The Antioxidant Story
by Camille Macres
Everywhere I turn right now, there are health food and supplement companies claiming that they have found the secret to the “fountain of youth” through their product’s antioxidant effects. There is bountiful evidence that supports that antioxidants are linked with slowing the aging process by repairing oxidative stress, a process that damages cells within the body. Antioxidants reduce inflammation, which is associated with cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease. The question I have posed in light of all of this is: What are the best natural sources of antioxidants and how we get them into our diet?
A team of USDA nutritionists published a study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, “Lipophilic and hydrophilic antioxidant capacities of common foods in the United States.” The USDA nutritionists examined more than 100 different kinds of fruits, vegetables, nuts, spices, cereals and other foods. Using an analysis method called the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), they were able to detect the lipid soluble (lipophilic) and water soluble (hydrophilic) antioxidant capacities of the food samples. They also singled out certain foods to test the impact from two different processing methods: cooking and peeling. The results weren’t altogether surprising: Fruits, vegetables and beans claimed nearly all the spots in the Top 20.
Antioxidant Rich Foods (the Top 20):
Small red beans (dried)
Wild blueberries
Red kidney beans
Pinto beans
Blueberries
Cranberries
Artichokes (cooked)
Blackberries
Prunes
Raspberries
Strawberries
Red Delicious Apples
Granny Smith Apples
Pecans
Sweet cherries
Black plums
Russet potatoes (cooked)
Black beans (dried)
Plums
Gala Apples
On cooking…
The best way to get your antioxidants is not to eat heaping bowls of dried small red beans each day, but rather to eat a wide variety of antioxidant-rich foods. Antioxidants work better in combination with each other.
Most antioxidant foods lose some of their antioxidant capacities in processing. (The most notable exception is the tomato; the antioxidant lycopene is actually enhanced by cooking.) Fresh is the unsurprising best choice over frozen, cooked or otherwise processed. So while blueberry pie may seem like a somewhat healthy treat, it can’t begin to compare with a bowl of fresh blueberries.
Here are some of my favorite antioxidant-rich recipes:
Red Beans & Brown Rice
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 quart (4 cups) dried red beans
- 2 quarts water
- 1 pound nitrate-free ham
- 1 16-oz can diced tomatoes with juice1 carrot, chopped
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- Freshly ground pepper, to taste
- Sea salt, to taste
PREPARATION:
Soak the beans overnight in cold water; drain. Heat the beans in about 2 quarts of water, add all ingredients except salt, and boil for at least 2 hours. Serve on steamed brown rice with sauteed vegetables on top. Try it with the kale recipe below.
Serves 10 to 12
Spicy Garlic Kale With Sauteed Red Peppers
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 bunches kale, chopped
- 1 cup leeks, chopped
- 5 tbsp. grapeseed oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 5 garlic cloves, pressed or chopped
- 1 large red bell peppers, cut into strips
- red pepper flakes
- Salt and Pepper to taste
PREPARATION:
1. Wash kale. Pull greens away from the stalks, discarding stalks. Shred by hand into small pieces.
2. Place kale in steamer basket, and steam until tender (approximately 10 minutes). Remove immediately from heat.
3. Heat olive oil in heavy pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add onions and leeks. Saute until onions are translucent and leeks begin to brown. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, saute for 1-2 more minutes. Add bell pepper slices, and saute until tender (approximately 4-5 minutes). Remove from heat.
4. Add kale to pan, and toss ingredients together thoroughly. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot or room temperature.
Serves 6.
Enjoy!