Antioxidants nutritional value:
To prevent these radicals from causing severe damage your body produces antioxidants. Unlike free radicals that can damage DNA and antioxidants is important because they can repair DNA. In addition to your body's production of antioxidants, they can also come from the diet. Antioxidants, like vitamin E, neutralize the radicals preventing severe cell damage.
What is free radical?
Free radicals are unstable molecules with unpaired electrons that give or take electrons from other molecules. So, they are produced by oxidation during normal metabolic functions like inflammation and exercise. And they can also be produced by external sources like x-rays, ozone, cigarette smoke, air pollution, and industrial chemicals.
So, its chronically high levels can contribute to a variety of serious diseases like Alzheimer's and cancer. Also, their damage can change DNA and also change the instruction of DNA and they can also disturb and increase blood LDL cholesterol levels.
Dietary antioxidants include:
- Vitamins E
- Vitamin C
- Beta-carotene
- Lycopene
- Selenium
- Flavonoids
- Omega 3 fatty acids
- Omega 6 fatty acids
The best source of antioxidants:
The best sources of antioxidants include seafood, fruits, herbs, vegetables, and spices. There are antioxidant dietary supplements. Some research indicates high doses of antioxidant supplements could act more like free radicals than antioxidants. The best antioxidant diets are not carnivore diets. High antioxidants are present in fruits and vegetables.
1. Best food for Vitamin E:
The adult Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for vitamin E is 15 milligrams.
Sunflower seed:
Eating just one ounce (28g) of sunflower seeds provides about 7.4 milligrams of vitamin E.
Almonds:
They are another good source with almost 6.8 milligrams of vitamin E per 1 ounce (28g) serving.
Peanuts:
2 tablespoons (33g) of peanut butter has about 2.9 milligrams of vitamin E and 1 ounce of dry peanuts (28g) has about 2 milligrams of vitamin E.
Spinach:
One-half cup of cooked spinach (90g) has 1.9 milligrams of vitamin E.
Broccoli:
While a half cup of broccoli (80g) has 1.2 milligrams of vitamin E.
Kiwi:
One medium kiwi (90g) also provides about 1.1 milligrams of vitamin E.
Tomato:
One medium tomato (120g) about 0.7 milligrams of vitamin E.
2. Best food for Vitamin C:
Red bell pepper:
The RDA for men is slightly higher than for women. One-half cup of raw red bell pepper (75g) provides 95 milligrams of vitamin C.
Citrus:
Citrus is another good source of vitamin c .1 medium orange (170g) contains 70 milligrams of vitamin C.
Kiwi:
In addition to vitamin E, 1 medium kiwi (90g) provides about 65 milligrams of vitamin C.
Raw green bell pepper:
1 medium pepper (85g) has about 60 percent vitamin C compared to red bell peppers.
Broccoli:
One-half cup of cooked broccoli (80g) has about 50 milligrams while a half cup of raw broccoli has about 39 milligrams of vitamin C.
Cantaloupe:
A half cup of cantaloupe provides about 30 milligrams of vitamin C.
Cauliflower:
A half cup of cauliflower (55g) has about 26 milligrams of vitamin C.
3. Best food for Beta carotene (vitamin A):
Like vitamin C vitamin A( beta carotene ) is higher for men than for women.The adult RDA for vitamin A:
- 700 mcg RAE women (210 IU)
- 900 mcg RAE men (270 IU)
RAE stands for retinol activity equivalents. The FDA requires dietary supplement facts labels to use RAE beginning in January 2020 instead of IU. One microgram RAE can equal:
- One microgram of retinol
- Two micrograms of supplemental beta-carotene
- 12 micrograms of dietary beta-carotene
- 24 micrograms of dietary alpha-carotene
- Beta-Cryptoxanthin
Beef liver:
3 ounces of beef liver (85g) provides 6580mcg RAE (1970 IU) of vitamin A.
Baked sweet potato:
A baked sweet potato (175g) can also provide 1400 mcg RAE (420 IU) of vitamin A.
Spinach:
One-half cup of cooked spinach (90g) contains 570 RAE (170 IU) of vitamin A.
Carrot:
One-half cup of raw carrots (30g) contains 460mcg RAE (140 IU) of vitamin A.
Red bell pepper:
One-half cup (75 g) providing about 117 mcg RAE (35 IU) of vitamin A.
Mango:
One mango (200g) also provides about 112 mcg RAE (34 IU) of vitamin A.
4. Best food for Lycopene:
Currently, there's no RDA for lycopene. lycopene is a pigment that gives tomatoes, watermelon, and pink grapefruit their pink-red color. lycopene is a carotenoid but it's a non-pro vitamin A. while lycopene is a carotenoid, it's not equivalent to vitamin A. lycopene appears to be a powerful antioxidant. The most available sources are cooked tomato products for example tomato sauce.
5. Best food for Selenium:
The adult RDA for selenium is very small at only 55 micrograms. So, A person gets more than the daily requirement from eating less than one ounce of brazil nuts.
Brazil Nuts:
1 ounce of nuts (28g) contains 544 mcg of selenium.
Tuna fish:
3 ounces of tuna (85g) also provides 92 mcg of selenium.
Beef liver:
3 ounces of beef (85g) provides 45 mcg selenium.
Chicken:
3 ounces of cooked chicken (85g) provides about 22 mcg selenium.
Oatmeal:
One cup of cooked oatmeal(235g) provides 13 mcg selenium.
6. Best food for Flavonoids:
Flavonoids are a phytochemical(plant chemical). Currently, there are no RDA high flavonoid foods including green tea, dark chocolate, berries, apples, citrus fruits, asparagus, and leafy green vegetables.
7. Best food for Omega-3 fatty acids:
The adult RDA for omega-3 fatty acids is 1.1 grams (1100mg) for women and 1.6(1600mg) grams for men.Omega-3 fatty acids have 3 forms. ALA from plant foods and DHA and EPA from animal foods. And omega fatty acids are also known as PUFAs (polyunsaturated fatty acids).
Flaxseed:
One tablespoon of flaxseed oil (15 ml) provides 7.2 grams of ALA. The absorption of ALA is considerably less than DHA and EPA.
Chia seed:
One ounce of chia seeds(28g) provides 5 grams of ALA.
Walnuts:
1 ounce of English walnuts (28g) about 2.6 grams of ALA.
Salmon:
This fish is the best source of DHA and EPA. 3 ounce (85g) serving provides 1.2g of DHA and 0.4g of EPA.
Trout fish:
3 ounces of trout(85g) provides about 0.4g of DHA and 0.4g of EPA.
Shrimp:
Lean seafood like shrimp 3 ounces (85g) provides about 0.1g of DHA and 0.1g of EPA.
8. Best food for Omega-6 fatty acids:
There’s no RDA for omega-6 fatty acids. And omega-6 is abundant in plant foods and plant oils like corn and sunflower. Omega-6 is an essential nutrient, but some fat diets recommend eating a high ratio of omega-3 to omega-6. The problem is not omega-6 but diets high in omega-6 and low in omega-3.
Fatty fish like salmon have a high ratio of omega-3 to omega-6. Avocados a popular low-carb diet food has 17 times more omega-6 than omega-3 .eating a balanced diet can provide an abundance of free radical neutralizing antioxidants.