Knowing the antioxidants in food

ANTIOXIDANTS are scientifically recognised for their anticancer properties. They are present in all kinds of foods. But what exactly are these molecules and where are they found?

A relatively reliable clue to point you in the direction of antioxidants is colour. In fact, these anticancer compounds are mainly found in the brightly-coloured fruit and vegetables that liven up our plates.

The orange colour of carrots, apricots and sweet potatoes comes from beta-carotene, the green in leafy vegetables (green cabbage, spinach, peas, avocado, etc) comes from lutein and zeaxanthin, and lycopene gives tomatoes their red colour.

Various studies have shown that green vegetables (notably spinach), plus green beans, bell peppers, carrots, tomatoes and cruciferous vegetables can be particularly protective against cancer.

Citrus fruit like clementines, lemons, oranges, grapefruits and kiwis are packed with vitamin C, not to mention berries like goji berries, rosehips, blackcurrants and small red fruit.

As for vegetables, vitamin C is principally found in potatoes, turnips, green cabbage, bell peppers, fennel and spinach.

Vitamin E is another powerful antioxidant. It is found in vegetable oils (wheat germ, argan, canola, sunflower), nuts, avocado, asparagus, tomatoes, cabbage, blackberries and blackcurrants.

Vitamin A (retinol) is produced in the body from beta-carotene, found in fruit and vegetables (carrots, apricots, mangos, dark green vegetables, sweet potatoes, parsley, algae) and animal products (butter, liver, fish, cheese, etc).

Finally, certain polyphenols are antioxidants. These have complicated names like quercetin, genistein, catechins and curcumin, found in turmeric. They are, for example, the tannins found in lentils, green tea, grapes and red wine, or the flavonoids in dark chocolate.

Dark chocolate has an ORAC antioxidant value of 13,000 per 100g, making it one of the best sources of antioxidants around. Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity measures the ability of a food to neutralise free radicals.

Certain trace elements like zinc (oysters, beef, calf’s liver) and selenium (meat, eggs, seafood) can also be considered antioxidants because they effectively fight ageing of the body.

Beyond cancer risk, antioxidants are capable of reducing DNA damage, lowering cholesterol levels and blood pressure, and boosting the health of blood vessels, the immune system and bacteria in the microbiota. – AFPRelaxnews