Antioxidants: Nature's Real Fountain of Youth

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If there is a fountain of youth, it probably flows through a stalk of broccoli or circles around in an orange. These foods are rich sources of antioxidants—food substances that slow down cell damage and may improve immune function and lower cancer risks. Every day more research emerges that supports the health benefits of an antioxidant-rich diet. So, read on to find out how you can get more of them.

What do antioxidants do, exactly? Consider car rust. The main reason that a car rusts is that over time oxygen starts to wear the car’s body down, allowing for damage in the most vulnerable places. Oxygen works on your body over time, too, and causes rusting of the human sort—wrinkles, cancers and heart disease.

Antioxidants work to capture “free radicals” or unstable molecules that are a byproduct of oxygen. These free radicals damage your body’s cells, tissues and DNA. Cigarette smoke and excess sun exposure can also form free radicals.

But you can bind the action of these free radicals by eating a variety of antioxidant-rich foods, protecting your skin from the sun and kicking the smoking habit. The table below details vitamin and mineral sources of antioxidants, how they protect the body and good food sources for them.

Antioxidants By Nutrient Type

Function	Good Food Sources
Carotenoids	Helps form vitamin A, which does the following: Promotes normal vision Promotes cell and tissue growth and health Prevents infections of the genital, respiratory and urinary tract as well as of the skin, mouth, stomach and intestines Reduces some cancer and aging-related disease risks	Apricots, cantaloupes, red and yellow peppers, sweet potatoes, carrots, mangoes, broccoli, spinach and other greens
Vitamin C	Prevents infection by stimulating antibody production Forms collagen, a connective tissue that holds muscles, bones and other tissues together Prevents bruising by promoting the health of blood vessels Helps with absorption of iron and folate from plant foods like raisins, beans and peanut butter Attacks free radicals in body fluids and reduces the risk of cataract development Promotes gum health	Guavas, red and green peppers, papayas, oranges, orange juice, broccoli, kohlrabies, strawberries, grapefruits, cantaloupes, tomatoes, tomato juice, mangoes and greens
Vitamin E	Prevents the breakdown of bad cholesterol, which leads to arterial plaque May protect from some forms of cancer	Wheat germ, seeds, hazelnuts, almonds, whole grain products, peanut butter, vegetable oils and foods made with vegetable oils like salad dressings and margarine
Selenium	Works with vitamin E to protect against heart disease Aids in cell growth Boosts immune function	Brazil nuts, seafood, meats, poultry, eggs, pasta, cottage cheese and bread
Magnesium	Serves as an enzyme in many of the body’s chemical reactions Signals muscle and nerve action Serves as a component to bone	Spinach, peanut butter, pecans, black eyed peas, lima beans, parsnips and whole wheat bread and pasta
Copper	Helps make hemoglobin Serves as an enzyme in many of the body’s chemical reactions Helps produce energy in body cells	Beef liver, clams, sunflower seeds, peanuts and canned mushrooms
Zinc	Promotes tissue growth and repair as well as cell reproduction Serves as an enzyme in many of the body’s chemical reactions	Meat, seafood, liver, wheat bran, black eyed peas, almonds, milk and tofu

Antioxidants include plant chemicals called phytochemicals that fight disease. Lycopene (tomatoes) and liminoids (oranges) are among many phytochemicals that are found in the foods above. Additionally, red wine, tea and chocolates are all sources of antioxidants that are at the top of MyPyramid. So, drink unsweetened teas, occasionally enjoy a couple of pieces of high-quality dark chocolate and limit your intake of red wine to one glass per day for women and two for men. There are also many supplements that contain these nutrients, but it is always best to get them from food.

Cut your disease risks by enjoying a variety of antioxidant-rich foods. Drinking from the fountain of youth is as simple as munching on a red pepper.

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Keecha Harris is President of Harris and Associates, a food systems and public health consulting firm based in Birmingham, Ala. (Read her full bio.)