Berries, pomegranates highest antioxidant levels
Antioxidants have been found to be the chemicals behind many of the health-promoting benefits of fruits and vegetables. They act in part by cleansing the body of free radicals, which can cause cell and DNA damage that leads to the effects of aging and to many chronic ailments such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease.
The researchers found that berries were by far the most cost-effective way of consuming antioxidants. Among all the fruits analyzed, cranberries, blueberries and blackberries topped the list for antioxidant content. Just a single cup a day of berries was found to provide the recommended daily intake of antioxidants for disease-fighting purposes.
Other top-ranking fruits are peaches, mangoes and melons.
Berries (including blackberries, raspberries and blueberries) still scored at the top, with wild blueberries found to be the most potent. Pomegranates ranked equal to berries in antioxidant content.
Source: atlantablackstar.com
