Antioxidants: Powerhouse Foods and Supplements

Discover just how important eating foods high in antioxidants can be to your body. Find out whether the antioxidant supplements you are taking are good or bad for your body.

Have you ever wondered why there is so much hype about antioxidants? What about why there are so many of us out there who are taking supplements thinking they are counterbalancing the poor health choices we are making?

Antioxidants are molecules that prevent oxidation in the body. They are manufactured by the body and are found in some of the foods we eat. When you are young and healthy, the body has the innate ability to create enough antioxidants to combat the free radicals created by our lifestyle, which includes stress, pollution and food.

The oxidative process within the body is linked to dementia, clogged arteries, wrinkles and other chronic diseases. As the cells metabolize nutrients and oxygen, the byproduct is free radicals. Free radicals moving through the body eat away at cell membranes and affect a cell’s function causing damage wherever they go. The body needs the antioxidants for clean up. As we age, the body’s ability to manufacture its own antioxidants and its ability to fight off free radicals declines.

When someone speaks of antioxidants, we think of blueberries, pomegranate and green tea. Somewhere we’ve gotten the impression that a dose of an antioxidant can slow aging and even fend off disease. According to Nutrition Business Journal our nation, spends about $3 billion on antioxidant supplements each year. Jeffrey Blumberg PhD from the Antioxidant Research Laboratory at Tufts University says that research on antioxidants has shown them to promote health and reduce the risk of chronic disease.

As the research continues on antioxidants, it is becoming clear that all antioxidants work better when combined. I just love the example by Bryce Wylde, author of The Antioxidant Prescription (Random House, 2008) who say "loading up on one antioxidant would be like sending in one fireman to put out a fire." One antioxidant helps but don’t do a complete job, the job we all think antioxidants do.

Scientists have now discovered that there are several types of antioxidants, "direct" which can zap free radicals on its own and "indirect" which stimulate the body’s own production of antioxidants. These "indirect" antioxidants are the sulforaphane from broccoli, curcumin from turmeric, and anthocyanins from berries. When the body develops its own antioxidants, it can mount an incredibly powerful defense against the effects of oxidative stress after consumption which may be more beneficial to the body. The most incredible fact is that this defense continues to protect the body for 3-4 days after the food was consumed.

One study showed that combining "indirect" antioxidants is better than any one alone. This research study combined ashwagandha, turmeric, milk thistle, green tea and Bacopa monniera worked up to nine times better at stimulating the production of antioxidants. Wow! That goes for "direct" antioxidants a well; Blumberg has shown that when vitamins E and C are combined, the antioxidant activity triples.

Scientists have developed the oxygen radical absorbancy capacity (ORAC) score which describes the antioxidant power of the food. ORAC is expressed in a value per serving of fruit or vegetable. The higher the ORAC, the more antioxidant power the food has in the body. Again combining foods, significantly improved the antioxidant effects within the body.

Food ORAC value

Acai berry, freeze dried 102,700

Ground cinnamon 267,536

Pecans 17,940

Ginger root, raw 14,840

Walnuts 13,541

Hazelnuts 9,645

Milk chocolate 7,528

Lentils, raw 7,282

Blueberries, raw 6,552

Prunes 6,552

Blackberries, raw 4,882

Raspberries 4,882

Basil, fresh 4,805

Almonds 4,454

Cherries 3,365

Concord grape juice 2,377

Broccoli raab, raw 3,083

Pumpernickel bread 1,963

Apples, red delicious raw, skin 4,275

Peanut butter, smooth 3,432

Resource: ORAC database ORACvalues

There are supplements that offer antioxidant properties. However, too much of one antioxidant could backfire and the body may create more free radicals in response. There are whole food supplements that offer the benefit of at least 10 different fruits and vegetables; it’s an excellent way to supplement your antioxidant efforts; look for an ORAC value of at least 3400.

In the meantime, eating at least nine (9) servings of a variety of fruits and vegetables is the goal. Each day, challenge yourself to eat more cruciferous vegetables and bright colored foods.