Eat A Chiquita

Pretend for me, if you will, that there is a massive war raging inside your body. Imagine little elves and dwarfs fighting alongside man, fending off hoards of monsters and evil wizards night and day. Although there may not be some eternal ring of power inside you, there truly is a constant battle going on in there. Your body is forever aging and fighting against something men and women in white lab coats call free radicals. The good guys? Antioxidants.

Free Radicals: Not so Radical After All

Free radicals are molecules that are chemically volatile and dangerous to the healthy cells in your body. They are a natural byproduct of normal activities like breathing and exercising, but their numbers may also be increased by environmental or behavioral factors like smoking and pollution. According to Cancer.gov's Antioxidant Factsheet, “Free radicals may play a part in cancer, heart disease, stroke, and other diseases of aging,” so it’s important to keep these villains in check.

Your Army of Antioxidants

Antioxidants help neutralize free radicals, creating balance and stability in these once-wild molecules and thereby helping to protect surrounding cells from their harmful effects. Our bodies continually produce free-radical fighting substances, but as Dr. Donald Hensrud of the Mayo Clinic explains, “This process isn't 100 percent effective, and its effectiveness declines with age” (June 5, 2009 Medical Edge Newspaper Column). In order to help your body out, it’s important to eat a wide variety of antioxidant-containing foods. Which ones, you ask?

Antioxidant Food Sources – Get Yours!

If your diet contains plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and nuts, then you are likely already winning the battle inside your body by arming yourself with antioxidants like Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and selenium. If you need a little inspiration, that’s what we’re here for.

• Citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and grapefruits are good sources of vitamin C. The kiwi is another excellent source, and often overlooked!
• Carotenoids are important free-radical-fighters, and the color of a food can help indicate its carotenoid content. When it comes to color-coding your fruits and veggies, The American Dietetic Association’s EatRight.org suggests “red, orange, deep-yellow and some dark-green leafy vegetables, like tomatoes, carrots, spinach, Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, winter squash and broccoli,” as great sources of carotenoids.  
• Dark chocolate has high levels of antioxidants and can be combined with fruits for a delicious 2-part antioxidant booster. Don’t believe us? Try this recipe for 4th of July chocolate banana pops on for size!