Discover Some Common Food Sources of Antioxidants

Antioxidants are receiving a tremendous amount of healthy press lately, so you might wonder where you might find them. Well, they abundant in common food sources, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, some meats, poultry and fish.

Some examples of antioxidants are beta-carotene, lutein, lycopene, vitamins C, E, and A. The following gives you a breakdown of common food sources for each example.

Beta-carotene is in many foods that are orange in color, such as sweet potatoes, carrots, cantaloupe, squash, apricots, pumpkin, and mangos, and some green leafy vegetables including collard greens, spinach, and kale are also rich sources of beta-carotene.

Lutein, associated with healthy eyes, is abundant in green, leafy vegetables such as collard greens, spinach, and kale.

Lycopene is a potent antioxidant you’ll find in tomatoes, watermelon, guava, papaya, apricots, pink grapefruit and blood oranges.

Foods rich in vitamin A include liver, sweet potatoes, carrots, milk, egg yolks and mozzarella cheese.

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) can be found in high abundance in numerous fruits and vegetables, cereals, beef, poultry and fish.

Vitamin E is found in almonds, mangos, nuts, broccoli and in many oils including wheat germ, safflower, corn and soybean oils.

Selenium is not an antioxidant nutrient, but a mineral. However, it is a component of antioxidant enzymes, and plant foods like rice and wheat are the major dietary sources. The meat from animals that eat grains or plants grown in selenium-rich soil have higher levels of selenium in their muscle. Brazil nuts also contain large quantities of selenium.

« Difference Between Dietary and Herbal Supplements Antioxidants Benefits with Cancer Prevention Evidence »