Health: Antioxidants

Consuming antioxidants is an easy way to keep healthy. Health is wealth

Victoria Bentley, explorebigsky.com contributor

Consuming foods rich in antioxidants
is an important component of
staying healthy and slowing aging.
The presence of antioxidants in our
bodies ensures long-term health
benefits. Antioxidants have been a
buzzword for quite a while, and the
science behind them proves their
contribution to our overall health.
What are antioxidants?
They are substances or nutrients
in our foods that prevent or slow
the oxidative or free radical damage
that occurs naturally in our bodies.
Think about when you leave a banana
or avocado out on the kitchen
counter. It turns brown, right?
That’s oxidation or free-radical damage
happening before your eyes.
Now apply this analogy to the
cells in your body. Kind of scary.
The naturally occurring process of
oxygen usage by each of our cells
produces free radicals that can
cause damage to greater and lesser
degrees. Health problems such as
heart disease, macular degeneration,
diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease
and cancer are all exacerbated by
this oxidative damage.
The bottom line is that eating a
diet of predominantly whole foods
complimented with quality supplements
rich in antioxidants will
strengthen our immune systems
and decrease the risk of infections
and disease.
Eat this
Vegetables: red cabbage, spinach,
red beets, Brussels sprouts, carrots,
broccoli, sweet potatoes, artichoke,
avocados, kale and collard greens
Fruits: berries, apples, kiwis,
peaches, pears, oranges, limes, lemons
and tomatoes.
Nuts and seeds: walnuts, pecans,
almonds and hazelnuts.
Animal protein: chicken, lamb,
turkey and salmon.
Herbs and spices: cinnamon,
cloves, cayenne pepper, cardamom,
turmeric, cumin, oregano, parsley,
marjoram, basil, savory, dill weed
and thyme.
Now get cooking!
Have dessert
Last, but definitely not least I’d like
to spotlight a particular antioxidant
super food: CACAO! Yes, I mean
CHOCOLATE! DARK CHOCOLATE.
But not the kind you’re
thinking of from the checkout aisle
at the grocery store. All chocolate is
made from cacao, but most companies
will ruin the ever so precious
antioxidant benefits through high
heat processing, adding bad fats,
emulsifiers and sugars. Be mindful
of where you get your cacao (chocolate).
Enjoy your next meal with a plate
full of colorful, delicious whole
foods and dark chocolate for dessert.
Health is wealth.
Victoria Bentley
is the Owner
and Director of
Bentley Bodies, a
premiere mindbody-
wellness
boutique committed
to healthy
lifestyle
choices. Locations are in Big Sky and
Bozeman. bentleybodies.net