LivingWell Integrative Healthcare

Antioxidants such as Vitamins C & E, flavonoids, polyphenols and carotenoids are nutrients that neutralize free radicals and help eleviate inflammatory reactions. Free radicals are hazardous molecules that damage our body's cells, increase the risk of many diseases and accelerate aging. Our modern American diet with it's processed carbohydrates such as breads, cakes, cookies, refined cereals, pasta, soft drinks, cooked grains and ice cream, is creating a prediabetic or diabeticlike blood profile which generates these damaging free radicals (which in turn causes inflammation in our body). Transfatty acids, which equate to hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils on ingredients lists, and high fructose corn syrup, are two of the worst things that we can consume. (Check your food labels and you will find one or both of these things in just about every prepackaged thing you see.)

So you may be wondering, "What CAN I eat?". That's where the "natural" diet comes into play.The above mentioned antioxidants can be found in just about all "whole foods". These are foods that you consume in a state as close to nature as possible. I say just about all because a peeled white potato has no benefit, but does cause harm. 

Flavonoids, which are part of a group of antioxidants called polyphenols, function as light-absorbing plant pigments. As they absorb light, they limit the formation of hazardous free radicals. This is where many of the deep blue, green and red colors of foods come from. Over 5000 flavonoids have been identified in plants, and they enchance the antioxidant activity of other vitamins. For example, a fresh apple(about 3.5 oz) provides about 5.7mg of vitamin C. BUT, that same apple WITH the skin, contains 219mg of flavonoids and 290mg of other polyphenols, which together are the equivalent of the antioxidant activity of about 1,500mg of vitamin C! So you see, all of these flavonoids and polyphenols often work together to form new compounds and create a chemical "wealth" of antioxidants.

In addition to flavonoids, fruits and vegetables contain large amounts of something called carotenoids which give them their yellow and orange colors. Carotenoids are fat soluble antioxidants, (chiefly beta-carotene, lutein and lycopene), and are associated with  low levels of C-reactive protein (CRP). Increased CRP is linked to increased inflammation.

So, the take home message here is that the more natural color in your diet, the more antioxidants; AND the more antioxidants, the fewer free radicals; AND the fewer free radicals, the less inflammation, AND the less inflammation, the less illnesses! So the next time you go shopping, fill your buddy with fresh blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, kiwi, granny smith apples, bing cherries, sweet potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, egg plant, avacados, mangos, zucchini, brocolli…… You get the idea.