What are Antioxidants and Why You Should Care
We’ve all heard the word “antioxidants” thrown around ad nauseam - it’s become quite the buzzword in the health and wellness industry for quite some time now. But what exactly are they, and why should you care?
Antioxidants are molecules that help prevent damage to our cells caused by free radicals and also reduce oxidative stress. Oxidative stress happens when your antioxidant levels are low. Oxidative stress can break down cell tissue and cause DNA damage. It can also result in inflammation and speed up the progress of dementia.
Free radicals are unstable molecules that can be harmful to our bodies, leading to inflammation, aging, and even chronic diseases such as asthma, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer's.
Antioxidants work by neutralizing these free radicals and eliminating oxidative stress. Getting enough antioxidants in your diet is crucial for your health and well-being.
How can you incorporate more antioxidants into your diet?
Eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetables: Different colored fruits and vegetables contain different types of antioxidants. Aim to eat a variety of colors to get a broad range of antioxidants in your diet.
Snack on nuts and seeds: Nuts and seeds are a great source of antioxidants, as well as healthy fats and protein. Try snacking on almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, or chia seeds for a nutritious snack - but avoid seed oils as they produce omega 3s which increase inflammation..
Add herbs and spices to your meals: Many of these are rich in antioxidants, including cinnamon, turmeric, and oregano.
Consider Sweet Prairie Haskap - a berry juice extract or powder concentrate that is absolutely chock-full of antioxidants. Just two tablespoons a day of our berry juice extract or one teaspoon a day of our superfood smoothie powder supply you with a hearty dose of antioxidants - 3x more than a blueberry!
By incorporating more antioxidant-rich foods into our diet like Sweet Prairie Haskap, we can ensure we are getting the antioxidants our body needs to function at its best.
