Antioxidants are important for the function of every cell, and are especially helpful for women who want to improve their egg quality for a healthy pregnancy. When it comes to the highest antioxidant foods, most people assume it’s vegetables or berries. Would you be surprised to learn that’s wrong? Veggies do contain antioxidants, and berries contain even more, but when it comes to the highest antioxidant foods, look no further than your own spice and tea cabinets. Herbs and spices like oregano, saffron, turmeric, and garlic and teas like hibiscus, green, black, and white teas that give you the most protection from free radicals. That means that you’re missing out on the most potent and versatile antioxidants available if you’re focusing only on fruits and veggies. In this post I’ll talk about about some common spices, herbs, and teas you can use to increase the antioxidants on a daily basis.
What Are Antioxidants?
Antioxidants are compounds found mainly in plants that counteract the damaging effects of oxidation. Oxidation, a normal chemical reaction that happens in our cells, creates waste products called free radicals. These free radicals have an odd number of electrons which makes them unstable and highly reactive. The only way to balance themselves is to steal electrons from other molecules. The process of stealing electrons can cause damage to our cells and DNA, but thankfully that’s where antioxidants step in. Antioxidants are able to give an electron to free radicals without becoming unstable themselves, righting the balance and preventing or repairing the damage.
Increased exposure to pesticides, fried foods, pollution, toxins, smoking, and drugs including pharmaceuticals has caused more free radical production than ever before in human history. Most of us are exposed to thousands of different toxins and pollutants every time we step outside. And too many free radicals leads to oxidative stress, which plays a role in the development of inflammatory diseases, neurological conditions, certain cancers, and premature ovarian aging. Loading up on antioxidants can help your body prevent and repair free radical damage for better egg health and quality, not to mention better whole body health!
Eating nonstarchy veggies with every meal and including a half cup of berries daily is helpful, but don’t stop there. Adding the common and inexpensive herbs, spices, and teas below can help you quadruple your daily antioxidant consumption without additional cooking or prep time.
Cinnamon
This widely used spice comes in at #9 on the list of highest antioxidant foods. In addition to its ability to fight cellular damage, cinnamon has also been studied for its balancing effects on blood sugar. In fact, adding a dash of cinnamon to your morning oatmeal or beverage can help keep your blood sugar stable and prevent crashes later on. Make sure you use ceylon cinnamon rather than the more common cassia cinnamon – the latter contains a substance that can be toxic even in small doses.
Oregano
Oregano contains the second highest antioxidant count of all spices, right after cloves: Just half a teaspoon of oregano contains the antioxidant count of half a cup of berries! This peppery herb is already a regular in most US spice cabinets and can be added to sauces, pastas, salads, vinaigrettes, pizzas, and more to add an Italian or Greek flair to your meal. Oregano’s many benefits include its potent antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties that can help fight colds and infections. In addition to cooking with the dried herb, I keep a vial of oil of oregano in my medicine cabinet to use as a first line of defense when I feel under the weather.
Cocoa
As if you need a reason to eat more chocolate! My personal favorite antioxidant, raw cocoa or cacao ranks higher on the ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) scale than any fruit or vegetable and is a nutritious way to satisfy your sweet tooth. Polyphenols and flavanols, the types of antioxidants in cocoa, may decrease risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer. You can add raw unsweetened cacao or cocoa powder to smoothies and oatmeal, use it for baking, or simply include a few squares of 70% dark or darker chocolate as a healthy dessert.
Turmeric
This spice that gives curry its yellow color is worth the hype. Curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, reduces inflammation in the body and joints and acts as a potent cancer fighter. Cooking with turmeric is easy and cost effective, but there are quality supplements on the market for people who prefer a pill form. I recommend supplementing with a food-based turmeric supplement that contains black pepper extract (aka bioperine) for enhanced absorption, such as MegaFood Turmeric Strength for Whole Body.
Green and Black Teas
Green and black teas are potent herbs that give you more than ten times the antioxidants in fruits and veggies in the form of flavonoids. Studies also suggest that compounds in green and black teas, which are made from the same plant, can help improve metabolism and prevent cancer. Both teas naturally contain less caffeine than a cup of coffee, making them a good choice for the caffeine-conscious, including women who are pregnant or trying to conceive. And consider opting for matcha, which is the ground leaf version of green tea and provides about 40 times more antioxidants than loose leaf green tea!
