1. Fight Free Radicals
Free radicals are molecules that bind to cells and have the ability to destroy them. In doing so, they cause diseases and aging. Antioxidants are compounds that protect us against the damage caused by free radicals, and they protect us from cancer and heart disease. Antioxidants also strengthen your immune system so you'll be less susceptible to infections and chronic diseases. Some antioxidants include lycopene, selenium, vitamin E, beta-carotene and vitamin C
2. Eat Blueberries for a Sharper Mind
Antioxidants reduce the age-related decreases in brain function that most people experience. Scientists studied three groups of rats to prove this point. One group ate a diet rich in blueberries, one ate a diet rich in strawberries and spinach, and one ate standard rat chow. The rats were equal to people who were 63 years old. When the rats were equivalent in age to 73-year-olds, their dopamine levels, which determine how well the neurotransmitters in the brain communicate with each other, were measured. The blueberry-consuming rats had much higher dopamine levels and performed better on test involving the use of their brains.
3. Do the Math
When it comes to antioxidants, 1 plus 1 equals 3. What that means is that combinations of antioxidants working together actually perform better than single doses of one antioxidant. If you eat a diet rich in plant foods like fruits and vegetables you'll get lots of antioxidants. You can also take a supplement that contains a combination of antioxidants.
4. Tomato Paste is Best
Lycopene, a well-studied antioxidant, is actually a pigment that gives fruits like tomatoes, watermelon and pink grapefruit their red color. Studies have shown that lycopene protects the body against heart disease and prostate cancer. Our bodies cannot produce lycopene so we have to get it from the foods we eat. The best source of lycopene is tomato, and our bodies absorb it better when we get it in processed tomato products like tomato paste than when we eat fresh tomatoes. Cooking tomatoes with a little bit of oil also helps us to absorb the lycopene.
5. Drink Tea in its Natural Form
You'll find lots of antioxidants in naturally brewed tea. Instant tea is not as rich in antioxidants because it is much more highly processed. When choosing a tea for its health benefits, consider caffeine. Decaffeinated tea has fewer antioxidants than caffeinated tea.
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