Antioxidants are well-known for their health-promoting properties. Antioxidants are thought to help prevent cancer, improve your immune system, raise your energy, and improve the health of your heart and other organs.Reverse the early signs of aging.
Given all we know about antioxidants and their health benefits, it’s surprising that more individuals don’t consume enough fruits and vegetables, which are the primary antioxidant sources.
Experts recommend having at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day, but 7-10 servings is ideal.
There are ten steps to increasing your antioxidant intake.
1.Breakfast
Breakfast does not have to be a hastily thrown together toaster pastry on the way out the door. In a blender, combine strawberries, 100 percent juice, and yoghurt; pour the delightful combination into a cup and head out the door.
You’ve daily fruit intake was increased by one to three servings. Alternatively, add some berries to your cold or hot cereal.
Assume you don’t have much time in the morning and grab something on the go. Even the Golden Arches can be of use in this situation. Apple slices and a fruit and yoghurt parfait are on the menu.
You may have a breakfast with one to two servings of fruit for roughly $2.
2.Snacks
Here’s a simple technique to boost your antioxidant intake. For a snack, how about a handful of raisins or some fresh red grapes? Strawberries should be dipped in yoghurt.
You’ll feel decadent, but the berries will give you the colour you want. Do you require some crunch? How about some hummus-dipped baby carrots? Add a handful of pecans for crunch and a healthy dose of antioxidants.
3.Lunch and dinner
It may seem obvious, but include a salad with each of your main daily meals can improve your general health and well-being significantly. They don’t have to be bland, and they certainly don’t have to be salad greens.
Add red pepper slices to your green salad, tomatoes to your Greek salad, or tart cranberries to your field greens if you’re going classic. For lunch, make a broccoli salad or try a rice salad with a variety of fresh veggies including string beans, tomatoes, peppers, and red onions.
4.Dessert
Berries, with or without whipped cream or chocolate, are a delicious way to conclude a day of antioxidant-rich, healthful eating.
5.Beverages
Tea or coffee, both of which contain antioxidant components, can be substituted for soda. Pour a glass of wine with supper, or a glass of chai tea for a true change of pace.
6.Think outside the box
Antioxidants are commonly found in berries, salads, and other meals, but researchers have discovered that potent antioxidants can also be found in unexpected foods such as russet potatoes, artichokes, and little red beans.
Experts believe the beans may have greater antioxidant activity than blueberries. Add some beans to your rice salad with vegetables for even more antioxidants.
7.Cook lightly
You think you’re doing a good deed by cooking vegetables for your family’s dinner every night. However, if you overcook the vegetables, you’ll lose a lot of the antioxidants’ healthful characteristics.
Vegetables should be steamed rather than boiling, and they should be done when they have lost all of their vibrant colour and most of their bite.
8.Plant a garden
Experts believe that people who grow and harvest their own veggies are considerably more likely to consume more vegetables and fruits than those who buy their food at the shop. Plant a garden, watch it grow, and eat the fruits of your effort (literally).
9.Take your healthy diet on vacation
Too many of us think of vacation as an opportunity to get away from it all, including healthy nutrition. Consider vacation as an opportunity to try new meals.
In a restaurant, order an unusual vegetable dish and then pay attention to how the chef cooked it.
10.Learn to cook
You don’t open bags and boxes when you’re cooking. Scrubbing and peeling vegetables, preparing complete foods, and paying attention to how items are cooked are all part of the cooking process.
If you eat takeout every night, you’re much less likely to consume the whole meals and natural fruits and vegetables that form the foundation of our antioxidant consumption.