By Astrid Lee
Anti-oxidants are naturally occurring nutritients. They are disease fighters that are known to prevent heart disease, cancer and aging. Scientists consider some anti-oxidants are more potent than others, and that their potency can be affected by how they are cooked or digested.
For instance, the anti-oxidants in tomatoes become more potent when cooked, while those found in blueberries lose their potency with this treatment.
Overall, it’s best to maximize your intake of disease-fighting anti-oxidants. According to a newly published list, these are the top 20 foods containing the highest anti-oxidant concentration. 1: highest and 20: lowest, but still good.
- Small dried red beans
- Wild blueberries
- Red kidney beans
- Pinto beans
- Cultivated blueberries
- Cranberries
- Cooked artichokes
- Blackberries
- Prunes
- Raspberries
- Strawberries
- Red Delicious apples
- Granny Smith apples
- Pecans
- Sweet cherries
- Black plums
- Cooked Russet potatoes
- Dried black beans
- Plums
- Gala apples
Enjoy antioxidant-rich foods — most are pretty yummy.