The Antioxidant Diet

Re:The Antioxidant Diet (Slinks)

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:15:41 GMT

Did you know that adding color to your plate may add years to your life?

The natural pigments that make fruits and vegetables so colorful can also help protect your body from common diseases and illnesses as you age. Think color! The bright red of ripe tomatoes, strawberries, cherries, and cranberries; the brilliant orange of carrots; the vibrant green of kiwifruit and kale; and the dramatic purple of Concord grapes.

Scientists in labs across the country have made astounding discoveries about the health benefits of highly pigmented fruits and vegetables, which contain disease-fighting compounds called phytonutrients. These powerhouses act as a rogue police force, fighting off free radicals that cause cancer and a host of other enemies that increase your risk of heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, and more. Here’s just a sampling of the health benefits of eating colorful fruits and vegetables.

* The red in tomatoes helps reduce the risk of heart disease, prostate cancer, and other types of cancers.

* The yellow in corn protects against macular degeneration, the number-one cause of blindness in the elderly.

* The orange in carrots and sweet potatoes helps prevent heart disease by lowering cholesterol and helps reduce the risk of stroke.

* The green in dark, leafy greens helps prevent cancer.

* The blue in blueberries helps protect memory and motor function as you age, and helps fight cancer and heart disease.

* The purple in Concord grapes and grape juice helps prevent heart disease.So when you’re filling your shopping cart or your plate, think the more color, the better!

More on Diet & Nutrition (373 articles available)
More from Annie B. Bond (3246 articles available

Re:The Antioxidant Diet (Slinks)

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:14:50 GMT

mlb I'm so sorry about your Mom !! how sad ..

These test do have there risk factors ..

Late last year they were saying that a diet high in antioxidants can cause diabetes type 2 ..

There was also a study saying that two eggs a day can contribute to diabetes type 2 too ..

As we all know, we all have cancerous cells, it's weather or not it is in the genes as to weather they are activated or not .. some people can smoke till they're 104 others pass away at 29 ..

Food is the best form of medicine, food from the mineral enriched grounds .. Too much of a good thing is not good for you, everything needs to be well balanced .. so take it easy eating those enriched antioxidant foods ..

I'm also not against "extra" supplements but will only take what I need, Multivitamins I won't touch ..

anyway below is another good article I found ..

Re:The Antioxidant Diet (mlb)

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:26:35 GMT

There was a time when the overwhelming belief in the medical community is that you needed to limit eggs because of dietary cholesterol in them. However, more recently, many in the medical community no longer consider egg yolks and other dietary sources of cholesterol to be the risk they once thought.

The body creates it's own cholesterol even in the absence of dietary sources. Of more concern now...is the type of fat. You should avoid all sources of transfat, hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils, and fake fats.

On the other hand, other types of fats, such as those from plants sources like nuts, seeds, and avocado, flax seed (ie MUFA's, mono-unsaturated fatty acids) are now known to be helpful in maintaining low levels of the bad cholesterol, and higher levels of the good stuff. Flax oil, fish oil, and olive oil are also considered to be helpful.

SLINKS - I'm glad you included the article with the information about the dangers of taking antioxidant supplements. The large notorious study was the CAROT study. The researchers believed that taking betacarotene would reduce the risk of cancer in smokers. My mother was one of those in that study, and she was one that recieved the betacarotene instead of the placebo. They abruptly canceled that study midway because the preliminary results did not show a beneficial or neutral effect, instead they saw an increase in cancer risk. At the time the study was started my mother was believed to be cancer free. She died of cancer months after the termination of the study. (They did sent her a nice wall plaque thanking her for her participation, but she was too sick to appreciate it, and we were all too sickhearted to appreciate it.) Did taking betacarotene as part of taking part in the study kill her? I don't know....though it may have hastened a ticking time bomb. I try not to look back too much, I try to do the best I can each day, and look forward.

From this you might conclude I am against supplementation....but actually I am not. I do take supplements, such as a food based balanced multivitamin, among others. But I avoid jumping on the latest bandwagon of taking megadoses of a single nutrient, such as betacarotin or Vitamin E. Mostly, I try to limiting my consumption of less nutritious food (I lapse like everyone, it's true), and try to eat a rainbow of food colors everyday.

Re:The Antioxidant Diet (Chryssa)

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 04:49:20 GMT

Slinks

concentrations.
[size=2 font="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"]Eggs contain around 250-300mg cholesterol per yolk. Expert bodies like the National Heart Foundation recommend an intake of cholesterol from all sources not exceeding 300mg per day. A slice of cheese (30g) or cup of full-fat milk has about 30mg of cholesterol; 100g cooked meat about 100mg and 100g fish about 50mg. Plant foods and their products (e.g vegetable oil) do not contain cholesterol.

I am very interested in the amount of cholesterol contained in one yolk. I very rarely eat meat but I have an egg and about 2-3 slices of yellow(full fat) cheese or some Feta daily. This means... I exceed the suggested cholesterol intake daily or...I may be just at the suggested limit (depending on the size of the egg) Hmmm... perhaps I should cut down on the eggs hmm...

Re:The Antioxidant Diet (MH)

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:17:16 GMT

Thanks Slinks. I am with Denise on the Beets and Brussel Sprouts.

Re:The Antioxidant Diet (Slinks)

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 13:11:09 GMT

[color=#008000 size=2 font="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"]What's in eggs?
[size=2 font="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"]Eggs are a nutritional package of nutrients and other biochemical active components. They are nutrient dense, providing a wide variety of quality nutrients without having a high calorie content (about 70 calories per egg). The protein quality of eggs is high, providing all the essential amino acids needed for human protein synthesis and about 10% of the daily protein requirements (based on a 2000 calorie diet). However, nutrient composition of the eggs will depend on what hens eat. For example, a comparison between supermarket eggs and those that are free range have shown a 20-fold difference in omega 3 concentrations.
[size=2 font="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"]Egg protein is the standard against which other food proteins are measured. Eggs are good sources of vitamin A, B1, B12, D and E as well as folate, phosphorus, zinc and iron. Eggs are one of the rare natural sources of vitamin D. Macro and micronutrients aside, another area of interest for eggs is in their antioxidant content. In comparison to green leafy vegetables, eggs contain higher levels of the carotenoid antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin. These two compounds are believed to be protective against age related macular degeneration, a condition that occurs in individuals older than 50 and which is the leading cause of blindness in the elderly.
[size=2 font="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"]Eggs contain around 250-300mg cholesterol per yolk. Expert bodies like the National Heart Foundation recommend an intake of cholesterol from all sources not exceeding 300mg per day. A slice of cheese (30g) or cup of full-fat milk has about 30mg of cholesterol; 100g cooked meat about 100mg and 100g fish about 50mg. Plant foods and their products (e.g vegetable oil) do not contain cholesterol.

Re:The Antioxidant Diet (katie)

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 08:55:03 GMT

Wow Slinks, awesome, awesome information! I'm glad to see the beta carotene group included as the fab "13" from the book and your initial chart didn't show things like carrots or yams, but clearly, they have antioxidant value. I know the focus of antioxidants seems to be on fruits and veggies, but what about animal protein sources, ie eggs also are high in lutein and zeaxanthin. All this info wants me to reduce as much as I can, the processed foods-a box full of chemicals-Yuck!

Re:The Antioxidant Diet (Slinks)

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 03:05:40 GMT

Antioxidant Foods

Fruits and vegetables are excellent antioxidant foods
Health food stores are well-stocked with all kinds of antioxidant pills and capsules. Magazines abound extolling the virtues of vitamins C and E and beta-carotene.

Just how important are antioxidants? Can they prevent disease? In what foods do we find them? Can we get too much of them?

Oxygen is needed for the metabolism of fat and carbohydrates for energy. However, exceed oxygen molecules and other free radicals that form as by-products of normal cellular reactions can cause damage to cells if not inactivated. The body has a complex antioxidant defense system to neutralize radicals and prevent cell damage and disease. Aging and chronic diseases, such as heart disease and cancer, are currently believed to result from damage caused by free radicals.

The antioxidant defense system of the body includes the antioxidant vitamins E and C, and the carotenoids (pigments present in colored vegetables and some colored fruits). Higher intakes of these nutrients are associated with lower rates of cancer and cardiovascular disease. Optimal levels of antioxidants are also needed for maintenance of immune function. A Finnish study reported that vegetarians had a higher dietary intake of antioxidant nutrients and higher levels of antioxidant enzymes than nonvegetarians.

The oxidation of LDL cholesterol is now commonly regarded as important for atherogenesis. Vitamin E is especially effective in protecting LDL from oxidation. Vitamin E also inhibits platelet clumping so that blood clot formation is reduced. Vitamin E is found in large quantities in whole grains seeds, nuts, and vegetable oils.

In a Harvard study, tomatoes and strawberries were found to be effective against prostate cancer. The benefits of tomatoes were found in both raw and cooked forms. Men who ate at least 10 servings a week of tomato-based foods had 40% less risk of prostate cancer, while men who ate 4 to 7 servings per week had a 22% reduced risk compared with those eating less than 2 servings per week. Tomatoes are rich in Iycopene, a red carotenoid pigment that has antioxidant activity.

Compromises in the function of the lens and retina of the eye during aging are exacerbated by a lack of antioxidant vitamins and diminished antioxidant enzyme capabilities. Increased antioxidant intake from a diet rich in fruit and vegetables may provide the least costly and most practicable means to delay cataracts. Furthermore, the retina accumulates two carotenoid pigments, lutein and zeaxanthin, obtained from green leafy vegetables. Evidence suggests that the carotenoids, as well as vitamins E and C, help retard retinal damage that leads to blindness.

Many people have decided to increase their antioxidant status by ingesting vitamin E and C and beta-carotene supplements to reduce their risk of disease. This practice is fairly safe since these antioxidants have a fairly low toxicity. However, large scale intervention studies involving the use of supplemental antioxidant vitamins have produced mixed results. Some studies have indicated benefits (such as less coronary artery disease with vitamin E supplements) while others have failed to reduce cancer rates. Some studies have even shown that antioxidant supplements may in fact promote cancer. However, the antioxidant story is much bigger than just these three nutrients.

In addition to the antioxidant vitamins they contain, whole grains, nuts' fruits and vegetables also contain a wide variety of flavonoids and other plant phenolics (such as ellagic, ferulic and caffeic acids) that act as powerful antioxidants. The flavonoids also extend the activity of vitamin C and inhibit blood clot forrnabon. Grapes, strawberries, raspberries and nuts are rich in ellagic acid, while oats, grapes, blueberries, soybeans and prunes are good sources of ferulic and caffeic adds. The phenolic compounds in ginger have an antioxidant activity even greater than vitamin E. Two recent European studies have found that high intakes of flavonoids from fruits and vegetables are related to low rates of heart disease and cancer.

Author: Winston Craig, MPH, PhD, RD.

Re:The Antioxidant Diet (Denise)

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 22:22:26 GMT

Yummy to all but brussel sprouts and beets

Re:The Antioxidant Diet (MRS)

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:52:36 GMT

Wow, I love this thread! Thanks, Katie for starting it.

Slinks, thanks for the lists!! Great info!

Re:The Antioxidant Diet (Angie)

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:31:09 GMT

Wow, great info chart there, Slinks! I love, or at least like, everything on that list. Thanks for posting that! :>

Re:The Antioxidant Diet (Slinks)

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 17:21:54 GMT

Rank      Type      Food Item                              Size           Total Antioxidants
1       Beans/Legumes Red Beans (dried)           Half cup      13727
2       Fruit, Berry Wild blueberry                        1 cup           13427
3       Beans/Legumes Red kidney beans (dried) Half cup     13259
4       Beans/Legumes Pinto beans                     Half cup      11864
5       Fruit, Berry Blueberry                                1 cup           9019
6       Fruit, Berry Cranberry                               1 cup (whole) 8983
7       Vegetable Artichoke (cooked)                   1 cup (hearts) 7904
8       Fruit, Berry Blackberry                              1 cup             7701
9       Fruit Prune                                               Half cup         7291
10     Fruit, Berry Raspberry                               1 cup            6058
11     Fruit, Bery Strawberry                              1 cup             5938
12     Fruit Red Delicious apple                           One              5900
13     Fruit Granny Smith apple                           One              5381
14     Nut Pecan                                                 1 ounce         5095
15     Fruit, Bery Sweet cherry                           1 cup             4873
16     Fruit Black plum                                         One              4844
17     Vegetable Russet potato (cooked)           One              4649
18     Beans/Legumes Black beans (dried)         Half cup        4181
19     Fruit Plum                                                  One              4118
20     Fruit Gala apple                                         One              3903

Re:The Antioxidant Diet (Slinks)

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 17:13:24 GMT

that's it mlb !! a plate full of colour !! :-)

I searched a bit and found this ...

Best Sources of High Antioxidants Foods

Fruits: Berries (Cherry, blackberry, strawberry, raspberry, crowberry, blueberry, bilberry/wild blueberry, black currant), pomegranate, grape, orange, plum, pineapple, kiwi fruit, grapefruit.

Vegetables: Kale, chili pepper, red cabbage, peppers, parsley, artichoke, Brussels sprouts, spinach, lemon, ginger, red beets.

Dry Fruits high in antioxidants: Apricots, prunes, dates. Legumes Broad beans, pinto beans, soybeans.

Nuts and seeds: Pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, ground nut, sunflower seeds. Cereals Barley, millet, oats, corn.

Spices: cloves, cinnamon, oregano

Re:The Antioxidant Diet (mlb)

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:41:16 GMT

Not this book specifically, but have looked at others that are proably similar. Can best sum it up as....to get a diet high in antioxidants...eat a diet rich in a rainbow of colors.

The Antioxidant Diet (katie)

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:17:07 GMT

Found this in a newsletter I get and thought it was interesting. There's a new diet book out by nutritionist Keri Glassman, R.D. called the O2 Diet. It's based on foods that have high antioxidant activity levels or the ORAC scale (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity). I'm more of a browser than a reader so don't know that I'll get it but the exerpt was interesting. Here's 13 foods she highly recommends for their antioxidant values.
Lose Weight: artichokes, lemon water, red grapefruit
Skin health: watermelon, figs, red bell peppers
Bolster your body(more energy??): bean, prunes
Ward off heart disease: cherries, dark chocolate
Boost your Brainpower: blueberries, cinnamon, plums

Thankfully, most of these foods are pretty appealing. Has anyone else heard of this or have the book?