| Natural antioxidants, meaning antioxidants that are | | | | course, the disadvantage of chocolate is that it |
| found in foods that we eat, are the best source of | | | | usually comes with too much sugar and fat to make |
| these healthy, anti-aging substances. Research | | | | it a really healthy food choice - but as long as you |
| suggests that antioxidants obtained from a healthy | | | | don't overdo it, chocolate is seriously good for you! |
| diet are better than those obtained from | | | | High levels of natural antioxidants are found in berries |
| supplements - this is probably because there is such a | | | | and brightly colored fruits and vegetables. Whole |
| wide range of different antioxidant molecules in | | | | grains are another good source (eat your whole |
| various foods that it's just impossible to package | | | | wheat bread with the crusts still attached), as are |
| them all together in a pill. It's worth getting a healthy | | | | beans and nuts, fresh herbs and spices. Specialty |
| amount of antioxidants though - there is more and | | | | foods and supplements made from things like algae |
| more evidence that these molecules protect us from | | | | or tree bark are marketed as powerful sources of |
| cellular damage that can lead to disease and aging. | | | | antioxidants, but again, the antioxidants found in |
| Antioxidants may be the super health food we've all | | | | these products tend to be limited in variety and high |
| been looking for - they're just not found in one | | | | doses are not advised - don't overdo it here. The |
| particular food. | | | | most powerful antioxidant combination is probably a |
| For the same reason, it's a bad idea to focus on a | | | | diet rich in fruits and vegetables, with as much |
| food that you believe is the most powerful | | | | protein as possible coming from non-animal sources |
| antioxidant. A particular food may be very high in a | | | | (beans, nuts, seeds), and a comprehensive |
| certain type of antioxidant, but it will not contain any | | | | multivitamin and mineral supplement. Not only will this |
| of the other types. And though any particular food | | | | provide ample antioxidants, but it will also provide you |
| may be a very healthy dietary choice, too much of | | | | with other nutrients essential to good health. |
| anything is likely to cause some problems. To get the | | | | If you are determined to take supplements |
| full benefit of natural antioxidants, you need to get a | | | | specifically marketed as sources of antioxidants, be |
| variety of them, from a variety of foods. Research | | | | careful to choose one that has been formulated to |
| suggests also that it's possible to get too much of a | | | | contain a wide variety of antioxidants from plant |
| good thing: ingesting very high doses of antioxidants | | | | sources. This should provide natural antioxidants of |
| can have a negative effect on health. | | | | various types as similar as possible to those you |
| Nobody really knows what the most powerful | | | | would receive from a varied diet. Stay away from |
| antioxidant food is. Berries of various kinds are | | | | vendors that claim to have found the most powerful |
| certainly good candidates, and there have been | | | | antioxidant and packaged it in pill form, and don't |
| claims that both blueberries and cranberries have the | | | | make the mistake of taking in high doses because |
| most antioxidants. Chocolate is another source of | | | | you think that more is better. When it comes to |
| natural antioxidants, with cocoa powder being the | | | | antioxidants, more is not better - moderation is the |
| best choice, and dark chocolate coming second. Of | | | | key. |