Top 5 Antioxidant Rich Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits are sweet, refreshing and loaded with antioxidants. Plus, since they’re portable and can be eaten with minimal preparation, they make a perfect snack. But let’s remember what’s best with fruits, vegetables are one of the best food sources of antioxidants around. They’re also loaded with health boosting vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients. In this article I’ll be listing five of the best vegetable sources of antioxidants and I will highlight five of the best fruit sources of antioxidants.
- Apples
Apples are crunchy, juicy and come in a variety of different flavors. A medium apple contains 95 calories and high levels of the antioxidants flavonols and vitamin C along with plenty of fiber. To keep all the vitamins C do not peel the skin of the apple because it is the largest source of vitamin C.
The apple is the best friend of diabetics and diets people. The apple cuts the hunger because it turns into a gel in the stomach once digested and gives you a feeling of satiety. For diabetics, the apple regulates the absorption of sugar in the blood and regulates the level of blood sugar all day long.
In addition to be an impressive source of antioxidants, apples also have the following health benefits:
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Detoxifying your body
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Enhancing your brain function
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Regulating your blood glucose levels
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Strengthening your heart
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Supporting healthy digestion
- Cherries
Cherries have a unique taste that is sweet but tangy and contain just 87 calories per cup. They’re an excellent source of the antioxidants manganese and vitamin C. In addition to this, cherries contain large amounts of fiber and potassium.
The cherry reduces arterial hypertension and therefore reduces the risk of heart attack.
When it comes to health, cherries do a lot more than fight free radicals. Some of the other main ways they enhance your health include:
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Enhancing your sleep quality
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Lowering your blood pressure
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Promoting healthy weight loss
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Reducing inflammation in your body
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Relaxing your muscles
- Dates
Dates contain 66 calories each and have a sweet, syrupy flavor. They’re rich in the antioxidants anthocyanins, carotenoids, copper, manganese and phenolic compounds. They also contain lots of B vitamins, fiber, magnesium and potassium.
Thanks to the calcium and phosphorus they contain, dates help to keep bones and teeth strong. The date helps to avoid strong osteoporosis.
Protecting against oxidative damage is just one of the many positive aspects of dates. These tasty fruits also boost your body by:
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Enhancing your energy levels
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Preventing anemia
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Protecting against allergies
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Strengthening your bones and teeth
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Strengthening your nervous system
- Plums
Plums are sweet, juicy and refreshing and pack just 30 calories each. When it comes to their antioxidant content, they contain high levels of phenolic compounds, vitamin A and vitamin C. Plus, they’re loaded with fiber, potassium and vitamin K.
Plum that is very rich in fiber facilitates your intestinal transit which reduces the absorption of fat in your body.
In terms of health benefits, plums have lots to offer. As well as providing you with antioxidant protection, they also:
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Enhance your brain function
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Lower your blood pressure
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Regulate your blood glucose levels
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Strengthen your eyes
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Support healthy digestion
- Pomegranates
Pomegranates are a unique tasting fruit and plenty of fun to eat. A single pomegranate contains 234 calories along with high levels of the antioxidants copper, manganese, vitamin C and vitamin E. In addition to this, pomegranates are a fantastic source of fiber, phosphorus, potassium, vitamin K and multiple B vitamins.
Eating pomegranates can lower the risk of heart attack because it lowers blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
There are lots of reasons to love pomegranates. Not only do they provide your body with a healthy dose of antioxidants but they also boost your health by:
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Lowering your blood pressure
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Protecting against depression
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Strengthening your bones and teeth
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Strengthening your heart
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Reducing blood levels of LDL cholesterol (a type of cholesterol that restricts the flow of blood in the arteries and is often referred to as ‘bad cholesterol’)
Now that you have learned the best fruits to improve your health, let’s move on to the 5 best vegetables that will change your life!
Top 5 Antioxidant Rich Vegetables
- Artichoke
Artichokes have a light, refreshing, mild and slightly sweet flavor. They weigh in at just 64 calories each and have a very impressive antioxidant profile, containing high levels of caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, luteolin, gallic acid, manganese, quercetin, rutin, silymarin and vitamin C. In addition to this, artichokes are a fantastic source of fiber, magnesium, potassium, vitamin B9 and vitamin K.
The artichoke helps you stimulate your liver that will digest more easily the fat you swallow. Thanks to the artichoke your liver will eliminate the toxins better. The antioxidants that the artichoke contains can fight against cholesterol or hepatitis.
Antioxidant protection is just one of the many health benefits artichokes provide and they also boost your body by:
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Lowering your blood pressure
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Regulating your blood glucose levels
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Reducing blood levels of LDL cholesterol (a type of cholesterol that clogs up the arteries and limits blood flow)
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Supporting healthy digestion
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Supporting your liver
- Asparagus
Asparagus is a fresh, mildly bitter tasting vegetable which contains only 27 calories per cup. It supplies you with large amounts of the antioxidants copper, manganese, vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin E and over 10% of the RDA for fiber, iron, vitamin K and multiple B vitamins.
Asparagus is a good aphrodisiac! Indeed, vitamins E of asparagus help to smooth blood circulation and thanks to the more fluid blood flow it facilitates erection or pleasure in women.
As well as fighting free radicals, asparagus also has a number of unique health benefits which include:
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Enhancing your brain function
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Improving your vision
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Promoting good bladder health
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Reducing inflammation in your body
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Regulating your blood glucose levels
- Cauliflower
Cauliflower is a light, refreshing, water rich vegetable that packs just 28 calories per cup. This vegetable is loaded with the antioxidants manganese, vitamin C and a wide range of different phytonutrients. It’s also a great source of fiber, vitamin K and a number of different B vitamins.
Cauliflower that contains a lot of vitamin K, these vitamins can regulate the inflammatory reactions of your body that can be due to stress, poor diet, fatigue etc.
When it comes to health, cauliflower does a lot more than just prevent oxidative damage. It also:
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Detoxifies your body
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Reduces inflammation in your body
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Strengthens your heart
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Supports healthy digestion
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Strengthens your immune system
- Cowpeas
Cowpeas contain 200 calories per cup and are packed full of the antioxidants copper, manganese and zinc. They also contain plenty of fiber, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, protein, vitamin B1 and vitamin B9.
The cowpea is a very good food to keep the line because it is very low in calories, it does not contain cholesterol. It cuts very quickly hunger thanks to the high amount of fiber that it contains.
In addition to acting as powerful antioxidants, cowpeas also enhance your health in the following ways:
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Preventing bladder problems
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Regulating your blood glucose levels
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Soothing your stomach
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Strengthening your bones and teeth
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Strengthening your heart
- Red Cabbage
Red cabbage has a very subtle flavor that’s slightly bitter but almost unnoticeable. A single cup serving packs just 28 calories and also contains lots of the antioxidants manganese, vitamin A and vitamin C. In addition to this, it’s an excellent source of fiber, vitamin B6 and vitamin K.
Red cabbage helps relieve the pain associated with ruhmatism or osteoarthritis and helps heal wounds.
Red cabbage is much more than a good source of antioxidants. It also benefits your body by:
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Detoxifying your body
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Reducing blood levels of LDL cholesterol
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Reducing inflammation in your body
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Strengthening your eyes
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Supporting wound healing
Summary
If you’re trying to increase your antioxidant intake, all five of these fruits and vegetables are great choices. It is always good not to forget to eat good vegetables full of antioxidant in your day. These five vegetables are extremely versatile and can be used to add extra antioxidants to almost any meal. So make sure you’re eating at least one fruit per day to boost your immune system and at least three servings of these veggies per week to protect against chronic disease and unlock the many health benefits of antioxidants..
