

Berries-Blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, lingonberries and strawberries.
Fruit-Many apple varieties (with peel), cherries, red and green peppers, red pear, plums and many more.
Beans-Small red beans and kidney, pinto and black beans.
Vegetables-Artichoke, spinach, red cabbage, sweet potatoes and broccoli.
Nuts-Walnuts, pistachios, pecans, hazelnuts and almonds are some of the highest.
Just to name a few!

As a bonus, foods high in antioxidants typically offer many other health benefits. These foods are often plant based and offer health benefits in addition to their antioxidant content, such as being high in fiber, protein, and other vitamins and minerals and low in saturated fat and cholesterol.

antioxidant values of foods are expressed in ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) units.

What is ORAC value?
ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) unit, ORAC value, or "ORAC score" is a method of measuring the antioxidant capacity of different foods and supplements. It was developed by scientists at the National Institutes of Health. While the exact relationship between the ORAC value of a food and its health benefit has not been established, it is believed that foods higher on the ORAC scale will more effectively neutralize free radicals. According to the free-radical theory of aging, this will slow the oxidative processes and free radical damage that can contribute to age-related degeneration and disease. To find the ORAC value of your food check out http://www.oracvalue.com/.

So, great news, a lot of the foods that are really high in antioxidants you can grow easily at home. Tomorrow's Harvest has many different fruit and nut varieties that you can grow at home. Check with your local nursery or contact us for more information.