You’ve heard it a million times: The best way to stay healthy is to eat a wide variety of vitamin-rich foods. But eating a wide variety of foods can sometimes be difficult in our on-the-go culture.
Enter super foods. These are the Michael Jordans of the food world. They’re packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, which minimize the cell damage that may lead to heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s, and other diseases. Eating them can help you feel more assured that you’re getting what you need from your diet.
Many people believe that they need to take pricey dietary supplements to get all the vitamins and minerals they need. But nutrients work best in your body when you get them the natural way: in the amounts found in foods and balanced with other nutrients.
A high dose of one vitamin or mineral from a supplement can interfere with how your body absorbs or uses another important vitamin or mineral.
Green teaGreen tea is particularly rich in catechin (a natural antioxidant) and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which can help treat various diseases.It is one of the main compounds that gives this tea medicinal properties.Among other variants, matcha green tea has the maximum amount of antioxidants.Studies have shown it has up to 137 times more antioxidants than a low-grade variety of the tea.
CoffeeDo you know that coffee has shown more antioxidant activity than green tea?Scientists have identified around 1,000 antioxidants in unprocessed coffee beans. Furthermore, during roasting, hundreds of antioxidants develop in it.Coffee is specially filled with antioxidants like caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, catechin, quercetin, and rutin.In fact, chlorogenic acid, an exclusive antioxidant in coffee, has shown potential in preventing cardiovascular disease.
Pomegranate juice
Generally speaking, pomegranate juice has higher levels of antioxidants than other fruit juices.This juice gets the vibrant red hue from chemicals called polyphenols, which are powerful antioxidants.The antioxidants in pomegranate juice can help remove free radicals, protect cells from damage, and reduce inflammation.However, the juice doesn't have enough fiber, so you should drink it in moderation.
Coconut waterCoconut water is a great source of important micro nutrients like potassium, Vitamin C, and manganese. Additionally, it also provides a great dose of antioxidants.The antioxidants in it can neutralize oxidative stress and free radicals created by exercise, which makes it a great post-workout drink as well.However, you should only consume fresh coconut water, because processed coconut water has fewer antioxidants.
Beetroot juiceBeetroot or beet juice contains an antioxidant called betalain that helps in detoxification of our bodies. These components break down toxins, so that they can be easily excreted.Even a pigment of betalains (which can be obtained from 1/4 cup of beetroot juice) is capable of reversing the effects of free radical damage.Beetroot is also good for blood and liver purification.