How Antioxidant-Rich Food Brings Benefit To Your Health
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Why are antioxidants beneficial for your health?
Antioxidant-rich food can help enhance your immune system, prevent cancer, slow aging, improve heart health, and gives you more energy.
What are antioxidants?
Antioxidants are essential for our body because they act as “radical scavengers.” Free radicals attack proteins, cell walls, and possibly also genetic material. Free radicals are compounds that can cause harm when their levels in your body get too high. They are linked to several diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
Our body has antioxidant defenses to keep free radicals at bay.
Vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals, all of these food components are also antioxidants. They protect the body from so-called free radicals.
However, antioxidants are also in fruits, vegetables, and other whole plant-based foods. Several vitamins, such as vitamin E and C, are potent antioxidants.
Good to know about antioxidants and their beneficial properties. Often people don’t get enough fruits and vegetables, the primary sources of antioxidants. Five servings of fruits and vegetables daily are good, but experts say getting 7-10 servings is best.
Here are 10 Tips to get more antioxidant-rich food into your diet.
1. Breakfast
Take time for your Breakfast; do not eat the toaster tart on the way out the door. First, throw Strawberries, Coconutmilk, and 100% juice into a blender and drink a cup of this delicious mixture before you head out the door.
You just added three servings of fruits to your daily intake. You also can mix some berries into your cereal if you do not have much time in the morning. But taking time for Breakfast benefits your physical and mental health.
2. Snacks
Another easy way to get more antioxidants in your diet is a handful of raisins and some fresh red grapes for a snack. Strawberries will provide a colorful, juicy snack. Maybe dip some baby carrots dipped in hummus? If you like it more crunchy, A handful of pecans is a lovely, crunchy antioxidant boost.
3. Lunch and dinner
Adding a salad to your daily meals will add loads to your overall health and well-being. Salads don’t have to be just green, and they don’t have to be boring. You can add some color like Tomatoes or red pepper slices to your green salad. What about adding tart cranberries to your greens? Make a broccoli salad for lunch, or mix a rice salad with various fresh vegetables. You can add string beans, tomatoes, peppers, and red onions. Be adventurous
4. Dessert
End your day of healthy, antioxidant-rich eating with Berries in coconut cream and chocolate. You will feel wonderful.
5. Beverage
Tea and coffee both boast antioxidant compounds. Maybe drink a glass of wine with dinner. Pour a glass of chai tea for a real change of pace.
6. Think outside the box
We can get our antioxidants from berries, salads, and the like. But powerful antioxidants can also be found in various unexpected foods, like russet potatoes, artichokes, and small red beans. Experts say the beans may have more antioxidant power than blueberries. So add some beans for even more antioxidants to your rice salad and many vegetables.
7. Cook lightly
Preparing vegetables for your family’s dinner is an excellent way to bring antioxidants to the diet. But do not overcook the vegetables because cooking destroys a lot of the beneficial properties of the antioxidants. It is better to steam vegetables and stop when they have still a bright color and a bit bite.
8. Plant a vegetable garden
People who plant vegetables love to harvest them. They eat far more vegetables and fruits than people who buy them from the store. If you plant a garden and watch everything grow, you will eat the fruits of your labor. It is also beneficial for mental health to be in nature.
9. Take your healthy diet on vacation.
Some consider going on vacation as an opportunity to take a vacation from healthy eating. Vacation can be a way to introduce new, maybe exotic foods? Maybe order interesting vegetable dishes in restaurants? Perhaps you can learn something new if you pay attention to how the chef prepares the dishes?
10. Learn how to cook
Cooking means not opening bags and boxes; it involves scrubbing and peeling vegetables. Cooking is about preparing whole foods and paying attention to how to prepare and cook. It is far less likely to eat whole foods if you order out food. These foods often contain not many natural fruits and vegetables that provide the base for our antioxidant intake.
See also > ANTIOXIDANT-RICH VEGAN RECIPES
Antioxidant Boosting Smoothie (Vegan!)
This powerful antioxidant smoothie is perfect for any day of the week and any season. I couldn’t recommend adding naturally occurring antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables to your plates enough for a healthy and happy body.
ANTIOXIDANT SMOOTHIE BOWL (VEGAN, GLUTEN-FREE)
If you love smoothies, then you will be obsessed with smoothie bowls – especially this antioxidant smoothie bowl.
The Best Quinoa Power Bowl Recipe
This easy vegan buddha bowl is a great recipe for those looking to add more plant protein recipes to their diets. This quinoa power bowl recipe is full of plant-based protein, fiber, and antioxidants and makes a delightful vegan buddha bowl with a mixture of flavors.
Quinoa Cranberry Salad
This Quinoa Cranberry Salad is full of fresh, feel-good flavors that everyone will love! With nutrient-rich spinach, sweet dried cranberries, and a zippy lemon dressing, it is able to stand alone as a protein-packed, healthy meal or can be served as a side.
Ultimate Antioxidant Detox Smoothie (Dairy-Free, Vegan)
The amazing berry flavor of this antioxidant-packed, dairy-free, vegan smoothie will have you reaching for a second glass in no time!
One-Pot Meal Loaded With Antioxidants
Like a lot of stews, this one tastes just as good, if not better, the next day. You can easily reheat it on the stovetop or do as I do and eat it cold on top of a bed of greens dressed with a simple olive oil and ACV vinaigrette.
Antioxidant-Packed Creamy Vegan Dip
This dip is not only tasty and creamy to perfection, it’s also super versatile. Love it as a dipping sauce and salad dressing too!
Steamed Vegetable Bowl
Serve the quinoa with the steamed vegetables on top, and sprinkle some sesame seeds. Serve the hummus sauce on the side so everyone can add as little or as much as they like. Enjoy!
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