Antioxidants are an important but often overlooked part of our diet.
They can help minimize cell damage and prevent a wide array of health problems such as heart disease, and Alzheimer’s. Fruits are generally acknowledged to be the best source of antioxidants and in this list of the top ten antioxidant fruits I will expand on the health benefits of some of the most antioxidant rich fruits available at your local supermarket or co-op.
10. Apples
Apples are a great antioxidant rich snack that can be served in wide variety of ways. They contain at least four strong antioxidants as well as vitamin c and potassium. Apples are also low in calories, but apples juices are often made with lots of sugar and have a somewhat depleted nutritional value.
9. Blueberries
Blueberries are said to have some the highest antioxidant levels of any fruit. The specific antioxidants found in them are called flavonoids which have been linked in studies to decreased rates of heart disease and cancer.
8. Grapes
Purple, red and blue grapes are high antioxidant fruits. The skin of red grapes has been found to have particularly high levels of antioxidants.
7. Goji Berries
Goji berries contain large concentrations of vitamins A and D as well as antioxidants similar to those found in blueberries. It’s no wonder these berries are known as a superfood!
6. Cranberries
Cranberries contain vitamin C, fiber, as well as other nutrients. They outrank nearly every other fruit in their concentration of antioxidants and have a great vitamin to calorie ratio with one cup clocking in at just 45 calories.
5. Strawberries
Strawberries contain antioxidants known as polyphenols, they also give a good dose of vitamins, fiber and magnesium.
4. Plums
Plums are packed with vitamins and antioxidants which are especially helpful in repairing damaged cells. That being said they are also high in natural sugars and calories so it’s important not to over do it.
3. Cherries
Tart cherries and tart cherry juice are good sources of antioxidants and are fairly low calorie when consumed without added sugar. Infact, the dark red color of tart cherries is the result of high levels of certain antioxidants in cherries.
2. Oranges
Oranges have long been lauded for their high levels of vitamin C and immune boosting power. Oranges are high in antioxidants and which are even more present when juiced. It is said that orange juice contains nearly ten times the antioxidant levels of an analogous serving of oranges.
1. Blackberries
Blackberries, much like their blue relatives, contain very high levels of antioxidants, primarily the antioxidant anthocyanins which is said to reduce the damage done by free radicals.
In this list of the top ten antioxidant fruits we have covered some of the best foods for delivering that oh-so-necessary dose of antioxidants–as well as fiber and certain vitamins. As we get older it can become easy to forget that we need our fruits and veggies each day, but with high antioxidant fruits you can pack a lot of nutritional value into a small serving.
by Catalogs.com Info Guru Lauren DeJesus-Glasgow