Antioxidants on the menu

By Hubert Cormier, nutritionist

We breathe to live…But did you know that oxygen, the molecule that enables us to exist, think and move around, is also responsible for the formation of free radicals – unstable molecules that can be harmful to the system? Free radicals induce oxidative stress and may lead to the development of various illnesses, including certain types of cancer. Thankfully, antioxidants help reduce oxidative stress and prevent the damage caused by free radicals.

Here is an example that illustrates the role of antioxidants. When an apple is cut, its surface is exposed to oxygen and begins to turn brown through oxidation. In fact, the slices of apple experience what could be qualified as oxidative stress. But a little lemon juice on the apple will stop the process. In fact, the vitamin C (citric acid) contained in the lemon juice is a powerful antioxidant that acts as a protective coating on the apple and intercepts the free radicals before they attack the fruit. The antioxidants in the human body work in the same way, protecting the system from cell oxidation by free radicals.

Antioxidants are found in several foods. Also, with the boom in the functional foods industry, it is now possible to buy several antioxidant-enriched products. Protective fruit pigments are among some of the most powerful antioxidants. For an optimal intake, it is best to consume fresh fruit that has not been transformed. When processed, the fruit added to preparations are often heat treated to reduce them to jam. The amount of real fruit in the final product is not significant and the addition of antioxidant-rich superfruits into processed foods does not provide a significant amount of antioxidant molecules.

A tried and true way of meeting your body’s antioxidant needs is to add fresh fruit like blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, acai, pomegranate or cherries to yogurt. Yum! Other foods such as cocoa powder, certain spices, Cayenne pepper, nuts, and delicious dark chocolate are also rich in antioxidants!

How will you transform your yogurt? Be sure to consult the ANTIOXIDANT content of foods added to Liberté plain yogurt table for food suggestions to help you meet your antioxidant needs.