You might have heard the term antioxidants. You have been told a lot of times to have foods that are rich in antioxidants and those that protect your heart. The keyword is antioxidants. Let us start by understanding some common things related to it.
What Are Antioxidants?
Nutritionist Avni Kaul says antioxidants are compounds that are naturally present in certain fruits and vegetables. You may have heard of flavanols in chocolate, lycopene in tomatoes and beta-carotene in carrots. These are all types of antioxidants.
How Antioxidants Keeps One Healthy
Antioxidants work to safeguard the cells by damage caused due to the process of oxidation. Oxidants, on the other end, are free radicals that your body creates to defend itself against viruses and bacteria. When they become too excess in number, they might start attacking and damaging the cells. You might also encounter oxidants from the external environment through pollutants, smoke, and alcohol. Antioxidants assist the body by neutralizing and throwing out these oxidants from your bloodstream.
It is essential to maintain the balance between antioxidants and oxidants in your body for good health. However, the free radicals or oxidants normally outgrow the antioxidants naturally made in the body. Therefore, it is vital to have a consistent supply of antioxidants from an external source to keep this balance. Your diet is an external source and it should be packed with good quantity of antioxidants. This, as a result, gives other benefits such as slowing down the signs of ageing, making skin look youthful and reducing the risk of heart disease. A diet high in antioxidants is also known to keep your brain active and gut healthy. All these factors support in improving the quality of the life.
In this article, Delhi based Nutritionist and Dietitian Avni Kaul talks about some foods that are high in antioxidants and you should eat them regularly.
Kidney Beans (Rajma)
All types of beans black or red, kidney beans are high power sources of antioxidants. Beans are also high in muscle-boosting protein, contain no cholesterol and little fat. Combining them with grains assists in making them a complete protein. Have them in salads, sandwiches or make your favorite Punjabi Rajma. If you have difficulty digesting them drink a lot of fluids during the day.
Barley (Jau)
This timeless grain is trending for a great reason. Barley is known for its rich antioxidant properties that make one stronger from within. The phenol content of barley possess antioxidant activity. Also, it has been seen that when grains such as barley are soaked and sprouted the antioxidant levels are increased. Moreover, they become better digestible and it is simpler for the body to absorb their nutrients.
Tomatoes
The juicy tomatoes contain lycopene as an antioxidants, that provides tomato its bright red color, and also rich in Vitamin C and A. Vitamin C is a water-soluble anti-oxidant that one can derive from fruits and vegetables like, Amla, Lemon, Sweet-lime. The lycopene in tomatoes are best absorbed when they are cooked.
Walnuts
The majority of the nuts are quite healthy and it is recommended that you should have at least a handful of nuts regularly. Walnuts are cholesterol-free, low in sodium and filled with antioxidants. They provide antioxidants called polyphenols, which is present in the papery skin of walnuts.
Things To Note: It is also crucial to note that the cooking technique vastly affects the levels of antioxidants in the foods. Griddles, microwaving and oven causes less antioxidant damage in vegetables as compared to frying, boiling or cooking using a pressure cooker.
