Broccoli is another vegetable loaded with antioxidants. It is one of the cruciferous vegetables, such as cabbage, cauliflower and brussel sprouts, that help to prevent cancer and ward off heart disease. These vegetables contain indole-3-carbinol, a potent antioxidant that breaks down estrogen in the body and reduces the risk of breast cancer and cervical cancers. Broccoli also contains Beta-carotene which helps to prevent heart disease.
Tomatoes have also made the news media in the past several years, and for good reason. Science has found that they contain chemicals, including lycopene, which wards off certain types of cancer and prevents macular degeneration and cataracts. Lycopene is a relatively rare member of the carotenoid family and is twice as powerful as Beta-carotene. Some studies suggest that lycopene can help to prevent lung, colon and breast cancer. Tomatoes contain the antioxidant glutathione which helps to boost immune function.
Dried beans are another good source of anti-oxidants as are granny smith apples, pecans and cherries. 10 years ago scientists discovered that an anti-oxidant in red wine may keep your heart beating longer and stronger. This led to an increase in advertising dollars by the wine industry. The substances they found in red grapes that helped to boost heart health by acting as a free radical scavenger. The actual chemical found was resveratrol, now manufactured in the laboratory and sold as a supplement.
Garlic is a medicinal herb which has been used for centuries in a variety of ways, including as an antibiotic. Garlic is packed with antioxidants and sulfur compounds thought to be responsible for its healing benefits. Garlic is known to lower cholesterol levels, reduce blood pressure and has anti-clotting properties.
References:
(1) Bowling Green State University: Chapter 14 Radical Reactions
http://www.bgsu.edu/departments/chem/faculty/pavel/Chem542/Chapter%2014%20-%20542.pdf
(2) National Cancer Institute: Antioxidants and Cancer Prevention
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/prevention/antioxidants
(3) MedlinePlus: Beta-Carotene
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/999.html
(4) University of Maryland Medical Center: Beta-Carotene
http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/beta-carotene-000286.htm
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