Top Antioxidant Foods
The term “antioxidants” is bantered around all the time but confusion abounds regarding what they are and why they’re important for good health. Antioxidants are natural plant chemicals found in foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, and nuts. Research shows that a diet rich in antioxidants helps to boost the immune system, ward off heart disease and certain cancers, and keep brains healthy as we age. Recently, the USDA set out to evaluate the antioxidant activity in 100 common foods. Their findings were surprising. Potatoes and beans high in antioxidants? You bet!
Here are the top-20 antioxidant foods; foods you can easily incorporate into your favorite recipes and snacks:
- Small red beans
- Wild blueberries
- Kidney beans
- Pinto beans
- Cultivated blueberries
- Cranberries
- Artichokes
- Blackberries
- Dried plums (AKA prunes)
- Raspberries
- Strawberries
- Red delicious apples
- Granny Smith apples
- Pecans
- Sweet cherries
- Black plums
- Russet potatoes
- Black beans
- Plums
- Gala apples