Natural Sources of Antioxidants
Natural antioxidants are most abundant in fruits and vegetables, as well as in other foods including grains, nuts, and some red meats, poultry and fish. The list below describes food sources of common antioxidants.
- Beta-carotene can be found in many foods that are orange in color, including carrots, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, apricots, squash, pumpkin, and mangos. Some green leafy vegetables are also rich in beta-carotene. Some of these include collard greens, spinach, and kale .
- Lycopene is a potent antioxidant most commonly found in tomatoes, watermelon, papaya, guava, apricots, pink grapefruit, blood oranges, and other foods. It is estimated that nearly 85 percent of American dietary intake of lycopene comes from tomatoes and tomato based products.
- Lutein, well known for its association with healthy eyes, is found in green, leafy vegetables such as spinach, collard greens, and kale.
- Selenium is a mineral, not technically an antioxidant in its own right. However, it is an important component of most antioxidant enzymes. Plant foods like rice and wheat are the the most common dietary sources of selenium in most countries. The concentration of selenium in soil, which varies by region, determines the amount of selenium in the foods grown in that soil. Consequently, animals that eat grains or plants grown in selenium-rich soil have higher levels of selenium in their bodies. In the United States, breads and meat are typical sources of dietary selenium. Brazil nuts also contain large quantities of selenium.
- Vitamin A is found in three main forms: retinol (Vitamin A1), 3,4-didehydroretinol (Vitamin A2), and 3-hydroxy-retinol (Vitamin A3). Foods will a lot of vitamin A include liver, carrots, sweet potatoes, egg yolks, milk and mozzarella cheese.
- Vitamin C is a well known antioxidant that can be found in high concentrations in many fruits and vegetables. It can also be found in cereals, beef, poultry and fish products.
- Vitamin E, also known as alpha-tocopherol, is found in many oils including wheat germ, corn, safflower and soybean oils, and is also found in mangos, nuts (almonds), broccoli and other foods.
If you’re diet doesn’t include a large amount of the food sources above we strongly suggest taking antioxidant vitamins or supplementing with a complete antioxidant complex
