When you hear the word “antioxidants”, what comes to mind? Most of us would think of blueberries. Honestly, I don’t think a lot of people know what antioxidants are and what it does. From WebMD:
“They are vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that protect and repair cells from damage caused by free radicals. Many experts believe this damage plays a part in a number of chronic diseases, including hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis), cancer, and arthritis. Free radicals can also interfere with your immune system. So fighting off damage with antioxidants helps keep your immune system strong, making you better able to ward off colds, flu, and other infections.”
We all heard about and seen the commercials about how we all should be eating more blueberries in our diet. It’s full of antioxidants and is good for us. Hearthealthyonline notes, “Blueberries are tops when it comes to good-for-you benefits. They’re loaded with a healthy plant-chemical called anthocyanins, which give them that gorgeous blue hue and provide some protection against heart disease. Preliminary research also indicates that blueberries may have a positive effect on improving night vision and reducing blood glucose levels.”
Wild blueberries do take the lead in being well noted for its antioxidants, other berries such as cranberries, black berries, raspberries, and strawberries are also rich in antioxidants.
Studies show there is one food that surpasses the blueberry in containing an abundant amount of antioxidants, “Researchers found that small red beans contain more disease-fighting antioxidants than both wild and cultivated blueberries. In fact, three of the top five antioxidant-rich foods studied were beans.”
Hearthealthyonline states, “While all beans have health benefits, the more colorful beans, such as red and black, may have an added bonus. Beans contain eight flavonoids, plant substances that act as nature’s dyes and give many fruits and vegetables their colors. Scientists say these plant chemicals act as antioxidants to give you some protection against heart disease and certain cancers.” I was so surprised when I read about this information. I would have never thought that red beans would be composed of antioxidants and health benefits.
According to WebMD, a study was done to rank antioxidant-rich foods, “Each food was analyzed for antioxidant concentration and ranked according to antioxidant capacity per serving size. But researchers note that the total antioxidant capacity of a food does not necessarily reflect their potential health benefit.” Researcher Ronald Prior said, “A big factor in all of this is what happens in the digestion and absorption process, with some of these compounds, it appears that even though they have a high antioxidant capacity, they may not be absorbed.” I thought that it was interesting that even though a foods ranked high in antioxidants, it may not be properly digested and absorbed by our bodies.
Here’s a chart ranking the top 20 antioxidant-rich foods,
If you notice in the chart above, wild blueberries are number 2 and cultivated blueberries are number 5. They are related but there is a difference between the blueberries:
“Wild Blueberries (vaccinium angustifolium) are distinct from their cultivated cousins in several significant ways. Unlike cultivated (highbush) blueberries, Wild (lowbush) Blueberries are not planted. They are spread primarily by rhizomes or underground runners, which give rise to new shoots and stems. Wild Blueberry fields and barrens contain many different varieties of berries, which accounts for the variations in size and color that characterize the Wild Blueberry crop. Wild Blueberry growers use many modern crop management techniques to carefully tend their fields and encourage growth.”
 |
| Wild Blueberries (left) vs Cultivated Blueberries (right) |
Just some food for thought! =]
No comments:
Post a Comment