antioxidants

Antioxidants? Why would anyone be anti-oxygen? Isn’t oxygen a good thing?

Yes it is, especially if you like breathing. But antioxidants aren’t anti-oxygen…they’re anti-oxidation. Oxidation is a process by which molecules lose electrons—often to an oxygen molecule (they’re just grabby that way). It’s what happens when iron rusts, or a spoiled apple turns brown. The process happens inside your body, too, thanks to electron-deprived molecules called free radicals. Pollution, chemicals in our food and household products, ultraviolet rays in sunlight, even the body’s own stress hormones and chemical reactions can produce free radicals. In their attempts to regain the electrons they’ve lost, free radicals can do all sorts of damage: They’ve been linked to cancer, heart disease, cataracts, even the aging process itself. Free radicals in your blood vessels—usually caused by unhealthy factors like deep-fried food, cigarette smoke, or air pollution—change the structure of the (bad) LDL cholesterol so it becomes more liable to gum up your arteries and cause heart problems.

And that’s where antioxidants step in: they’re chemical compounds that stop oxidation, disarming free radicals and turning them back into law-abiding members of cellular society. Some have familiar names, like vitamins C and E; others are real tongue-twisters (epigallocatechin gallate, anyone?). While your body can create its own antioxidants, that isn’t enough. The good news is that antioxidants occur naturally in all sorts of foods, including fruits and veggies, nuts, wine, chocolate, and even beef. Different antioxidants counter the effects of free radicals in different ways. Isothiocyanates, found in broccoli, zero in on pollutants like nicotine and smog and may help prevent them from causing cancer. Vitamin C can block free radicals from causing uncontrolled cell division that leads to tumors. Selenium fires up the genes cells need to break down carcinogens. Take a look at the foods that contain these defenders (see below), and it becomes clear that eating a wide variety of healthy food is a key strategy for gaining the widest spectrum of protection.

Meet the “Super 7,” then eat them. Among the dozens and dozens of known antioxidants, these seven are the heaviest hitters. (Not sure what to do with these foods? Check the Rodale Recipe Finder for suggestions.)

1. Selenium: This trace mineral does double duty—it acts as an antioxidant itself, and speeds up your body's natural antioxidant-making process. Best food sources: Brazil nuts (95.8 mcg per nut), snapper (41.6 mcg per 3 ounces), and shrimp (33.7 mcg per 3 ounces).

2. Vitamin E: The health-conscious side of us appreciates that this antioxidant fights heart disease, boosts immunity, and helps stop cell damage that leads to skin cancer. But let's face it: We love that this vitamin also keeps the ravages of time from showing up on our face. In a Korean study, for example, mice exposed to ultraviolet sunlight were less likely to wrinkle when they consumed vitamin E (along with a host of other antioxidants). Best food sources: sunflower seeds (10.3 mg per ounce), hazelnuts (4.3 mg per ounce), and peanut butter (2.9 mg per 2 tablespoons). Shoot for the DV of 15 milligrams.

3. Vitamin C: It's not just for colds anymore. Now we know it protects your DNA and helps your body use vitamin E more efficiently. Research has shown that C has a talent for protecting blood vessels and reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke. Best food sources: papaya (187.9 mg per fruit), bell peppers (119 mg per cup), and broccoli (81.2 mg per cup). Shoot for at least the DV of 75 milligrams.

4. Carotenoids: These pigments help protect your eyes and skin from sun damage. Best food sources: carrots, butternut squash, and spinach. Scientists have no standard goal for carotenoids other than the Daily Value of 2,310 international units (IU) for vitamin A (a form of beta-carotene).

5. Isothiocyanates: These antioxidants put cancer-causing enzymes in a headlock. Best food sources: broccoli, brussels sprouts, and cauliflower.

6. Polyphenols: Researchers at Columbia University studied 980 people and found that those who drank up to three glasses per day of wine—rich in flavonoids, a polyphenol—were less likely to develop memory-loss problems such as dementia or Alzheimer's disease. In a test-tube study at the Leeds Dental Institute in the UK, the polyphenols in cocoa reduced the growth of two types of bacteria that can trigger gum disease. Of course, wine and chocolate can also contribute to health problems, including obesity, which has been linked to certain cancers. Raise your glass and munch on chocolate in moderation. For wine, that means no more than a glass of wine a day for women, or two for men. For chocolate, 100 calories is a good snack benchmark. Best food sources for polyphenols: Dark chocolate (the higher the cocoa content, the better), red wine, tea, and coffee. Buy organic brands to ensure no harmful pesticides were used during the growing process—pesticides have been linked to autism, premature births, Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, behavior disorders and weight gain.

7. Coenzyme Q10: Its nickname sounds like R2D2's cousin—and CoQ10 is a cell-protecting machine. It's also been linked with the prevention of migraines, which it may accomplish by guarding brain cells. The enzyme may also help lower blood pressure. Best food sources: lean beef, chicken breast, and fish (all types).

Favor food over pills. Whenever possible, get your antioxidants from food—not supplements. Taking certain antioxidants in megadoses may be dangerous. It's also possible that antioxidants work better when mixed with the other nutrients in food, not when singled out and repackaged in pill form. Taking too many antioxidant supplements has even been linked to increasing the risk of certain cancers.

Eat organic for extra dose of antioxidants. Try to buy organic produce whenever you can. On average, it holds more disease-crushing antioxidants than crops from chemical farms, according to a study by The Organic Center. Chemical-free farming practices are also more earth-friendly—chemical-based farming has the potential to destroy the soil, poison waterways, contribute to flooding, harm workers and consumers, and add to global warming.

Fill your cart with dark-colored produce. Black produce—like Mission figs, grapes, plums, blackberries, eggplant, and even deeply hued carrots and corn—is loaded with anthocyanins, pigments that may prevent heart disease and cancer-causing inflammation. The nutrients can even slow the growth of colon cancer cells, according to new research from Ohio State University. Other anthocyanin sources include black beans, wild rice, and currants.

Think outside the tea bag. Green tea has a resume other beverages would kill for; research shows it protects against heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer's, and osteoporosis, and it shifts your fat-fighting metabolism into high gear. According to the American Dietetic Association, the super brew's superpowers come mostly from an antioxidant called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), You need at least 4 cups of tea a day (about 480 milligrams of EGCG total) to get maximum protection, though, which doesn’t fit into everyone’s meal plan. Some food products are fortified with green tea, but make sure the label reveals how much EGCG they contain before you buy.

Eat red to deflect sunburn. Good news for spaghetti lovers! The cooked tomatoes found in sauces and pastes are packed with the carotenoid antioxidant lycopene, a great skin protector that limits sun damage to lower the risk of skin cancer and fend off wrinkles. (The added protection is not an excuse to toss your beach umbrella and sunscreen.)