5 Practical Ways to Eat More Antioxidants

Antioxidants are healthy compounds that help protect your body from harmful molecules called free radicals. While your body needs some free radicals to function normally, too many can increase your risk of health problems such as heart disease, inflammation, dementia, and cancer.

Fortunately, antioxidants are found in many foods. The key is knowing which has the most antioxidants and what you can do to incorporate more of these foods into your diet. 

Nutritional counseling with our team at Health Meets Wellness helps you choose foods to improve your health and wellness. In this post, learn five easy ways to add antioxidants to your healthy eating routine.

1. Eat the rainbow

This is fairly common advice, but do you know what it means or why it’s important? “Eat the rainbow” simply means to focus on adding plenty of colorful fruits and vegetables to your diet. Those colors indicate high levels of antioxidants.

Different hues contain different types and varying amounts of antioxidants, so you can benefit no matter your food preferences. Good options include: 

• Deep-colored berries 
• Leafy greens 
• Pomegranates 
• Red peppers 
• Tomatoes
• Purple cabbage 

Look for ways to include these foods in your favorite recipes.

2. Sip some tea

Tea is delicious served hot or cold, making it a great way to unwind any time of year. Best of all, tea is healthy. Both black tea and green tea varieties are excellent sources of healthy antioxidants.

If plain tea doesn’t appeal to you, squeeze in a little lemon and orange or add a splash of soymilk or almond milk. Not only will you change up the flavor of your tea, but these add-ins are also good sources of antioxidants.

3. Go nuts

Nuts and seeds are healthy snacks full of antioxidants. Plus, they’re an excellent protein source, which means they help you feel full longer.

Grab a handful of nuts for a midday snack or top yogurt or oatmeal with some chopped nuts or seeds for a healthy breakfast. You can add nuts and seeds to smoothies and salads, too. 

4. Pay attention to preparation

Long cooking times destroy nutrients in fruits and vegetables, so consider steaming or stir-frying instead of boiling. Snacking on raw fruits and vegetables is ideal. Keep some peanut butter or yogurt on hand for a healthy dip.

Many spices contain high levels of antioxidants, too. Turmeric, oregano, and ginger are great ways to add both flavor and health. Cooking or dressing a salad with olive oil is a great way to add healthy fats rich in antioxidants.

5. Indulge in dark chocolate

Finally, satisfy your sweet tooth with a little dark chocolate. Look for chocolate with 70% cocoa content or higher to maximize your benefits. 

You can eat a small square as a treat, dip some berries in melted chocolate, or add cocoa powder or dark chocolate chunks to a smoothie or homemade granola.

You are what you eat — literally. To learn how nutritional counseling can help you enjoy optimal health at every stage of life, call 934-203-8941 or request an appointment online with the team at Health Meets Wellness in Midtown East, New York City, today. We also offer telehealth services.