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?

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.

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

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

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

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

Slinks, thanks for the lists!! Great info! ~~MRS~~ 
(}___{)
(=‘.’=)
(“)_(“)

Yummy to all but brussel sprouts and beets Denise


"Time is the moving image of eternity"
Plato 

Antioxidant Foods

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!

[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.

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

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...

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.

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 ..

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!