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The colors of fruits and vegetables are a good indication of what phytonutrients they contain. Blue fruits and vegetables (grapes, blueberries, eggplant, plums, purple asparagus, and purple peppers) are rich in antioxidants, anthocyanins and phenols.
Medium to dark green produce like artichokes, avocados, green peppers, kiwi, spinach and zucchini contain high amounts of antioxidants to reduce the risk of some cancers, calcium to maintain strong bones and lutein for eye health.
Red produce like apples, beets, cherries, strawberries and tomatoes are rich in lycopene and anthocyanins which reduce the risk of some cancers, promote heart and urinary tract health and improve memory function.
Yellow and orange indicate the presence of vitamin C, antioxidants, carotenoids and bioflavonoids. Examples are carrots, grapefruit, lemons, nectarines, oranges and tangerines. Benefits: boost immune function, promote heart and eye health and reduce the risk of some cancers.
White, tan, and brown vegetables from the onion family, such as garlic, scallions and onions, contain the phytochemical allicin. In addition to having antibacterial and anti-viral properties, allicin helps lower cholesterol and blood pressure as well as keep the blood thin to reduce the risk of clots. Finally, allicin is believed to protect against some cancers and protect against their spread. Selenium, which is found in mushrooms, is also being studied for its anti-cancer properties.
Did you notice a theme here? Produce – whether fresh, frozen or canned – is good for your health in many ways, but the one commonality they share is reducing cancer risk.
Tags: antiaging foods, brown food, anti-cancer food
Listen up, boys and girls (blue & pink), recent studies have shown ...
1. Veronica (the blueberry girl of Willy Wonka fame) was right: eat all the purple and blue foods you can find. There aren’t too many. I can only think of grapes, blueberries (two of the ten Sonoma Powerhouse Foods),
eggplant, plums, purple asparagus, and purple peppers.
Though few in number, these weird-colored foods are high in antiaging compounds – namely antioxidants, anthocyanins and phenols. These phytochemicals help you look, feel and think younger by fighting free radical damage, reducing the risk of some cancers and improving memory function.
2. You ought to think pink: pink grapefruit juice provides more nutrients per calorie than the other 6 commonly consumed, 100-percent fruit juices (apple, grape, orange, pineapple, prune and white grapefruit).
Speaking of weird-colored foods, next time I’ll tell you the latest about everybody’s favorite brown food – yes, chocolate!
Tags: antiaging foods, pink food, blue foods
Are you getting sufficient antioxidants in your diet? Probably not. As we age and accumulate exposure to UV rays and other environmental stressors, our bodies lose the capacity to fight off free radicals. Antioxidant supplements can replace some of the body’s lost defenses.
Here’s another way to boost your antioxidant intake reported in last month’s Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. Researchers from Kasetsart University in Thailand and the US Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service reported that treating strawberries and blackberries with volatile compounds such as ethanol (alcohol) boosted antioxidant activity significantly, as measured by oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay. They suggested this would work with any colored fruit.
Just don’t go overboard with the alcohol. As I frequently say, “Everything in moderation.” But if you’re going to have a drink anyway, think something fruity like a daiquiri. And here’s a quick and easy recipe for an impressive looking dessert.
Clean and slice a pint of strawberries. Drizzle with 2 oz. flavored liqueur and chill for several hours. In tall wineglasses, layer the fruit with low fat yoghurt. Combine different fruits, liqueurs and yoghurt flavors to your taste. One of my favorites is raspberries, banana liqueur and strawberry yoghurt.
Tags: antioxidant boost, antioxidant supplements, fruit with alcohol
To read about how free radicals take their toll, read The Antioxidants. In short, as we age and accumulate exposure to UV rays and other environmental stressors, the body loses its capacity to fight off free radicals.
Its natural defenses are simply overwhelmed. Antioxidants can replace some of the lost defenses. They function by disarming marauding free radicals. This not only prevents further damage but allows the skin to put more resources into cell regeneration. Not all antioxidants are equal. They vary in potency. Some have negative side effects.
Some are pro-oxidant as well as antioxidant. Idebenone is the current darling of antioxidants because it is more powerful than other known antioxidants; it has no known negative side effects; and it does not develop oxidative activity with continued use.
Results of a clinical trial of various antioxidants were presented at the February 2004 annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology. The results rank-ordered the six antioxidants tested from most effective on down. Heading the list was idebenone, followed by vitamin C, vitamin E, coenzyme Q10, kinetin, and alpha-lipoic acid.
Tags: idebenone, antioxidants, coenzyme Q10
Research has shown that proanthocyanidins, such as are found in Pycnogenol, promote tissue elasticity, help heal injuries, reduce swelling and edema, restore collagen and are major free radical scavengers.
The proanthocyandins possess up to 50 times more antioxidant activity than Vitamins C and E, beta carotene or selenium as measured by in vitro tests of the compounds. However there is also evidence that topical Pycnogenol is bioavailable (at least on mouse skin).In a study conducted at the University of Sydney and reported in the Feb. 2004 Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology, hairless mice were exposed to UV radiation. When the mice were treated with topical Pycnogenol before exposure, inflammation and sunburn were significantly reduced.
The study used concentrations from 0.05% to 0.2% to determine that the benefit is dose-dependent. The higher the concentration, the more protection the mice received.Topical Pycnogenol can be found in Derma e Pycnogenol Moisturizing Crème.
Tags: antioxidants, Pycnogenol, pycnogenol cream
Pycnogenol is a trademarked standardized extract from the bark of the French maritime pine tree. It is an excellent source of one of the most potent antioxidants, the proanthocyanidins. Taken orally, proanthocyanidins prevent bruising, strengthen weak blood vessels, protect against atherosclerosis and sunburn, and reduce histamine production.You might be interested to know that Grape Seed Extract is a more concentrated source of proanthocyanidins at 95% and is more affordable. (Pycnogenol is 85% proanthocyanidin.) Read more about
antioxidants.
Pycnogenol is clearly a powerful antioxidant. Dr. Kenny Jialal at the University of Texas conducted a clinical study with 45 volunteers to measure antioxidant capacity (ORAC) in the blood following supplementation with Pycnogenol. Subjects took 150 milligrams of Pycnogenol a day for 6 weeks. Blood samples were taken after three and six weeks and then again four weeks after ceasing to take the supplement. The results were impressive. While taking Pycnogenol, antioxidant capacity increased an average of 40% (both at three and at six weeks). When measured four weeks after cessation, the ORAC scores were back where they started. Tags: antioxidants, Pycnogenol, Grape Seed Extract
Here the complete article about effective antioxidant supplements.The action and interaction of antioxidants and antioxidant enzymes are very complex. Our bodies maintain a system of multiple food-derived antioxidants to cancel out each other’s negative effects. After a while, many antioxidants themselves turn oxidative. These spent antioxidants need to be absorbed by other antioxidants or dissolved by antioxidant enzymes such as catalase, superoxide dismutase and peroxide.So you see, the ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) score is only part of the picture and needs to be interpreted carefully. It should not be the sole criterion used to select your antioxidant supplement(s). The combined antioxidants found in foods have greater protective power than single antioxidants in pill form but the majority of us don’t get enough of these vital compounds in our daily diet. If you want to boost your antioxidant intake from foods by taking supplements, be sure to include more than one type or a combination pill.Tags: antioxidants, antioxidant supplements, antioxidant complex
Here is the complete article about pycnogenol and coffeeberry.USDA ORAC values for various foods are stated based on a 100 gram portion (approximately 3 ½ oz.). When you look at an antioxidant supplement label which contains its ORAC score, it most likely is based on the stated portion size (for example 2 pills). If you want to compare your antioxidant supplements to antioxidant-rich foods or to each other you need to convert label values to the same size.Finally, different ingested antioxidants are effective in different parts of the body. For example, proanthocyanidins, like Pycnogenol and Grape Seed Extract, help promote tissue elasticity, help heal injuries, reduce swelling and edema, restore collagen and improve peripheral circulation; whereas cathechins such as Green Tea Extract have been shown to inhibit the growth of cancer cells, lower LDL cholesterol levels, help the body fight infection and restore impaired immune function.Coenzyme Q10, on the other hand, alleviates angina, reduces blood pressure, helps burn off fat, boosts energy levels, reduces the risk of certain cancers and preserves the antioxidant power of vitamin C. Alpha Lipoic Acid helps steady blood sugar levels, helps convert food into energy, regulates vitamin C and E levels to keep the supply constant, improves insulin function and protects DNA.Tags: antioxidants, Pycnogenol, Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity
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