I have been known to suggest to my loving husband, on occasion, that he eat more fruits and vegetables. I drop these subtle hints to him because I want him to take advantage of the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that certain nutrient-dense foods can give him (sorry honey, nutrient-dense foods do not include bologna, M& M’s or Coca Cola). I also want him to live a disease-free life, and eventually outlive me. My husband’s take on these gentle, daily reminders, however, is somewhat different from my intent. What I call well-meaning, affectionate advice, he calls nagging. Hmm, I guess it is all in the wording and how you say it!

If I could have my loving husband eat any one food more often, it would be foods that are high in antioxidants. So what are antioxidants, you ask, and more importantly, what do they do for you and me (and my loving husband)?

First off, antioxidants have been clinically proven to lower the risk of neurodegenerative diseases (i.e. dementia and Alzheimer’s disease), macular degeneration and increase one’s immunity system. Scientists are also noting that eating foods high in antioxidants, especially those found in fruits and vegetables, can aid in preventing cancer and heart disease.

How and why, you wonder? Think of antioxidant’s in terms of a Zamboni driver. If you have ever been to a hockey game, you know what I’m talking about. A Zamboni driver drives a specialized piece of equipment out onto the ice after each period ends to resurface the ice. Well, daily living can do the same damage to our cells as our beloved hockey team (insert favourite team here) can do to the ice. The difference being that hockey player’s skates tear the ice up during those games, while in our bodies a natural by-product called free radicals tear up our cells.

These free radicals are created by exposure to various environmental factors, tobacco smoke, radiation and intense bouts of exercise. Antioxidants, such as vitamin C, E and A, selenium (a mineral), and a group known as carotenoids, act as our very own Zamboni driver and come in and rid our cells of these free-radicals.

Unfortunately, there is a bit of a catch with these antioxidants. Number one, studies have consistently shown that success against free radicals are achieved only by eating the foods high in antioxidants. Where there are a number of pills, and even juices, that claim to be high in antioxidants, it seems that eating the food itself is the only way to get these internal Zamboni drivers working.

The second catch is that, even though a fruit or vegetable may have a high antioxidant content, the body can not and does not absorb all of it. This is called the bioavailability of a food – how much of it actually gets absorbed and metabolized in the gut. There are a number of factors that can influence the bio-availability of a food including the fibre content of the food, whether it has sugar molecules attached to it, or if it is cooked or eaten raw. Best advice; eat a variety of foods high in antioxidants foods.

Here is a list of the top 20 food sources of antioxidants, based on their total antioxidant capacity per serving size: