If your into the whole antioxidant movement you’ve heard it all before – food rich in colour often contains a lot of antioxidants, that will keep our bodies from aging and protect us from a wide range of diseases.

Antioxidant capacity is often measured in ORAC – Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity. Most vegetables and fruits have orac values between 100 and 1,000 μ mol TE/100g. Different sources tell us different values for the same foods, which makes it hard to say exactly what orac value different foods has. However, these are the foods that always score high. Orac values are taken from oracvalues.com.

Green tea (ORAC: 1,253 μ mol TE/100g)

Green tea may not  have a very high orac value, but it’s concidered a very good source of antioxidants since it’s so easy to consume large quantities of it. If you drink three cups a day you can get over 8,000 orac units. Compare that with the 1,200 orac units that is said to be the average amount of antioxidants consumed per person and day in the United States.

If you find it green tea too bitter, add some honey – it’s antibacterial and won’t make you fat unless it’s overconsumed.

Blueberries (ORAC: 6,552 μ mol TE/100g)

The fact that blueberries have a strong blue color gives hints about its properties. Berries often have high orac values, often over 2,000, but blueberries are extraordinary.

Combine with some unsweetened yoghurt or quark and you have a perfect snack or dessert.

Cocoa (ORAC: 80,933 μ mol TE/100g)

Cocoa contains a kind of antioxidants called anthocyanins, that are also found in red wine, blueberries and coffe. These anthocyanins can make wonders for your health. Yet, let’s face it – overconsumption of chocolate will eventually make you fat, so don’t eat too much.

Six grammes of dark chocolate a day is said to be optimal.

Acai berries (ORAC: 102,700 μ mol TE/100g)

Acai is a berry that has gained a lot of medial attention lately due to its high content of anthocyanins. The berry is grown mainly in South America and may be hard to find on the market in other parts of the world. If you do find some, concider yourself lucky.

Cloves (ORAC 314,446 μ mol TE/100g)

Ground cloves has an orac value of over 314,000. This is extreme. Compare that with blueberries – said to be an extremely good source for antioxidants – that have a (very high) orac value of 6,000. Of course, you’re less likely to consume 100 grammes of cloves than 100 grammes of blueberries or cocoa, yet due to its extremely high orac value, you can still gain great health benefits from cloves even if you only consume small amounts.

Try using some cloves the next time you brew coffee or tea.

Read more

Healthy Diet Improves Immune System – Diet Blog

Antioxidants: Fighting the Good Fight – Mark’s Daily Apple

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Aiming to make 2010 slightly healthier than 2009? Here’s a few foods to get you on the right track.

1. Goji berries

The red goji beriies contains incredible amounts of antioxidants, that will help you stay fit, strengthen your immune system and keep your body from aging. Goji berries also have a low glycemic index.

2. Quinoa

Quinoa is really a super food. It has a very high protein content and contains all nine essential amino acids, making it a popular choice among vegetarians. It’s high in calcium, minerals, vitamins, antioxidants (if you chose the dark quinoa) and fiber. No wonder the Aztecs called Quinoa “the mother of all foods”.

3. Acai

Acai is a dark berry from South America. Studies have shown both good and bad vitamin values, but luckily that’s not what makes it so amazing. What makes acai a true super food is rather its extremely high content of antioxidants – in fact one of the highest of all foods on this planet.

4. Shellfish

Shellfish is a great source for the omega-3 acids EPA and DHA, that among other things will prevent heart disease. It’s also a great source for protein.

5. Almonds

Almonds contain a lot of protein as well as a lot of good monounsaturated fat that will help you lower you LDL cholesterol. Almonds increase your metabolism, and studies have shown that adding a handful of almonds a day to your diet actually will help you lose weight, even though your total calorie intake will go up.

6. Walnuts

A great source for omega-3. Even if it’s not the same kind of omega-3 that you can find in fish (it’s a kind of omega-3 called ALA, instead of EPA and DHA), you will still gain great health benefits from it.

7. Salmon

Another good source for omega-3, as well as protein.

8. Dark chocolate

Thought chocolate was bad for you? Well, it is. If you eat too much, that is. However, if you can restrain yourself and avoid over-eating, dark chocolate is a great source for antioxidants.

9. Garlic

Garlci is one of the oldest known medicinal plants. It’s very good for fighting colds, as well as heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke. It’s truly nature’s own antibiotic.

10. Green tea

Green tea is a very good source for flavonoids, a type of antioxidants. However, don’t drink it with milk, as the milk will stop your body from metabolizing its flavonoids properly.

11. Blueberries

Blueberries have a very high content of antioxidants (anthocyanins). They also help preventing Alzheimer’s and brain damages. Consumption of blueberries help to lower cholesterol as well as total blood lipid levels. Their low glycemic index will help you keep your weight as well as your energy levels on top.

12. Cinnamon

An averagely high consumption of cinnamon will provide you with loads of manganese, iron, calcium and vitamins C and K. It also contains insane amounts of antioxidants – even far more than acai. It will also help you boost cognitive function and memory.

Got any other great foods that should be on the list? Share your thoughts.

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Ever dreamt of aging slower? Ever wanting to see your grandchildren grow up? Ever dream of living a few years longer?

In the long run, we’ll all die. The question is not if, but rather when. But, let’s face it. How long you’ll live is partly controlled by your genes, and therefore different people can expect to reach different ages. However, your lifestyle and your habits may buy you a few more years to live. Here are a few actions and habits that are proven to make people live longer:

1. Get a move on.

Why?

Physical activity has proven to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, heart attack, diabetes, hip fracture, high blood pressure and overweight. A study claims that a person at the age of 65 may expect to live 12,7 years longer if he or she is exercising regularity.

How?

Find a kind of activity that you really enjoy. Keep motivating yourself. Do everyday exercising, such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Take a walk with your dog, do some yard-work or go play tennis. The important thing is to exercise frequently. If possible, try to find some time to work out every day.

2. Have sex.

Why?

No complains here, right? Having sex every now and then may increase your life with 3-8 years. The chemicals released by orgasms may reduce stress and help you relax more.

How?

I’ll leave this one for you to figure out.

3. Get married.

Why?

In a study conducted in the US, bachelors aged between 19 and 44 were more than twice as likely to die as people on the same age who were married. People who were divorced were also more likely to die younger than people who lived their whole life with the same partner.

How?

Find a partner who you know for sure you can share your whole life with.

4. Watch your weight.

Why?

Researches have found that being overweight increases the risk of getting heart disease, vascular disease, stroke, diabetes, kidney disease, liver disease, lung disease and cancer.

How?

Find a diet that works for you. Personally, I’d lower my consumption of carbohydrates, especially fast ones such as sugar, and increase my consumption of protein, as protein stimulates the burning of fat and creates a feeling of fullness.

5. Stay optimistic.

Why?

Studies have show that among people aged 65 to 85, optimistic ones had a 55 % lower risk of dying within eight years.

How?

Make an effort to keep a positive view on life. Take chances. Accept that everything may not work out as expected. Learn from your mistakes instead of getting beaten down.

6. Quit smoking.

Why?

A study showed that people who quit smoking reduced the risk of death by 13 % within five years. Within 20 years, the ex-smokers had about the same risk of dying as people who had never smoked.

How?

When it comes to quitting smoking, the hard part is always motivation. Why do you want to live longer in the first place? Make a list of all the reasons you can come up with.

7. Get your antioxidants.

Why?

A diet rich in antioxidants boost your immune system, prevents cancer and heart disease and may make your body age slower. However, this is only the case for antioxidants from food, as antioxidants from dietary supplements may have no noticeable or even harmful effects.

How?

Eat lots of fruits, veggies and legumes, especially colourful ones, as many antioxidants give plants their specific colours. Eats lots of berries, as these contain huge amounts of antioxidants in relation to their calorie content. Drink tea, especially green tea, without milk. Consume moderate amounts of dark chocolate, coffee and red wine.

8. De-stress.

Why?

Researches have found that too much stress increases your risk of heart disease.

How?

Find time for yourself, or time to spend with your loved ones. Meditate. Take a warm bath. Exercise. Learn to separate your work life and your private life. Participate in social activities.

Enjoy your new long and happy life!

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You thought coffee was bad for you? Think again. Studies has shown that two to three regular cups of coffee a day will give you antioxidants, increase the burning of fat and lift your mood without raising your heart rate too much or seriously affecting your sleep.

If you want to maximize the health benefits of coffee, here’s a few tips.

• Avoid coffee 8 hours prior to sleep

One of the most documented effects of coffee is that it raises your wakefulness. This is both good and bad. Good in the way that it makes you more alert and bad in the way that it can affect your sleep.

If you want to enjoy coffee and still be able to get your ever so important eight hours of sleep, avoid drinking coffee on the afternoon and in the evenings.

• Learn to drink it plain

Many people drink their coffee with milk, cream or sugar. Unfortunately, this adds up on calories and may eventually be a contributing factor to overweight.

How you enjoy your coffee is very much a matter of habit. Try drinking your coffee black for a week or two, and you may start to enjoy it. If you still don’t like it, change the high-fat milk and cream for low-fat milk.

• Drink it before working out

Before you go exercising, have a cup of coffee. The caffeine will increase your energy levels during the workout and therefore enable you to accomplish more.

• Avoid drinking it directly after a meal

Drinking coffee after a meal may block your body’s ability to absorb the iron in the food by up to 40 %. If you want to avoid that, wait an hour.

If you still want to drink coffee after a meal, compensate the loss of iron by eating fruits rich in vitamin C, as this will increase the absorption of iron.

• Spice it up

Antioxidants are nutrients that boost your immune system and protect you from several kinds of diseases. Antioxidant content is usually measured in ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) values, that tell you the amount of antioxidants that can be found in 100 grams of a food or drink. For example, tomatoes have an ORAC value of 200 and onions have an ORAC value of 450.

Several spices have extremely high ORAC values – such as cinnamon (267,000 ORAC) and cloves (314,000 ORAC). If you brew your own coffee, add small amounts of these spices before brewing. Your health will benefit from it, and it tastes great too.

Photo: josh.liba
Further reading

• Want To Lessen The Pain Of Working Out? Coffee To The Rescue! (Quick To Fit)

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