At one point or another we’ve probably all wondered how to increase the antioxidants in our diet. Fortunately, a Paleo diet is an important and easy way to maintain antioxidant health. But before we explain how, it’s important to know why.
In the first part of this series on antioxidant health, Christopher James Clark explained that free radicals are highly unstable and reactive molecules with an unpaired electron. While they aren’t inherently “bad”, a chronic excess can lead to oxidative stress which damages your body including your DNA, your cellular membranes and worsens chronic disease progressions.
Poor health or diet, lacking regular movement in your life, or regular exposure to air pollutants or industrial chemicals then can all tip the scales toward free radical excess.
Diet is a critical way to restore balance.
One of the many reasons an ancestral approach to eating is fantastic for promoting health is that it significantly reduces or even eliminates simple sugars and omega-6 rich vegetable seed oils. Both are major causes of free radical damage in the body.1,2 Limiting the foods you consume that cause free radical damage is an important first step.
Next, you need to add more antioxidant rich-foods to your nutritional arsenal. The good news is, a Paleo diet is the perfect platform for boosting your antioxidant intake and ensuring you meet your daily needs. Let’s take a closer look at five foods that are ancestral antioxidant powerhouses:
Cold-Water Fatty Fish
Fish contains an array of natural compounds that contribute to antioxidant defenses; carotenoids, amino acids and nutrients like ubuiquinones (i.e. CoQ10).3 To maximize your benefit, include fish like salmon, trout, mackerel, halibut, herring regularly in your diet, as well as seafood like oysters, mussels, scallops and shrimp.
Blueberries
All berries are a great sources of antioxidants, but blueberries (especially wild blueberries) are the heavyweight champions. They contain the greatest ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) of all fruits and vegetables, no easy feat.4 Blueberries get their color from a group of flavonoids called anthocyanins, thought to be major drivers behind the antioxidant benefits of blueberries.5 They’re quick and easy to eat, making them a great “on the go” snack. Alternately, try them frozen as dessert option after dinner.
Avocados
Avocados are one of my favorite Paleo foods to recommend to clients because they pack a fantastic healthy fat and fiber punch, while also being a great source of both water-soluble antioxidants like vitamin C and fat-soluble antioxidants like vitamin E and K. Avocados are also rich in the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthine that protect your eyes from macular degeneration.6 These benefits combined with the phenomenal anti-inflammatory and blood sugar balancing effects of the monounsaturated fat (MUFA) oleic acid found in this nutritious fruit should make it an absolute staple in your diet.7,8