Health articles firmly plant into our collective psyche the word "antioxidants," but do we really know what the word means? Better still, if the experts are saying "antioxidants" are good for us, then how do we go about getting them?

Thousands of antioxidants come in the form of natural ingredients, protecting our body's cells from attack by sneaky and swarming "free radicals," which are often times given life as our bodies burn oxygen for energy. Once free radicals get going, they run amok through our systems, potentially creating cell damage that can lead to a wide range of diseases and afflictions, from cancer to diabetes to Alzheimer's.

Health experts have shown how antioxidants have the ability to battle free radicals, thus protecting our bodies from various diseases.

Delivering knockout punches 

Antioxidants occur naturally in the body, but we also can get plenty of them by eating the right foods and taking supplements. Nutritionists and dietitians continue to encourage people to boost the body's ability to deliver knockout punches to free radicals by consuming plenty of antioxidant-laden fruits, vegetables, grains, red wine, tea, and even chocolate.

Although research continues to link red wine as a plentiful source for antioxidants, nutritionists caution that we drink red wine upon occasion, and let our food sources drive our antioxidant intake. As for dark chocolate, another viable source for antioxidants - moderation, moderation, moderation.

Naturally, there isn't enough space to list all antioxidants, so here are the best known:

•  Vitamin C. The "big daddy" in citrus fruits, kiwis, strawberries, green peppers, cabbage, spinach, broccoli, kale, and many other fruits and vegetables.

•  Vitamin E. Find this in nuts, seeds, vegetable and fish oils, whole grains, fortified cereals and apricots.

•  Vitamin A, in the form of beta-carotine, which shows up as the reds and yellows in pumpkin, carrots, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, peppers, apricots and mangoes. You'll also find them in broccoli, spinach, green cabbage, egg yolk and - shudder! - liver. Vitamin A helps with vision, bone growth, reproduction and cell division, as well as regulates the immune system.

Beta-carotine is among 700 antioxidant compounds known as "carotenoids." Lutein and lycopene are other carotenoids getting plenty of ink these days. 
 
•  Flavonoids, the largest class of antioxidants, numbering more than 5,000 in various foods.

• Selenium, found mainly in trace amount within nuts, fish, grains and beans.

Beans, beans and more beans

To bolster our levels of antioxidants, the American Heart Association, as well as other such groups, recommends:

•  Six or more servings of breads, cereals, pasta and starchy vegetables;

•  Five servings of fruits and vegetables;

•  Two to four servings of fat-free milk or low-fat dairy products;

•  Up to six cooked ounces of lean meat and poultry.

But if people want to get the most antioxidants at once, they should devour a plate of beans. A study by food scientists at the U.S. Department of Agriculture found a half-cup of red beans provides nearly 14,000 antioxidants, red kidney beans just over 13,000 and pinto beans at nearly 12,000. Black beans contained 4,191 antioxidants, still outranking many other foods.

The study also showed steamed artichoke hearts provide 7,904 antioxidants, baked russet potatoes, 4,649; raw spinach, 1,056; baked sweet potatoes, 1,199; and eggplant, 1,039.

However, cooking vegetables zaps some of their antioxidants, the scientists warn.

Don't forget about supplements

We also can get antioxidants through daily supplements that we buy at the grocery, drug store or health-food outlet. However, eating a healthy diet will yield a greater amount of the nutrients than swallowing a handful of pills every day.

Between 30 and 45 percent of Americans take supplements, obviously taking cues from positive media reports and health advice on antioxidants.

However, the American Heart Association doesn't recommend antioxidant vitamin supplements until more complete studies are available as to their benefits. Recent studies have shown that supplements failed to reduce a body's level of LDL "bad" cholesterol in the blood, thus stymieing fat building up in the arteries and leading to strokes and heart attacks.

Nubella News, a division of Marketing Technology Solutions, Inc., offers content intended for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We encourage our readers to seek prompt medical care for health issues and consult their physicians before starting a new diet, fitness regimen, or medical treatment.