Which foods will help to keep you healthy and fit? Which foods have the most antioxidants? Is there one antioxidant compound that’s more beneficial than the others? Here are the 5 best antioxidant compounds and where to get them.
Lycopene is one of the best antioxidants a person can consume. Lycopene aggressively and successfully fights off the free radicals that try to turn healthy cells into cancerous ones. This antioxidant compound also helps to reduce the chances of cardiovascular disease. The number one place to get lycopene is from that infamous red fruit that everyone mistakes for a vegetable; the tomatoe. Tomatoes have more lycopene than any other fruit or vegetable. They also contain vitamin C, folate and potassium, and they are a great hunger-suppressing food.
Vitamin C is another powerful antioxidant compound. Even is small doses, vitamin C helps to protect vital molecules in the body. Among them are proteins, lipids (Fats), carbohydrates and DNA and RNA. Vitamin C protects these molecules from being attacked by free radicals that do harm to the body. It is also thought that vitamin C is able to regenerate other antioxidants like vitamin E. Because orange juice, and broccoli, contains high amounts of vitamin C, it’s definitely the best place to turn when you want to increase or maintain your vitamin C levels.
Glutathione is a small molecule that’s actually comprised of three amino acids that can be found in almost every cell in the human body. Glutathione is a vital compound required to allow the immune system to function efficiently. This antioxidant compound plays a crucial role in the multiplication of lymphocytes which also allows the immune system to function effectively. Without an ample supply of glutathione, the immune system wouldn’t be strong enough to fight off free radical. Two great places to get a good supply of glutathione are from asparagus and watermelon.
Proanthocyanidin are flavonoids that are best known for their antioxidant qualities. These little devils work in more ways than one. Like many other antioxidant compounds, they help to protect the body from cancer. They also help to protect the arteries from hardening which often times leads to Atherosclerosis. Proanthocyanidins also help to prolong the life span of another antioxidant compound, Vitamin C, by an incredible 400%. Proanthocyanidins can be found in berries such as raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, and grapes.
Allicin and Diallyl Sulphides round out the list of the 5 best antioxidant compounds. Ok, so it’s actually two different compounds which bring the count to six, but they’re both found in one of the best known, and most widely used superfoods ever; Garlic.
Allicin and Diallyl Sulphides are what give garlic its super antioxidant powers. Allicin is the more powerful of the two. Diallyl Sulphides isn’t as powerful but it doesn’t degrade in the cooking process like Allicin does. Interestingly, neither of these compounds are present until the garlic is chopped. In order to get the most out of the antioxidant power of these compounds you shouldn’t chop the garlic until the cooking process is just about complete. When you add garlic at the very end of the cooking process, you preserve the powerful fighting power these compounds have, and you get the most benefit from them. Note: cooking with whole cloves of garlic doesn’t provide any antioxidant benefits. In fact, the finer garlic is chopped, the more of these antioxidant compounds that are generated.
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