Antioxidants are everywhere in nature. An easy way to spot them is to look for foods that have a natural, deep color. Most of the compounds responsible for these intense colors are called phytonutrients, and they have been found to have a plethora of benefits for human health. Our previous post looked at the benefits of red phytonutrients; in this post, we will look more closely at their orange and yellow counterparts. (more…)
When you look at food, deep colors tend to catch your eye more – meaning they are often more appealing to you – than less intense, or deep colors. For example,when you look at tomatoes, you will generally reach for a tomato that has a deep red color rather than a tomato that has a little red or pink color. Somewhere in the recesses of our brains, we know that things that have a naturally deep, intense color are better for us; and for the most part that is true. (more…)
Phytonutrients (otherwise known as phytochemicals) are chemical compounds that occur naturally in plants (“phyto” means “plant” in Greek). Some are responsible for color of foods – such as the deep purple color of blueberries; others are responsible for the smells of certain foods – such as the smell of garlic or onions. (more…)
Many people wonder whether or not they need supplementation in order to optimize their health. The answer is (like most things related to health): it depends. (more…)
Part 1 in this series outlined the need for antioxidants and how they can protect our bodies from a whole host of disorders and dysfunction. In this post, we’ll review some of the key antioxidants and why you may want to take a variety of antioxidants. (more…)
As we go through life, we are literally bombarded (both inside and out) by tiny packets of unstable energy (molecules) called free radicals. These free radicals come from many places. The environment around us supplies a steady dose of free radicals from such things as ultraviolet (UV) light, radiation, cigarette smoke and pollution. However, many free radicals also come from within us, due to inflammation and even day-to-day metabolism. (more…)
Give the gift of health!
