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Let’s Talk Antioxidants
1. Fill your plate with at least ¾
plant foods.
2. Eat 7-10 servings of vegetables
and fruit each day; eat at least
one dark green and one orange
vegetable each day
3. Include whole grains, nuts and
seeds, soy products, dried beans,
peas, and lentils more often
4. Use small amounts of oil such as
canola, olive and soybean. Oils
can help you absorb some
antioxidants better
5. Stir-fry, steam or microwave
vegetables, using just a small
amount of water. This helps
prevent antioxidant losses into
the water.
How can I incorporate more antioxidants
into my diet?
What are
Antioxidants?
What about
supplements?
The best way to get
antioxidants is from food.
Supplements often have
higher amounts than you
need and can be harmful;
more research needs to be
done.
The amounts commonly
found in food and in a daily
multivitamin mineral
supplement are safe.
• Antioxidants are substances found
naturally in food
• They protect your body’s cells
from damage caused by harmful
molecules called free radicals
• Antioxidants may also prevent
some chronic diseases such as
diabetes and heart disease
Where Can I Find
Antioxidants?
-Promote healthy skin,
bones and immune
function
-Found in carrots, sweet
potatoes and dark leafy
vegetables
Carotenoids
-Sub –group of
carotenoids
-Lycopene may lower the
risk of prostate and other
cancers
-Found in many red fruits
and vegetables such as
watermelon and
tomatoes
Lycopene
-May protect against
heart disease and
inflammation
-Found in purple and
blue foods such as
blueberries and eggplant
Anthocyanin
-Promote eye health
-Found in dark green
foods such as broccoli
and avocado
Lutein and
Zeaxanthin