Post by Tim Wescott on Jul 6, 2004 9:12:54 GMT -5
Beans, Berries Provide Boost :
If you're looking to get the biggest antioxidant boost for your
bite, you might want to pile more beans, berries, apples and
cooked artichokes on your plate. Maybe sprinkle on a few
pecans.
Researchers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture have
calculated the antioxidant content of more than 100 common
foods, including vegetables, fresh and dried fruits, nuts, spices,
breads, snacks, cereals and baby foods.
Measured per serving, the 10 foods that pack the most antioxidants
are small red beans, wild blueberries, red kidney beans, pinto beans,
cultivated blueberries, cranberries, cook artichoke hearts, blackberries,
prunes and raspberries.
Strawberries, Red Delicious applies, Granny Smith apples, pecans and
sweet cherries are next on the list.
The findings, published in the June 9 edition of the Journal of
Agricultural and Food Chemistry, suggests that many followers of
low-carb diets, who often avoid fruit, are likely short-changing
themselves of potential nutritional benefits, said lead author
Ronald L. Prior, a chemist and nutritionist with the USDA's
Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center in Little Rock.
Antioxidants are chemicals that gobble up damaging free radicals
-- oxygen molecules that can be thought of as the cellular "rust"
associated with aging and the development of cancer, heart disease
and Alzheimer's disease.
Among the study's findings: Pecans, walnuts and hazelnuts top the
list of nuts.
Among herbs and spices, the highest concentrations of antioxidants
were found in cloves, cinnamon, turmeric and oregano. However, most
herbs and spices are added in such small quantities for flavoring that
they may not be an especially significant source.
Nutritionists have long said the healthiest diet is rich in a wide variety
of fruits and vegetables. Selecting particular foods merely because
they have particularly high levels of antioxidants won't necessarily
make you healthier.
That's because the body absorbs and uses various types of antioxidants
in different ways. Roger A. Clemens, a nutritionist and biological chemist
at the University of Southern California School of Pharmacy, welcomed
the new information but noted the role played by antioxidant compounds
remains largely unknown.
If you're looking to get the biggest antioxidant boost for your
bite, you might want to pile more beans, berries, apples and
cooked artichokes on your plate. Maybe sprinkle on a few
pecans.
Researchers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture have
calculated the antioxidant content of more than 100 common
foods, including vegetables, fresh and dried fruits, nuts, spices,
breads, snacks, cereals and baby foods.
Measured per serving, the 10 foods that pack the most antioxidants
are small red beans, wild blueberries, red kidney beans, pinto beans,
cultivated blueberries, cranberries, cook artichoke hearts, blackberries,
prunes and raspberries.
Strawberries, Red Delicious applies, Granny Smith apples, pecans and
sweet cherries are next on the list.
The findings, published in the June 9 edition of the Journal of
Agricultural and Food Chemistry, suggests that many followers of
low-carb diets, who often avoid fruit, are likely short-changing
themselves of potential nutritional benefits, said lead author
Ronald L. Prior, a chemist and nutritionist with the USDA's
Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center in Little Rock.
Antioxidants are chemicals that gobble up damaging free radicals
-- oxygen molecules that can be thought of as the cellular "rust"
associated with aging and the development of cancer, heart disease
and Alzheimer's disease.
Among the study's findings: Pecans, walnuts and hazelnuts top the
list of nuts.
Among herbs and spices, the highest concentrations of antioxidants
were found in cloves, cinnamon, turmeric and oregano. However, most
herbs and spices are added in such small quantities for flavoring that
they may not be an especially significant source.
Nutritionists have long said the healthiest diet is rich in a wide variety
of fruits and vegetables. Selecting particular foods merely because
they have particularly high levels of antioxidants won't necessarily
make you healthier.
That's because the body absorbs and uses various types of antioxidants
in different ways. Roger A. Clemens, a nutritionist and biological chemist
at the University of Southern California School of Pharmacy, welcomed
the new information but noted the role played by antioxidant compounds
remains largely unknown.