Why You Need Antioxidants

Did you know that wine, green tea, and blueberries are rich in antioxidants? Antioxidants have been shown to help slow the aging process and they also lower the risk of developing a lot of different illnesses, like some cancers and also heart disease. Berries contain a lot of antioxidants. Some doctors now are even recommending eating berries to their patients to treat some medical conditions, such as infections of the bladder, arthritis and even vision problems.

In our country, there exists many different types of berries. Some of the most common ones that most of us are aware of are blue berries, blackberries, cranberries, raspberries and strawberries. Some others that may not be so well known include boysenberries, black currant, and lingonberries.

Science tells us that the darker the berry is, the more antioxidants it contains. The antioxidants that are found in berries are also called anthocyanins. Anthocyanins are pigments that are found in many plants. The berry with the highest level of anthocyanins is blueberries.

Synergy is the functioning of two or more things together to cause an effect that’s bigger than the sum of each individual effect.  Berries that are deep reds and purples – and Concord grapes - are full of antioxidants and, as a bonus, also contain large amounts of naturally occurring vitamins and phytonutrients.  Phytonutrients are plant compounds that help make your immune system stronger.   The most common phytonutrients are anthocyanins, polyphenols, and flavonoids.  Where does synergy come into play?  Well, scientific studies have shown that all of the nutrients found in berries and a lot of other whole foods function together synergistically to benefit your body’s health in lots of ways. 

… a lot of fiber, vitamin C and folic acid (aka folate).  Everyone knows that Vitamin C is an antioxidant, right?  Fiber is good for your gut and your colon; it also helps keep your cholesterol at low levels and it helps to normalize blood sugar.  Folic acid is always recommended for women of childbearing age, as well as pregnant women because it’s known to help prevent Spina Bifida in babies.  Folic acid also helps to lower levels of homocysteine.  Homocysteine is thought to increase your risk of heart disease and stroke. 

…your joint health!  Dark blue and red berries help the major joints of the body by helping to stabilize the collagen in the cartilage.  If you’re unfamiliar with cartilage’s “job” – it acts as a cushion in joints.  So stabilizing the cartilage can help to reduce pain and inflammation; these things are usually quite often associated with arthritis. 

A surprisingly good source in order to get antioxidants in you are jams and jellies! Studies have actually shown that high temperatures, such as that which is used in baking and in making jam, do not seem to diminish the amount of antioxidants found in raspberries. So go stock up on that raspberry jam!

There are lots of juices on the market today and many of them claim that you’ll get a serving of fruit with every glass and that they are full of antioxidants – well, these juices aren’t as rich in antioxidants as fresh raw berries (or raspberry jam!) and you should definitely watch how much juice you consume because they are always loaded with sugar or artificial sweeteners.

Oh, and – yes! – red wine can be good for you.  It contains high levels of antioxidants that, like discussed above have healthy heart benefits.  However, you should of course enjoy red wine in moderation because too much alcohol can have a lot of harmful effects on your body.

Whenever you are able to, and when they are in season, you should choose fresh berries. Be aware, though that they are very perishable. You shouldn’t keep fresh berries any longer than 2 to 3 days; after that, the taste diminishes, and so does the antioxidant potential.

Enjoy as much as you can from Mother Nature – for your health!