First line of defense against oxidative damage: fruits and vegetables

There are many different ways to get antioxidants. But the best sources of antioxidants, by far, are the fruits and vegetables in your diet. While the need for supplemental antioxidants is debated, there is a large body of evidence supporting the fact that antioxidants in your diet can protect you from the ravages of many age related diseases. There are hundreds of studies that demonstrate that eating substantial amounts of antioxidant-containing fruits and vegetables will reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, enlarged prostate, cataracts, many cancers and diabetes. In one large nutritional study of 84,251 women 34 to 59 years of age who were followed for 14 years and 42,148 men 40 to 75 years who were followed for 8 years, those individuals who had the highest intake of fruits and vegetables had the least heart attacks ¹. In these studies, green leafy vegetables and vitamin C--rich fruits and vegetables appear to have the greatest protective effect against coronary heart disease. In another massive study of 75,596 women and 38,683 men, those who ate the most fruits and vegetables had significantly less strokes ². In this study, it was the cruciferous and green leafy vegetables and citrus fruit and juice that gave the most protection from strokes. There are also several reports which link high fruit and vegetable consumption to a lower risk of several cancers ³. Based on these and other studies, the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society and the National Institutes of Health all recommend that Americans eat 5 to 9 portions of fruits and vegetables a day.

The carotenoids, nature's powerful antioxidants

Besides containing vitamin C, vegetables contain lots of carotenoids. Carotenoids are powerful antioxidants. The carotenoids that you may have heard about are beta-carotene, lutein, lycopene, and zeaxanthine. Beta-carotene is the most abundant carotenoid in carrots, a vegetable with powerful anti-cancer effects. Until five or ten years ago, beta-carotene was one of the most popular antioxidant supplements. Unfortunately, two large clinical trials, one in Finland and another, the Harvard MD study, showed that supplemental beta-carotene did not protect the participants from cancer and may have actually increased their risk (the Finnish study) ⁴. Thus while carotenoids within foods can protect you from cancer and other diseases, it is certainly not clear that they have this effect when they are taken as individual supplements.

Two carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthine protect your vision

In your eye, there are not many antioxidants. Because lutein and zeaxanthine are two carotenoids that are present in very high concentrations within the eye, studies have examined whether these two compounds can protect your eye. The exciting finding was that individuals who consumed the most zeaxanthine and lutein in their diets were protected against both cataracts and macular degeneration, two common eye conditions associated with aging. While cataracts can be treated easily and vision restored, macular degeneration can lead to permit loss of vision. Zeaxanthine is found in everything orange: corn, mango, orange bell peppers and, of course, oranges. Lutein comes in a variety of vegetables: corn, spinach, pumpkin, yellow, butternut and zucchini squash, green bell peppers and cucumbers. It is also found in red grapes and kiwis. While lutein and zeaxanthine supplements are promoted to prevent eye disease, there is no evidence yet that supplements will have the same beneficial effect of ingesting these compounds in your food.

The lycopene story: ketchup may turn out to be a health food

Tomatoes are chuck full of lycopene, a carotenoid with powerful antioxidant abilities. Lycopene can protect you from heart disease and prostate cancer. However, to liberate the beneficial antioxidant properties, you have to cook the tomatoes. Therefore, the biggest benefits come from pasta sauce, tomato soup and other cooked tomato products. Ronald Reagan once placed ketchup in the vegetable group. He might have been prescient, as well as president.

Information provided in this article is for informational purposes and is not meant to substitute for the advice furnished by your own physician or other medical professional. This content should not be utilized for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing any medication. Before taking any health product, you should read carefully all product packaging. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem, promptly contact your health care provider. Information and statements regarding dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.