Antioxidants: Why Are They Good For You And How Can You Get More Into Your Diet?

You’ve probably heard people talking about how great antioxidants are for your health, but you might not know what they actually are. It’s one of those health terms that gets thrown around a lot, but most people don’t know whether they are really good for you or not. In basic terms, antioxidants are nutrients found in food, which help to protect your cells from damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals occur naturally in your body but their levels are increased by things like smoking, air pollution, and processed foods. If you increase your antioxidant levels, you can protect yourself from a lot of health problems such as heart disease and cancer, so it’s important that you find ways to get them into your diet. Making sure to get the nutrients that we need each day to keep our bodies healthy and strong can be a challenge. You can find products like Proplant Complete Shake which will help to support a more balanced mood and energy levels, fewer unhealthy cravings, and help you feel healthier overall. You can grab this Proplant Complete Shake coupon code to help you save some money and get started on increasing your intake of antioxidants, and below are some more of the best ways you can get even more antioxidants into your diet. 

Fruit And Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are the best natural sources of antioxidants and one of the easiest to add to your diet. Most different fruits and vegetables will contain antioxidants, but you should try to make sure that you are eating a wide range, and trying to vary the colors. Things like peppers, broccoli, tomatoes, and citrus fruits are some of the best foods for antioxidants. If you want to give yourself a big boost, you should try juicing as well. This v8 juice recipe is packed full of antioxidants and lots of other great nutrients, so it’s a good thing to add to your diet. If you are struggling to increase your intake of fruits and vegetables, juicing is a simple way to make sure that you are still getting enough antioxidants.

Beans

It’s easier than ever to get different beans from your local supermarket because a lot of people that follow vegan and vegetarian diets use them as a source of protein. But even if you are a meat eater, you should still try to add beans to your diet because they are a great source of antioxidants as well. Try swapping out a few meat meals and using beans instead, and that one simple change will boost your antioxidant levels.

Fish

Fish is a well recognized health food because it has high levels of omega-3 and a lot of fish is very rich in protein. But did you know that it’s also a good source of antioxidants? Most fish, and shellfish contain high levels of antioxidants, so you should always try to add them to your diet as much as possible. Meat is a good source as well, but fish is usually a healthier alternative, so if you are trying to maintain a good weight, it’s best to opt for fish over meat a lot of the time.

Coffee

Most people don’t think of coffee as a healthy drink, it’s more of a functional drink to keep you awake in the morning. But recent studies show that it could actually be good for your health because it helps to burn fat and it contains high levels of antioxidants. A lot of people think of green tea as a great drink for antioxidants, which is true, but coffee actually has higher levels of antioxidants in it.

Chocolate

When you are trying to maintain a healthy diet, chocolate is usually one of the first things to go. But maybe you shouldn’t write it off completely because it actually contains a lot of antioxidants, more specifically a type of antioxidant called flavonoids. Milk chocolate isn’t great for you, but if you stick to dark chocolate and you don’t eat it too often, it could actually be good for your health.

Antioxidant Supplements

There are a lot of antioxidant supplements out there and if you are trying to increase your levels, you may think that this is the best way to do it. However, you have to be very careful with antioxidant supplements because they could actually be doing harm to your health. Studies into these supplements, even ones with very high doses of antioxidants, show that they do not reduce your chances of developing chronic diseases. In some cases, they may help a bit, but there is always a health risk when taking supplements of any kind, so it might be better to steer clear.  There are plenty of good food sources that increase antioxidant levels, so as long as you have a well balanced diet, there is no need to rely on these supplements.

When it comes to increasing antioxidant levels, it’s all about common sense. The majority of the foods that you already know are healthy will contain a lot of antioxidants so as long as you stick to fresh foods and avoid processed foods, and eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, you should be fine.