How many times have you heard that to prevent disease and delay aging it is important to consume antioxidants? But what are the foods that contain antioxidants? And what is the relationship between these and free radicals? We asked Dr. Luca Piretta, nutritionist for Manzanaroja, your personalized diet.
The danger of free radicals to our health
- Free radicals are molecules normally present in our system that, when they become excessive, instead of protecting our body, they begin to damage it. If there is a ratio between free radicals and antioxidants, the body is in perfect health. Instead, when free radicals accumulate in our body and cannot be counteracted by antioxidant defense mechanisms, a condition is created that causes skin aging and other diseases.
- A diet low in antioxidants and an inappropriate lifestyle (such as smoking and stress) cause an increase in free radicals and a greater demand for antioxidant substances capable of neutralizing them. Antioxidants, in addition to playing a fundamental role in the prevention of tumors, also help our beauty by keeping the skin young and elastic.
In what foods do we find antioxidants?
What do you have to eat to guarantee a daily serving of antioxidants? Fruits and vegetables every day! Although depending on the fruits and vegetables you choose, the type of antioxidants you consume changes. That is why it is very important to also vary the color of the portions. We have prepared for you a list of foods rich in antioxidants. So you don’t miss anything!
-
Quercetin
It is found in cauliflower, onion, fennel and pear. Quercetin strengthens bone tissue and helps in the prevention of cancer.
-
Lycopene in red vegetables
It is present in tomato and red peppers. Lycopene prevents breast and ovarian cancer in women, and prostate cancer in men.
-
Chlorophyll and carotenoids in green vegetables
It is found in lettuce, zucchini, asparagus, artichokes, green cabbage, cucumber, radicchio, spinach or kiwi. They prevent tumors and heart pathologies.
-
Beta-carotene in yellow and orange vegetables
You can find it in carrots, lemons, yellow peppers, pumpkin, oranges, and pineapple. Promotes growth, regeneration and maintenance of tissue health, increases immune defenses and protects eyesight.
-
Anthocyanins, in blue and purple vegetables
It is found in eggplants, blueberries, beets, cabbage, and red cabbage. They help counteract excess cholesterol and keep blood circulation fluid, preventing cardiovascular accidents.
-
Attention to cooking!
Fruits and vegetables are the main suppliers of antioxidants: but what happens when you cook these foods? “Some of these antioxidants are destroyed by cooking, others do not undergo significant modifications, and some, such as lycopene, even increase their bioavailability at high temperatures.” For this reason, and to ensure that their properties are maintained, it is best to opt for cooking. at low temperatures and for short periods.
- Green vegetables, better raw or steamed.
- Red and orange vegetables, steamed, sautéed or boiled in little water.
- White vegetables, raw or at a low temperature.
- Purple vegetables, sautéed, steamed or raw.