Antioxidants – These foods have the richest content.

A common denominator in the cause of chronic disease worldwide is a state of oxidative stress.

Written by Registered Dietitian and Mindfulness Teacher Nishti 

 

Oxidative stress is an imbalance in oxidant and antioxidant levels. The body has its own ability to fight oxidative stress, however, we can assist our body and help reduce oxidative stress by eating a diet rich in antioxidants and by managing stress.

Research suggests that a diet rich in fruit and vegetables may significantly reduce inflammatory markers in the body and thereby reduce inflammation because fruit and vegetables contain a wide range of antioxidants.

We can therefore help our body maintain a healthy equilibrium by eating less processed foods and more wholesome foods.

Antioxidants in foods:

The antioxidant content of foods varies. Some research suggests that there is more than a 1000-fold difference between total antioxidants in various dietary plants.

In this blog, we have listed foods with the richest antioxidants.

Please note: All fresh fruit and vegetables are healthy for us if we can tolerate the specific food. It is therefore important to include variety in your own diet and in your child’s diet. Variety ensures we obtain a range of vitamins and minerals and variety is also important to maintain a healthy gut. Therefore, although we have listed foods that are low in antioxidants please don’t be discouraged. All wholesome foods provide good nutrition!

If you prefer to watch a video about antioxidants then please refer to this detailed video on our Youtube channel. 

 

Vegetables:

Red cabbage, capsicum, kale, and brussel sprouts are some of the vegetables with the highest concentration of antioxidants, whereas cucumber and zucchini contain a very low number of antioxidants.

Fruits:

Pomegranate contains very high concentrations of antioxidants. Other foods with high antioxidant content include grapes, plums, lemons, and oranges. Fruits with a lower antioxidant concentration include pear and melon. Please be aware that pomegranate seeds are a choking hazard for babies under 12 months of age. To reduce the risk, flatten each seed with the back of a fork before serving. Pomegranate may be served to babies from 6 months of age.

Nuts, Seeds, and Dried Fruits:

Walnuts have been shown to contain more than 20nnmol antioxidants per 100g than any other nut. Sunflower seeds, too, contain very high concentrations of antioxidants and so do dried apricots. Hazelnuts, almonds, and raisins contain very low concentrations of antioxidants.

Root Vegetables:

Beetroot and ginger contain a significant number of antioxidants. Carrots have been shown to contain the lowest number of antioxidants.

Cereals:

Barley, millet, and oats have been shown to contain more antioxidants than white rice.

Pulses:

Broad beans, pinto beans, and soybeans have been shown to contain more antioxidants than chickpeas and garden peas.

Stress Management:

Eating a nutritious diet but being stressed all the time is not living a balanced life. 

Managing stress can help to reduce inflammation. Research shows that mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is an effective way to manage stress. Here at Nishti’s Choice, we believe in providing holistic health care to children and parents. We therefore offer mindfulness-based therapy to clients when appropriate. We also offer stand-alone mindfulness sessions for those interested to manage stress but not their diet. If you want to hear more and book a no-obligation consultation please visit the booking page.

Please comment below if this blog post has resonated with you and share it with someone you care about. 

 

---

References:

Carlsen, M. H. et al. (2010) ‘The total antioxidant content of more than 3100 foods, beverages, spices, herbs and supplements used worldwide’, Nutrition Journal. BioMed Central, 9(1), p. 3. doi: 10.1186/1475-2891-9-3.

Halvorsen, B. L. et al. (2002) ‘A Systematic Screening of Total Antioxidants in Dietary Plants’, The Journal of Nutrition. Oxford Academic, 132(3), pp. 461–471. doi: 10.1093/JN/132.3.461.

Liu, Y. Z., Wang, Y. X. and Jiang, C. L. (2017) ‘Inflammation: The Common Pathway of Stress-Related Diseases’, Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. Frontiers Media SA, 11. doi: 10.3389/FNHUM.2017.00316.

Sharma, M. and Rush, S. E. (2014) ‘Mindfulness-based stress reduction as a stress management intervention for healthy individuals: a systematic review’, Journal of evidence-based complementary & alternative medicine. J Evid Based Complementary Altern Med, 19(4), pp. 271–286. doi: 10.1177/2156587214543143.