Beneficial properties of green tea catechins. Published online Mar 4. Kim KH, Li C, Wang S, Song X. Green tea camellia sinensis : A review of its phytochemistry, pharmacology, and toxicology. Klepacka J, Tonska E, Rafalowski R, Czarnowska-Kujawska M, et al.

Tea as a source of biologically active compounds in the human diet. Published online Mar 9. Kozarski M, Klaus A, Jakovljevic D, Todorovic J, et al.

Antioxidants of edible mushrooms. Elsayed EA, El Enshasy H, Wadaan MAM, Aziz R. Mushrooms: A Potential Natural Source of Anti-Inflammatory Compounds for Medical Applications. Mediators Inflamm. Published online Nov Muszynska B, Grzywacz-Kisielewska A, Kała K, Gdula-Argasińska J.

Anti-inflammatory properties of edible mushrooms: A review. Food Chem. Epub Sep Mushrooms, portabella, raw. Cardwell G, Bornman JF, James AP, Black LJ. A review of mushrooms as a potential source of dietary vitamin D. Nuts: natural pleiotropic nutraceuticals. Published online Sep Aune D. Plant foods, antioxidant biomarkers, and the risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and mortality: A review of the evidence.

Nuts: Natural Pleiotropic Nutraceuticals. Gorzynik-Debicka M, Przychodzen P, Cappello F, Kuban-Jankowska A, et al. Potential health benefits of olive oil and plant polyphenols. Published online Feb Leri M, Scuto M, Ontario ML, Calabrese V, et al.

Healthy Effects of Plant Polyphenols: Molecular Mechanisms. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. What is metabolic syndrome? Dietary fats explained. Reddy P, Jialal I. Biochemistry, Fat Soluble Vitamins.

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Develop and improve services. Use limited data to select content. List of Partners vendors. Wellness Nutrition Eat Well. By Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD. Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD. Cynthia Sass is a nutritionist and registered dietitian with master's degrees in both nutrition science and public health.

Frequently seen on national TV, she's Health's contributing nutrition editor and counsels clients one-on-one through her virtual private practice. Cynthia is board certified as a specialist in sports dietetics and has consulted for five professional sports teams, including five seasons with the New York Yankees.

She is currently the nutrition consultant for UCLA's Executive Health program. Sass is also a three-time New York Times best-selling author and Certified Plant Based Professional Cook. Whether you are looking to protect your cells from harmful free radicals, find relief from chronic inflammation, or aid in disease management, antioxidants are powerful compounds that can significantly improve your health.

Although red and purple fruits like blueberries, pomegranates, tart cherries, blackberries, goji berries and raspberries have the highest quantities, antioxidants are also abundant in various plant foods.

From fruits to vegetables, nuts and legumes, you can obtain all the antioxidants you need when you consume a balanced diet. Use limited data to select advertising. Create profiles for personalised advertising.

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Develop and improve services. Use limited data to select content. List of Partners vendors. Healthy Eating Best Healthy Foods. By Devineé Lingo is a registered dietitian nutritionist who is on a mission to cultivate health and wholeness in people seeking restoration and renewal.

Devineé Lingo, M. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines. Reviewed by Dietitian Maria Laura Haddad-Garcia. As part of the nutrition team, she edits and assigns nutrition-related content and provides nutrition reviews for articles.

Maria Laura is a trained dietitian, almond butter lover and food enthusiast with over seven years of experience in nutrition counseling.

Trending Videos. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Related Articles. Newsletter Sign Up. Rich in flavonoids and quercetin , which are highly concentrated in the apple skin, antioxidant-rich apples have been shown to protect the brain from oxidative stress and support digestion.

The addition of vitamin E-rich almond butter and omega-rich nuts and seeds takes this comfort food snack to a whole new level of healthy.

Step 1: Start by thinly slicing any apple variety of choice. Then, arrange them on a plate or platter. Step 2: Sprinkle with cinnamon and drizzle with almond butter.

Step 3: Add antioxidant-rich toppings, such as chia seeds, cacao nibs, and crushed nuts like almonds and walnuts. Option to add shredded coconut and a drizzle of raw honey. When baked and topped with probiotic coconut yogurt, they mirror an ice cream-like dish. Step 1: Simply halve a fresh ripe peach and remove the pit.

Step 2: Then, drizzle with raw honey, and bake until soft and tender. Step 3: Let cool slightly, then serve with a dollop of creamy coconut yogurt such as Coconut Cult probiotic yogurt or CocoJune and top with a sprinkle of cinnamon!

Full of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and polyphenol antioxidants, avocados are one of the healthiest antioxidant sources to reach for. The combination of these ingredients not only creates a mouth-watering comfort food snack, but it also serves as a guilt-free antioxidant-rich treat.

Step 1: Scoop out the flesh from the avocado and add to a high-speed blender along with the remaining ingredients. Step 2: Blend until smooth and creamy. Taste test and adjust ingredients as desired. Whipped into creamy perfection, cottage cheese, the viral star of this treat, is packed full of protein.

As an added bonus, berries like blueberries and strawberries provide a burst of all-natural sweetness while skyrocketing the antioxidant capacity of this dish! Step 1: In a high-speed blender or food processor, combine the cottage cheese, vanilla extract, and raw honey or maple syrup.

Blend until smooth and creamy. Taste test, adjusting any ingredients as desired. Step 2: Once desired taste and consistency is achieved, transfer to a bowl and place in the fridge to chill and firm. Step 3: Serve with fresh berries, a sprinkle of cinnamon, and an optional drizzle of honey.

RELATED: Cottage Cheese Recipes Are Trending: Here Are 9 Ways to Use This High-Protein Ingredient. Packed with antioxidants, fiber, and essential vitamins like C and K, Brussels sprouts are one of the healthiest cruciferous veggies — and they just so happen to make a mouth-watering comfort food dish!

Step 1: Preheat the oven to F. Meanwhile, boil Brussels sprouts in a pot of water for about minutes until slightly tender. Drain and cool.

Besides being used as natural colorants, fruits containing anthocyanin have been used to treat various diseases. The water-soluble pigments reduce the risk for diabetes, cancer, and inflammation, as well as cardiovascular disease by minimizing levels of bad cholesterol and increasing good cholesterol.

Vegetables like kale and spinach contain a whole host of important nutrients. The leafy greens are packed with vitamins C and E, which act as antioxidants.

According to Harvard's School of Public Health , kale contains carotenoids including beta-carotene, which is converted into vitamin A—a nutrient that helps prevent cognitive decline and maintains skin health.

Kale is a cruciferous vegetable, like broccoli and cabbage, which also contain carotenoids. Another dark leafy green that is antioxidant and nutrient dense is spinach.

The vegetable contains vitamin E, a fat-soluble vitamin that acts as an antioxidant by reducing damaging free radicals. It also improves immune function and reduces the risk of clots in heart arteries. Experts also approve of dark chocolate as a source of antioxidants.

Additionally, dark chocolate has been known to improve heart health due to its flavonoid content, which acts as an antioxidant, McDonald says. Flavonoids are a group of natural substances that are found in fruits, vegetables, grains, flowers, tea, and wine.

They have anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-carcinogenic properties that may reduce the risk of cancer and Alzheimer's disease. It is important to note that dark chocolate should be enjoyed in moderation.

The legumes contain phenolic compounds, which act as antioxidants by counteracting harmful free radicals. It's important to note that in a study conducted by the National Library of Medicine, beans with colored coats red, cream, black, pink, and brown were found to be more efficient antioxidants than those with completely white coats.

Consuming foods rich in vitamin C—which McDonald says naturally contains antioxidants—is essential for your overall health. One way to pack your diet with vitamin C is by consuming beets.

The beautiful, dark purple root vegetable is one Harbstreet says contains powerful antioxidants that can neutralize free radicals. Beyond possessing antioxidants, vitamin C is valuable in preventing colds and some chronic diseases. One of the easiest ways to maintain a diet rich in antioxidants is to eat foods rich in color, such as orange vegetables like sweet potatoes and carrots.

According to Harbstreet, these foods are an "abundant source of the antioxidant carotene. Carotenoids are natural pigments that are responsible for the bright colors of various fruits and vegetables.

As with all antioxidants, carotenoids can reduce harmful free radicals in the body. When consumed, carotenoids are broken down into vitamin A, which is critical to maintaining a healthy immune system.

According to McDonald, yellow and green bell peppers possess essential antioxidants. The colorful vegetables contain vitamin C which—beyond containing antioxidants—is essential for collagen production, a protein in connective tissue that runs throughout the body.

Red bell peppers also contain its own set of health benefits, as the vegetable is rich in vitamin E, another vitamin that contains antioxidants and has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease.

Some nuts, like Brazil nuts, contain selenium, a mineral that stimulates the production of killer T-cells which find and destroy infected cells. Additionally, selenium acts as a powerful antioxidant as it protects against oxidative stress from free radicals.

Use limited data to select advertising. Create profiles for personalised advertising. Use profiles to select personalised advertising. Create profiles to personalise content. Similarly, flavonoid antioxidants found in berries, such as bilberries or grapes also great sources of the antioxidant resveratrol , may be especially beneficial at supporting vision into older age.

Perhaps most noticeably, free radicals speed up the aging process when it comes to the appearance and health of your skin. Using antioxidants for skin may help combat this damage, especially from eating sources high in vitamin C, beta-carotene and other antioxidants.

Vitamin A and C have been connected to a decrease in the appearance of wrinkles and skin dryness. Vitamin C, specifically, is a powerful antioxidant that can help reduce the effect of oxidative damage caused by pollution, stress or poor diet.

Vitamin A deficiency has also been linked to skin dryness, scaling and follicular thickening of the skin. Similarly to how free radicals damage surface skin cells, keratinization of the skin, when the epithelial cells lose their moisture and become hard and dry, can occur in the mucous membranes of the respiratory, gastrointestinal tract and urinary tract.

At this point, the data does not show that all antioxidants are effective in protecting against heart disease, but some, such as vitamin C, do seem to be.

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition featured a study that found those with high levels of vitamin C in their blood had almost a 50 percent decreased risk of stroke.

Countless studies also have found that people who consume highly plant-based diets — loaded with things like fresh veggies, herbs, spices and fruit — have a better chance of living longer and healthier lives with less heart disease.

Some research has unearthed a potential connection between antioxidants and cancer. In fact, studies have found that high intakes of vitamin A, vitamin C and other antioxidant foods could help prevent or treat several forms of cancer thanks to their ability to control malignant cells in the body and cause cell cycle arrest and apoptosis destruction of cancer cells.

Retinoic acid, derived from vitamin A, is one chemical that plays important roles in cell development and differentiation, as well as cancer treatment. Lung, prostate, breast, ovarian, bladder, oral and skin cancers have been demonstrated to be suppressed by retinoic acid.

Another study collected numerous references demonstrating the findings of retinoic acid in protection against melanoma, hepatoma, lung cancer, breast cancer and prostate cancer.

Many studies have found that people eating plant-based diets high in antioxidants, such as the Mediterranean diet , have better protection over cognition. In addition to improving heart health and cognitive function, some research suggests that antioxidants could aid in the prevention of type 2 diabetes.

For example, one animal model out of Japan showed that administering antioxidants to mice helped preserve the function of beta cells in the pancreas, which are responsible for the production of insulin.

Another large review of 12 studies found that vitamin E helped reduce blood sugar levels, while vitamin C was effective at decreasing levels of oxidative stress. Antioxidants may be easier to add to your diet than you might think. Based on ORAC scores provided by Superfoodly based on research from a broad number of sources , below are some of the top antioxidant foods by weight:.

The ORAC scores above are based on weight. This means that it might not be practical to eat high amounts of all of these antioxidant foods.

Other high-antioxidant foods not listed above, which are still great sources and highly beneficial, include common foods like:. Try to consume at least three to four servings daily of these antioxidant-rich foods even more is better for optimal health.

Along with antioxidant foods, certain herbs, spices and essential oils derived from nutrient-dense plants are extremely high in healing antioxidant compounds. Here is another list of the herbs you can try adding to your diet for increased protection against disease.

Look for percent pure therapeutic grade oils, which are highest in antioxidants:. Other antioxidant-rich herbs include garlic, cayenne pepper and green tea.

Aim to consume two to three servings of these herbs or herbal teas daily. The American Heart Association, Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic recommend getting antioxidants from whole foods and a wide variety of sources. Glutathione is a peptide consisting of three key amino acids that plays several vital roles in the body, including helping with protein use, creation of enzymes, detoxification, digestion of fats and destruction of cancer cells.

Glutathione peroxidase can prevent lipid peroxidation, which can fight inflammation. Derived naturally from foods like berries and leafy greens, quercetin seems to be safe for almost everyone and poses little risk.

Most studies have found little to no side effects in people eating nutrient-dense diets high in quercetin or taking supplements by mouth short term. Amounts up to milligrams taken twice daily for 12 weeks appear to be very safe for helping manage a number of inflammatory health problems, including heart disease and blood vessel problems, allergies, infections, chronic fatigue and symptoms related to autoimmune disorders like arthritis.

Lutein has benefits for the eyes, skin, arteries, heart and immune system, although food sources of antioxidants seem to be generally more effective and safer than supplements.

Some evidence shows that people who obtain more lutein from their diets experience lower rates of breast, colon, cervical and lung cancers. Known for improving immunity, vitamin C helps protect against colds, the flu, and potentially cancer, skin and eye problems.

Resveratrol is an active ingredient found in cocoa, red grapes and dark berries, such as lingonberries, blueberries, mulberries and bilberries. Astaxanthin is found in wild-caught salmon and krill and has benefits like reducing age spots, boosting energy levels, supporting joint health and preventing symptoms of ADHD.

Selenium is a trace mineral found naturally in the soil that also appears in certain foods, and there are even small amounts in water. Selenium benefits adrenal and thyroid health and helps protect cognition. It may also fight off viruses, defend against heart disease and slow down symptoms correlated with other serious conditions, like asthma.

Chlorophyll is very helpful for detoxification and linked to natural cancer prevention, blocking carcinogenic effects within the body, and protecting DNA from damage caused by toxins or stress. Cooking can alter the content of antioxidants in food, and certain cooking methods can have a different impact on antioxidant levels.

One study published in Preventive Nutrition and Food Science evaluated the effects of different cooking methods on the antioxidant content of red pepper to determine which methods can help minimize antioxidant loss. Interestingly, researchers found that stir-frying and roasting helped retain the most antioxidants, while boiling and steaming caused significant reductions in antioxidant levels.

Ascorbic acid, also known as vitamin C, is a water-soluble vitamin, which means that it dissolves in water. For this reason, cooking food in water with methods like boiling can cause a huge reduction in antioxidant content.

However, not all compounds on the antioxidants list are affected in the same way by cooking. For example, one study found that consuming tomatoes cooked in olive oil significantly enhanced levels of lycopene in the blood by up to 82 percent compared to a control group.

Similarly, another study in British Journal of Nutrition showed that stir-frying carrots significantly boosted the absorption of beta-carotene.

For example, because during exercise oxygen consumption can increase by a factor of more than 10, taking high doses of antioxidants might interfere with proper exercise recovery. When it comes to protection against things like cancer or heart disease, overall the medical literature seems conflicting.

Although some studies found a positive relationship between antioxidant supplementation and risk reduction, others have not found such positive effects.