Let’s face it. We should all eat fruit everyday. I mean, come on, it’s easy and delicious. Here’s a little insider information. Berries are the healthiest fruits of all. This is due in part to their rich pigments, loading them up with antioxidants and making them rad little forces of nature. I consider them a separate food group. There’s the fruit group. Then there’s the berry group. You get what I mean. They’re important. They average 10 times more antioxidants than other fruits or vegetables and have in excess of 50 times more antioxidants than any of the animal-based foods.
Why do we care about antioxidants? We hear about them in face cream ads and healthy products claiming to “fight free radical damage”.
Where do these free radicals come from in the first place? Why are they floating around the body? What the heck does this have to do with blueberries??!!
Quickie Science Lesson (it's worth it):
When an electron loses its partner, it creates a free radical, which is usually unstable and highly reactive (agitated). Free radicals scavenge the body to seek out a replacement for their missing electron, and all that pillaging can result in damage to cells, proteins and DNA. It sets off a free radical chain reaction as the destabilized cell parts try to regain stability. Scientifically, free radicals are unpaired electrons that are seeking a mate to bond with (awww!). Stress, environmental pollutants, cigarette smoke, metabolizing alcohol and unhealthy foods, exposure to x-rays and lack of sleep all lead to free radical production and over time, cause oxidative stress - which is the imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants.
There it is. That’s why we care about antioxidants.
Over time, oxidative stress weakens cells and tissues and can leave you more vulnerable to certain health issues, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, cancer, diabetes and more. And, as beauty marketers know all too well, oxidative stress speeds up the aging process.
Enter, you, with your newfound information! You can eat plenty of fruits and veggies and set that balance straight, even slow down the aging process. Do it everyday and get ahead of the game! Herbs and spices contain the most antioxidants of any food on earth. Coming in second…Berries!!
That cinnamon blueberry oatmeal (I didn’t forget about oatmeal) you were thinking about trying? Yes, yes and yes!!
On a personal note, one of the more profound things I’ve discovered as a nutritionist is the idea that there are foods that cause disease and damage and there are foods that cure disease and damage. When that really sunk in, it made me want to only eat the foods that cure. My body has been thanking me ever since!
Happy eating!
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