Six Disease-Fighting Super Antioxidants You are Likely Not Getting Enough Of
by SixWise.com
Your body needs antioxidants to protect your cells from damaging
free radicals. These free radicals can cause oxidation in
your body that, similar to rust on a car, will degrade your
cells and organs leading to disease and aging. Not only do
antioxidants help to prevent oxidation, but, according to
the American Dietetic Association, they may also decrease
your risk of infection, heart disease and cancer while boosting
the function of your immune system.
We're all affected by free radicals, as they are a natural
byproduct produced in your body. Exposure to environmental
toxins like cigarette smoke and radiation can also increase
the free radicals in your system.
Antioxidants can be vitamins, minerals or enzymes, and they
exist in foods and certain supplements. Because most Americans
do not eat healthy diets -- ones that include fruits, vegetables
and other whole foods -- and instead eat diets rich in processed
fast foods, many of us are seriously lacking in these health-giving
compounds. Following are a few of the most powerful antioxidants
that you should make a point to include in your diet:
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Top 20 Antioxidant Foods
Looking for foods that pack a powerful antioxidant
punch? These foods have the most antioxidants of all,
according to a 2004 study in the Journal of Agricultural
and Food Chemistry.
- Small red beans (dried)
- Wild blueberries
- Red Kidney beans
- Pinto beans
- Blueberries (cultivated)
- Cranberries
- Artichokes (cooked)
- Blackberries
- Prunes
- Raspberries
- Strawberries
- Red Delicious apples
- Granny Smith apples
- Pecans
- Sweet cherries
- Black plums
- Russet potatoes (cooked)
- Black beans (dried)
- Plums
- Gala apples
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1. Ellagic acid: This compound, found in red raspberries,
may be one of the most potent cancer fighters around. It's
also a cancer inhibitor and is anti-mutagenic.
Research at the Hollings Cancer Center at the Medical University
of South Carolina (MUSC) found that ellagic acid slows the
growth of abnormal colon cells in humans and prevents cells
infected with human papilloma virus (HPV), which is linked
to cervical cancer, from developing. It also promotes apoptosis,
or cell death, of cancer cells without harming healthy cells,
a process that may be beneficial in fighting prostate, breast,
lung, esophageal and skin cancers.
Other studies have also shown that ellagic acid may fight
heart disease, reduce the risk of birth defects and speed
wound healing.
Where it's found: Red raspberries, pomegranate,
strawberries, blueberries and walnuts.
2. Proanthocyanidins: These antioxidants, which are
also called "OPCs" for oligomeric procyanidins or
"PCOs" for procyanidolic oligomers, belong to the
flavonoid family. They're the compounds that give red
and blue fruits their color, and they've been found to
strengthen capillaries, improve vision in the dark, support
the integrity of vascular walls and prevent and reverse blood
clotting in smokers. They also may reduce the risk of heart
disease and cancer, and protect against urinary tract infections.
Where they're found: Raisins, grape seed, grape
skin, bilberry, cranberry, black currant, green
tea, black tea, pine bark, cocoa.
3. Glutathione: "Glutathione is a very interesting,
very small molecule that's found in every cell. It's the most
important antioxidant because it's within the cell,"
says Gustavo Bounous, MD, a retired professor of surgery at
McGill University in Montreal, Canada. Along with neutralizing
free radicals, glutathione may boost the immune system and
help the liver remove toxins from the body.
Says glutathione expert, Jeremy Appleton, ND, chairman of
the department of nutrition at the National College of Naturopathic
Medicine in Portland, Ore., "If you look in a hospital
situation at people who have cancer, AIDS, or other very serious
disease, almost invariably they are depleted in glutathione
... we do know that glutathione is extremely important
for maintaining intracellular health."
That's why glutathione has been called the "master
antioxidant." "No other antioxidant
is as important to overall health as glutathione. It is the
regulator and regenerator of immune cells and the most valuable
detoxifying agent in the human body. Low levels are
associated with hepatic dysfunction, immune dysfunction, cardiac
disease, premature aging and death," say Lorna R. Vanderhaeghe
& Patrick J.D. Bouic, Ph.D.
Where it's found: Goat's milk, whey protein,
asparagus, avocado, parsley, broccoli
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Red raspberries are a great source of the antioxidant
ellagic acid, which is proven to be a potent cancer
fighter.
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4. Polyphenols: These micronutrients represent a large
category of antioxidants that include flavonoids and anthocyanidins.
According to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition,
evidence is emerging that these compounds prevent the spread
of a number of degenerative conditions, including cancer and
cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases.
However, the amount that you eat, and the source, make a
big difference in the benefits you receive. For instance,
cooking may cause fruits and vegetables to lose polyphenol
content. Research is underway to determine the best sources
of polyphenols.
Where they're found: Strawberries, green tea,
black tea, grape skins, red wine, onions, broccoli, greens,
apples, blueberries, cocoa (most all fruits and vegetables
contain some polyphenols)
5. Vitamin E: This well-known, fat-soluble vitamin
may, according to the Mayo Clinic, protect against cancer,
infertility and cataracts and slow the progression of Alzheimer's
disease. The most popular form of vitamin E is alpha-tocopherol,
however, gamma-tocopherol also appears to provide major benefits.
For instance, a study in the March 2005 Journal of the National
Cancer Institute found that prostate cancer risks went down
significantly with high levels of vitamin E. Specifically,
men with the highest levels of alpha-tocopherol in their blood
were 51 percent less likely to develop prostate cancer
while those with the highest levels of gamma-tocopherol were
43 percent less likely to develop the disease.
Where it's found: Nuts, vegetable oils, wheat germ
oil, green leafy vegetables
6. Carotenoids: These fat-soluble micronutrients,
the most well-known of which is beta-carotene (which can be
converted into vitamin A in the body), fight free radicals
and inhibit and prevent cervical, oral, lung, prostate, colon,
endometrial and esophageal cancers. They also:
- Prevent lipid peroxidation, which generates free radicals
- Enhance immune function
- Stimulate the release of natural killer cells, which directly
attack tumor cells
- Protect cells from DNA damage
Where they're found: Red, orange, dark green
and yellow fruits and vegetables, such as sweet potatoes,
apricots, peaches, chard, carrots, cantaloupe, pumpkin and
tomatoes. Eggs and spirulina are also good sources.
Are You Getting Enough Antioxidants?
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|
Unless you eat plenty of fruits and vegetables everyday,
you may not be getting enough antioxidants in your diet (along
with the 85 percent of Americans who do not eat enough produce).
And, if you smoke or are exposed to environmental
toxins then antioxidants are particularly important.
If you want to ensure that you are getting the antioxidants
your body needs, SixWise.com highly recommends Fruits
of Life: Potent Cellular Protection.
Used and recommended by many of today's leading health experts,
it is the first and only product to contain the top-four antioxidant
foods on the planet in one whole food powder blend! (This
is based on an Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORC) test
performed at Tufts University.)
Its wide array of powerful fruit extracts and fermented goat's
milk whey make this formula both unique and potent. It contains
super antioxidants such as ellagic acid, proanthocyanidins,
glutathione and polyphenols to help the body fight free radicals
and boost the immune system. If you are interested, read
more about Fruits of Life now.
And if you're looking for a quick way to get more fruits
and veggies into your diet, Roberta Anding, an American Dietetic
Association spokeswoman, suggests creating an antioxidant
"power salad."
To make it, she says, "Put together a salad with a variety
of mixed greens. Then I'd throw in some dried cranberries
or blueberries from the health food store, toss in a few nuts,
with a low-fat salad dressing ... choosing [fruits and
vegetables] from the colors of the rainbow."
Sources
National
Institutes of Health
WebMD
Health
Yahoo
Health News
Complimentary
Alternative Health Center
Phytochemical
Information Center
Benefits
of Glutathione
Nutrition
Advisor
American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 79, No. 5, 727-747, May
2004
Mayo
Clinic