Melissa Wdowik PhD, RDN, FAND
  • Home
  • About
  • Services
  • JUST ONE THING NUTRITION
  • In The News
  • Blog: Just One Thing
  • All Blogs
  • Publications
  • Presentations
  • Handouts
  • Education & Honors
  • Certifications & Trainings
  • Contact Me
  • Onboarding Form

TRANSLATING RESEARCH
inTO PRACTICAL ADVICE

Antioxidants Go To Battle For Your Body

12/3/2017

0 Comments

 
Antioxidants are like warriors in your body, fighting against free radicals and oxidative stress. While not a new topic, antioxidants are often misunderstood and underappreciated.  This time of year, as we are exposed to armies of bacteria and viruses, it is worth exploring the functions, benefits and food sources of these little powerhouses.
 
Let’s start by understanding what they do. Natural body functions, such as breathing and physical activity, as well as exposure to cigarette smoke or pollution, produce substances called free radicals that attack healthy cells. Stress and infections, from bacteria and viruses, cause additional free radical formation. Antioxidants help protect healthy cells from the damage, or oxidative stress, caused by these free radicals. Oxidative stress and free radicals lead to atherosclerosis, heart disease and cancer, and appear to contribute to the development of diabetes, dementia, arthritis, eye diseases, and aging processes. 
 
Benefits of antioxidants include their ability to protect us against chronic disease, infection, and cognitive decline, to name just a few. What is important to understand is that we can, and should, get plenty of these warriors from natural food sources, not supplements. Studies have shown antioxidant supplements increase health risks and interact with certain medications. Supplements can also give you too much of a concentrated source of one or more antioxidants while neglecting others. Most importantly, there are many other compounds in foods that improve both the absorption and function of antioxidants, compounds that cannot be replicated in supplements. So, beware supplements and head for the market.
 
Food sources of antioxidants are abundant. An overarching rule of thumb, if you want to skip the details, is to eat 2 cups of fruits and 2 ½ cups of vegetables daily to reap the benefits. Specific antioxidants in fruits and vegetables include vitamin C, vitamin E, and carotenoids, such as beta-carotene, lycopene and lutein. Try the following sources!

  • Vitamin C: berries, citrus, kiwi, tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, and broccoli
  • Vitamin E: olives, avocadoes, spinach, beet greens, and pumpkin
  • Carotenoids: red (beets, tomatoes), orange (squash, carrots), green (spinach, kale, Brussel sprouts), and purple (cauliflower, eggplant) vegetables
 
Additional food sources of antioxidants include nuts, coffee, tea, wine and dark chocolate (my other favorite food groups). They contain a list of antioxidants too long for this story (resveratrol, polyphenols, catechins and flavonols, for example) but what’s important is the food themselves. Try a variety of each but go easy on the wine and chocolate; they do not contain the significant amounts found in the other foods and drinks mentioned here, and consuming these daily not only adds calories but replaces the more beneficial sources. 
 
No one individual antioxidant can do everything, so be sure to get a variety of foods, of all colors, from all food groups. Enjoy the pleasures of eating while your warriors do all the work.

***
As published in the Fort Collins Coloradoan
www.coloradoan.com/story/news/2017/12/03/wdowik-antioxidants-go-battle-your-body/905497001/
***
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Melissa Wdowik, PhD, RDN, LDN, FAND

    is a nutrition educator with over 20 years experience as a college professor, nutrition coach, presenter and writer, as well as a nutrition consultant and  founding director of the Kendall Reagan Nutrition Center.
    -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -
    ​Be sure to check out her new book here:
    Eat to Defeat Viruses


    Blog Categories

    All
    Diabetes
    Digestive Health
    Fats
    Goals & Resolutions
    Healthy Diets
    Heart Health
    Mindfulness
    Nutrition "Casserole"
    Power Foods
    Preventative Health
    Sugars
    Vitamins & Nutrients

    Archives

    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    June 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012

 HOME    |    ABOUT    |    SERVICES    |  CONTACT 
nutrition, diet, weight loss, keto, paleo, metabolism, gluten, food, cook, eat, immunity, anti-inflammatory, exercise, wellness
  • Home
  • About
  • Services
  • JUST ONE THING NUTRITION
  • In The News
  • Blog: Just One Thing
  • All Blogs
  • Publications
  • Presentations
  • Handouts
  • Education & Honors
  • Certifications & Trainings
  • Contact Me
  • Onboarding Form