What Antioxidants Should I Take Daily?

Important dietary antioxidants include: :

• Vitamin C. This water-soluble antioxidant is an essential dietary nutrient.
• Vitamin E. This fat-soluble antioxidant plays a critical role in protecting cell membranes against oxidative damage.
• Flavonoids. This group of plant antioxidants has many beneficial health effects ( 18 Trusted Source ).

Unfortunately, there are no clear answers. Experts say that there is no recommended daily dose of antioxidants, unlike other nutrients where they can easily tell you how much is needed in one day. Many people ask the allowable limit for taking in antioxidants for safety concerns.

Vegetables like kale, leeks, and lettuce also have quercetin and lutein, which are very potent antioxidants. On the other hand, orange vegetables and sweet potatoes are also highly-packed with phytochemicals, too and vitamins like Vitamins A and C. One of the easiest ways to get antioxidants is to eat nuts.

Additionally, one may consider taking in more antioxidants by consuming food that is highly packed with it rather than rely heavily on supplements as experts agree that eating food high in antioxidants is more potent than the over-the-counter supplements.

One of the easiest ways to get antioxidants is to eat nuts. There is no tedious food preparation for nuts, and they can be eaten anytime and anywhere. Nuts have healthy fats as well as carbohydrates and proteins. Brazil nuts have the most amount of selenium among all nuts while walnuts can provide the biggest dose of omega-3.

How much anthocyanin is in a day?

A new study shows the average American consumes 12.5 milligrams of anthocyanins from fruits, vegetables, and other sources per day. Anthocynanins are pigments responsible for the blue, purple, and red colors of blueberries, grapes, and other fruits.

The results showed the highest concentrations of anthocyanins were found in fresh berries — such as blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries — as well as other fruits and vegetables. Wine and grape juice also contain significant levels of anthocyanins.

Major sources of anthocyanins in the average American diet were fruits, berries, grape juice, and wine.

Recent research has suggested that anthocyanins are potent antioxidants and may provide a variety of health benefits, from promoting a healthy heart to fighting cancer cancer. Researchers say the total anthocyanin content of various foods varies greatly; many commonly eaten foods have not been analyzed for anthocyanin content.

How to get antioxidants?

Eat Nuts. One of the easiest ways to get antioxidants is to eat nuts. There is no tedious food preparation for nuts, and they can be eaten anytime and anywhere. Nuts have healthy fats as well as carbohydrates and proteins.

Our bodies need antioxidants to help fight free radical formation as a result of alcohol intake, cigarette smoking, direct sunlight exposure, metabolism, consumption of unhealthy food, and stress.

The body needs compounds for better health. Often, these are found in plant food like vegetables, whole grains, and fruits. One of the compounds that our body needs is antioxidants, which help in the prevention of oxidative damage from natural body functions and chemical exposure. Constant intake of antioxidants helps the body fight off diseases. …

The cells in our bodies consume oxygen, and they produce highly reactive molecules or more popularly known as free radicals. The antioxidants function as the scavengers or hunters of these free radicals as they provide an electron, which acts as their neutralizer.

Plus, teas also boast of having catechins, widely known antioxidants for their ability to prevent cell damage that can result in cancer formation. Green tea is one of the teas that provide the most phytochemicals as it has the catechin epigallocatechin gallate.

Vegetables like kale, leeks, and lettuce also have quercetin and lutein, which are very potent antioxidants.

Studies have shown that those who frequently consume food that is high in antioxidants have lower risks of developing a variety of chronic health problems such as heart disease, cancer, asthma, stroke, macular degeneration, ocular disorder, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteoporosis.

How much antioxidants are in a daily supplement?

Antioxidant supplements contain 70–1,660% of the daily value (DV) of these key nutrients ( 4, 5 ). It’s commonly thought that taking antioxidant supplements prevents the damage caused by free radicals to the body’s cells, thereby promoting longevity and warding off disease.

All foods contain different antioxidants in varying amounts, so it’s important to include a variety of foods in your diet. While animal-based products, such as eggs and dairy products, have antioxidants, plant-based foods are particularly high in them ( 36. Trusted Source.

). The main antioxidants that help regulate free radicals in your body are the vitamins A, C, and E and the mineral selenium. Antioxidant supplements contain 70–1,660% of the daily value (DV) of these key nutrients ( 4, 5 ).

Antioxidant supplements contain concentrated forms of antioxidants, which are substances that stabilize free radicals. Your body naturally produces free radicals when you exercise and digest food. ). If free radicals exceed your body’s ability to regulate them, a condition called oxidative stress occurs.

Your body naturally produces free radicals as a byproduct of energy metabolism during exercise. The harder and longer you exercise, the more free radicals your body produces ( 6#N#Trusted Source#N#).

They may decrease exercise benefits and increase your risk of certain cancers and birth defects. Generally, it’s much better to get the antioxidants your body needs through a healthy diet.

However, taking antioxidant supplements in high amounts can do just the opposite. Summary. Antioxidant supplements contain concentrated forms of antioxidants, which are substances that keep your body’s cells healthy by combating damage caused by free radicals.