Foods High in Antioxidants

You're heard how good antioxidants are for your diet-they improve your skin, your health, fight cancer and extend your life expectancy-and now you want to get more antioxidants into your diet. Fortunately, it's easy to find foods high in antioxidants.

If you simply follow the FDA's recommended diet, you'll naturally be eating a diet full of foods high in antioxidants. For those who are familiar with the FDA's recommendations, here's a cheat sheet of foods high in antioxidants. You'll notice they are all foods that are good for losing weight, managing diabetes and improving heart health.

Foods High in Antioxidants

Fruit
While berries pack the biggest punch of antioxidants per serving size, several other fruits are also good sources of antioxidants. Try making a fruit salad for dessert each night and loading it up with grapes, orange slices and pineapple slices. Eat a plum for your mid-day snack and have half a grapefruit for breakfast.

Vegetables
If you want to increase your intake of antioxidants, simply hit the salad bar every day at lunch time. Load up your plate with spinach and red cabbage, then add a hearty dose of peppers and red beets. For dinner, make sure to get a baked potato or a helping of brussel sprouts on your plate. Use plenty of fresh ginger root to spice that stir fry. Vegetables are great sources of antioxidants.

Dried Fruit
Dried apricots, prunes, dates, cranberries, cherries and raisins are fabulous sources of antioxidants. Sprinkle these over salads or other dishes, but watch your portions because they're also high in calories.

Legumes
If you're looking for a power-packed dietary antioxidant, start eating red kidney beans. A half cup of red kidney beans will deliver more antioxidants than a whole cup of blueberries or raspberries.Cook up a pot of chili made with pinto beans, lima beans, black beans and kidney beans and enjoy-you're extending your life with that bowl of goodness.

Soy
Soy is a surprisingly good source of antioxidants. Try replacing dairy products with soy products such as soy milk and frozen tofu. Serve dried and salted edamame as a snack and try cooking soybeans for dinner.

Red Wine
Red wine has been determined to be the alcoholic beverage that contains the most antioxidants. Drink a glass or two a day for your health and enjoy the benefits Europeans have relished for centuries.

Dark Chocolate
You might not have thought you could squeeze extra antioxidants into your diet through eating dessert, but dark chocolate is full of beneficial antioxidants. Try making a dark chocolate sauce and drizzling it over strawberries or raspberries for a delectable dessert packed with age-defying antioxidants.