How to consume more antioxidants!

Some of us pay a fortune for any kind of lotions & potions that claim to hold the key to youthful looking skin & fight the signs of ageing that we are told are unattractive & apparently unwanted. But there's more to younger looking skin and greater vitality than lathering ourselves with expensive creams.

That inner glow and confidence that accompanies it comes from genetics of course, and looking after ourselves from the inside out. The foods you eat determine your energy levels, your complexion, and your likliness of suffereng from degenerative disease such as osteoarthritis, all of which can be prevented, or certainly reduced by increasing the antioxidants you eat on a daily basis.  

Vitamin A well known for its benefits to the skin, found in many anti-ageing products, is also beneficial for conditions such as acne and eczema.

Found in animal foods - Fatty fish, egg yolks, full fat milk, butter, cream, full fat cheese.

Beta-carotene has the highest conversion to Retinol (Vit A) of all carotenoids, unlike B water soluble vitamins, cooking actually increases uptake, dietary fat needs to be consumed at the same time for absorption

Found in dark green, yellow, orange vegetables, e.g. parsley, carrots, spinach, broccoli, pumpkin, alfalfa, sweet potato, turnip tops, watercress, seaweed.

Yellow/orange fruits, eg. Apricots, peaches, prunes, mango, canteloupe, pawpaw.

Vitamin E also added to many skincare products, is highly beneficial for youthful skin, as well as being protective to the heart and blood vessels

Fresh & raw nuts & seeds, vegetables, eggs, butter, margarine, whole grains, wheat bran & germ, fish oils, esp. cod liver oil.

Cold pressed unrefined vegetable oils – wheat germ, safflower, olive, sunflower, walnut.

Coenzyme Q10 is an excellent antioxidant for the cardiovascular system and skin, but also helps each cell in the body to produce energy so is excellent for helping to maintain activity levels when keeping fit and healthy

Found in meat, chicken, fatty fish, esp. sardines, cod liver oil, eggs, soybeans, potato, spinach, alfalfa, broccoli, peanuts.

Vitamin C is good for every system in our bodies, it helps to maintain and rebuild collagen for the skin, protects and boosts our immune system, has anti-allergy effects, anti-inflammatory properties for the musculoskeletal system and the list goes on!

Excellent sources are acerola cherries, blackcurrants, peppers, chillies, rosehips, parsley, broccoli, guava.

Very good sources are brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, chives, mustard greens, horseradish

Good sources are cantaloupe, citrus fruits, kiwi fruit, strawberries, pawpaw, asparagus, artichokes, radishes, chicory, green leafy vegetables, broccoli, zucchini, ripe tomatoes.

Bioflavonoids are great for all blood vessels but especially the smallest ones called capillaries, spider veins result of capillary damage. Bioflavonoids are also beneficial for allergies

Found in fruit, vegetables, legumes, grains, leaves, flowers, herbs 

Manganese helps to reduce free radicals by forming part of the bodies own antioxidant called superoxide dismutase (SOD), also has a protective and anti-inflammatory effect on the joints

Found in wheatgerm, bran, whole grains, wholegrain bread, nuts esp. pecans, green leafy vegetables, spinach, sweet potatoes, canned pineapple, alfalfa, tea.

Selenium forms part of another antioxidant structure our bodies produce called glutathione peroxidase and has a protective effect against heavy metals such as arsenic, mercury, cadmium & copper.

Levels in foods depend on soil content – brewer’s yeast, brazil nuts, cashew nuts, garlic, onion, wheatgerm, bran, broccoli, cabbage, tomatoes, mushrooms, meat, eggs, seafood esp. tuna, herring, snapper, salmon, shellfish, lobster, prawns.

Zinc is also required for the bodies own antioxidant superoxide dismutase (SOD) and therefore reduces free radical production. Zinc has many other functions and is required for almost every metabolic process

Found in lean red meat, eggs, shellfish, oysters, crab, lobster & cheese

How to add these foods into your diet……

• Eat a range of coloured vegetables/salads with each meal, eg. Green, red, orange, yellow.
• Eat a vegetable you’ve never tried before each week.  
• Eat at least two different coloured pieces of fruit a day
• Add a tbsp of wheatgerm to breakfast cereal or into smoothies.
• Have a handful of mixed nuts (raw & fresh) every day (approx. ¼ cup).
• Eat only wholegrain bread e.g. Burgen & Country Life Bakery have a good range of mixed grains & rye breads.
• Vary your protein consumption. Alternate chicken, fish and red meat, have each of them at least once a week (if not vegetarian).
• Try to eat more fresh fish and vary the types.
• Also combine legumes & grains or legumes & seeds for a source of protein, eg. if using beans (legumes) in a stir fry add sunflower seeds or pepitas, if making a vegetable soup add some mixed legumes and barley.