Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhy Antioxidants Are HealthyTypes of Antioxidants in Different Food GroupsRisks of Diet Low in AntioxidantsFoods vs. SupplementsAntioxidant-Forward Meal Ideas

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Why Antioxidants Are Healthy

Types of Antioxidants in Different Food Groups

Risks of Diet Low in Antioxidants

Foods vs. Supplements

Antioxidant-Forward Meal Ideas

Antioxidants are compounds that help protect your cellular health and overall wellness. They reduce the harm from exposure to free radicals, compounds around us that cause cellular stress. Antioxidants are predominantly found in colorful plant foods like leafy greens, nuts, and berries.

This article explores why antioxidants are good for you and the best places to find them in your diet.

Grace Cary / Getty Images

Close-up of unrecognizable white man pouring a cup of frozen blueberries into blender jar with spinach

Antioxidants neutralize free radicals through a process of transferring electrons. This helps turn free radicals “off” to prevent them from harming our cells and DNA. Without antioxidants, free radicals would have devastating effects on our health.

Specifically, a regular supply of antioxidants through food has been associated with a reduced risk for conditions like heart disease, cancers, and other morbidities.

What Are Free Radicals?

Antioxidants play a crucial role in supporting and protecting our health. The same goes for plants, animals, and other living things with antioxidant defense mechanisms.

As such, antioxidants naturally occur in many foods you may already include in your diet. While they are predominantly found in whole plant foods, there are also some animal-derived sources of antioxidants.

The following are some of the major types of antioxidants and where they can be found in food:

This isn’t an exhaustive list, but it does underline that the best way to incorporate antioxidants into your diet is to consume a variety of healthy, minimally processed foods. The best sources are fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, and certain fish.

7 Benefits of Pomegranate Seeds and Their Juice

Eating a diet low in antioxidants can set you up for a higher risk of disease. Without antioxidants, your cells are more vulnerable to damage from free radicals.

Diet patterns high in saturated and trans fats, sodium, and added sugar but low in fiber and antioxidants have been found to promote the development of chronic diseases.

Research suggests that eating this way negatively alters the community of bacteria in your digestive tract, called yourgut microbiome.An imbalanced gut microbiome promotes inflammation, increasing the risk of disease.

Comparing Antioxidants in Food vs. Supplements

Antioxidants are also sold in supplemental form, often advertised as “ultra” or “high dose.” While the marketing can be intriguing, more antioxidants aren’t always better. And, there aren’t necessarily antioxidants that are better than others. A combination is optimal.

Taking high amounts of isolated antioxidants can harm your health, with their risk outweighing their potential benefits.Megadoses can be toxic and, in some cases, promote oxidation rather than prevent it.

For example,glutathione(GSH) is an antioxidant your body produces. While it has anticancer benefits, research shows that excess GSH promotes cancerous tumor growth.

Research also indicates that it’s not necessarily the antioxidant that has benefits but how it works with other compounds in whole foods to provide benefits.

A small randomized controlled trial found that, although healthy participants were given either orange juice or sugar water with the same amount of vitamin C, the orange juice offered significantly more antioxidant benefits.

Overall, the best way to get a variety of antioxidants in the safest and most beneficial way is to consume adiet full of antioxidant-rich foods.

If you’re looking for ways to include more antioxidants in your diet, consider these ideas:

The best way to reap the benefits of dietary antioxidants is to include fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, and certain fish.Consider what you currently eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and identify some places you can incorporate more antioxidant-rich foods regularly.

Summary

Antioxidants are compounds that help protect us from disease and the effects of aging. While your body makes some antioxidants, it’s important to incorporate them into your diet regularly. Find them in fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, and certain fish like salmon.

It’s best to get your antioxidants from these types of minimally processed foods versus high-dose antioxidant supplements, as these may negatively affect health. You probably already consume antioxidants and can add others to your meals and snacks with little effort.

19 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Martemucci G, Costagliola C, Mariano M, D’andrea L, Napolitano P, D’Alessandro AG.Free radical properties, source and targets, antioxidant consumption and health.Oxygen. 2022; 2(2):48-78. doi.org/10.3390/oxygen2020006Aune D.Plant foods, antioxidant biomarkers, and the risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and mortality: a review of the evidence.Adv Nutr. 2019;10(Suppl_4):S404-S421. doi:10.1093/advances/nmz042Khan UM, Sevindik M, Zarrabi A, et al.Lycopene: food sources, biological activities, and human health benefits.Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2021;2021:2713511. doi:10.1155/2021/2713511NIH National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.Vitamin C.Rizvi S, Raza ST, Ahmed F, Ahmad A, Abbas S, Mahdi F.The role of vitamin E in human health and some diseases.Sultan Qaboos Univ Med J. 2014;14(2):e157-e165.Imran M, Ghorat F, Ul-Haq I, et al.Lycopene as a natural antioxidant used to prevent human health disorders.Antioxidants (Basel). 2020;9(8):706. doi:10.3390/antiox9080706Kiełczykowska M, Kocot J, Paździor M, Musik I.Selenium - a fascinating antioxidant of protective properties.Adv Clin Exp Med. 2018;27(2):245-255. doi:10.17219/acem/67222Anand R, Mohan L, Bharadvaja N.Disease prevention and treatment using β-carotene: the ultimate provitamin A.Rev Bras Farmacogn. 2022;32(4):491-501. doi:10.1007/s43450-022-00262-wDi Lorenzo C, Colombo F, Biella S, Stockley C, Restani P.Polyphenols and human health: the role of bioavailability.Nutrients. 2021;13(1):273. doi:10.3390/nu13010273Heshmati J, Morvaridzadeh M, Maroufizadeh S, et al.Omega-3 fatty acids supplementation and oxidative stress parameters: A systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials.Pharmacol Res. 2019;149:104462. doi:10.1016/j.phrs.2019.104462Sztretye M, Dienes B, Gönczi M, et al.Astaxanthin: a potential mitochondrial-targeted antioxidant treatment in diseases and with aging.Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2019;2019:3849692. doi:10.1155/2019/3849692Mantle D, Heaton RA, Hargreaves IP.Coenzyme Q10 and immune function: an overview.Antioxidants (Basel). 2021;10(5):759. doi:10.3390/antiox10050759Malesza IJ, Malesza M, Walkowiak J, et al.High-fat, Western-style diet, systemic inflammation, and gut microbiota: a narrative review.Cells. 2021;10(11):3164. doi:10.3390/cells10113164Deledda A, Annunziata G, Tenore GC, Palmas V, Manzin A, Velluzzi F.Diet-derived antioxidants and their role in inflammation, obesity and gut microbiota modulation.Antioxidants (Basel). 2021;10(5):708. doi:10.3390/antiox10050708Hills RD Jr, Pontefract BA, Mishcon HR, Black CA, Sutton SC, Theberge CR.Gut microbiome: profound implications for diet and disease.Nutrients. 2019;11(7):1613. doi:10.3390/nu11071613Li S, Fasipe B, Laher I.Potential harms of supplementation with high doses of antioxidants in athletes.J Exerc Sci Fit. 2022;20(4):269-275. doi:10.1016/j.jesf.2022.06.001Bansal A, Simon MC.Glutathione metabolism in cancer progression and treatment resistance.J Cell Biol. 2018;217(7):2291-2298. doi:10.1083/jcb.201804161Guarnieri S, Riso P, Porrini M.Orange juice vs vitamin C: effect on hydrogen peroxide-induced DNA damage in mononuclear blood cells.Br J Nutr. 2007;97(4):639-643. doi:10.1017/S0007114507657948Carlsen MH, Halvorsen BL, Holte K, et al.The total antioxidant content of more than 3100 foods, beverages, spices, herbs and supplements used worldwide.Nutr J. 2010;9:3. doi:10.1186/1475-2891-9-3

19 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Martemucci G, Costagliola C, Mariano M, D’andrea L, Napolitano P, D’Alessandro AG.Free radical properties, source and targets, antioxidant consumption and health.Oxygen. 2022; 2(2):48-78. doi.org/10.3390/oxygen2020006Aune D.Plant foods, antioxidant biomarkers, and the risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and mortality: a review of the evidence.Adv Nutr. 2019;10(Suppl_4):S404-S421. doi:10.1093/advances/nmz042Khan UM, Sevindik M, Zarrabi A, et al.Lycopene: food sources, biological activities, and human health benefits.Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2021;2021:2713511. doi:10.1155/2021/2713511NIH National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.Vitamin C.Rizvi S, Raza ST, Ahmed F, Ahmad A, Abbas S, Mahdi F.The role of vitamin E in human health and some diseases.Sultan Qaboos Univ Med J. 2014;14(2):e157-e165.Imran M, Ghorat F, Ul-Haq I, et al.Lycopene as a natural antioxidant used to prevent human health disorders.Antioxidants (Basel). 2020;9(8):706. doi:10.3390/antiox9080706Kiełczykowska M, Kocot J, Paździor M, Musik I.Selenium - a fascinating antioxidant of protective properties.Adv Clin Exp Med. 2018;27(2):245-255. doi:10.17219/acem/67222Anand R, Mohan L, Bharadvaja N.Disease prevention and treatment using β-carotene: the ultimate provitamin A.Rev Bras Farmacogn. 2022;32(4):491-501. doi:10.1007/s43450-022-00262-wDi Lorenzo C, Colombo F, Biella S, Stockley C, Restani P.Polyphenols and human health: the role of bioavailability.Nutrients. 2021;13(1):273. doi:10.3390/nu13010273Heshmati J, Morvaridzadeh M, Maroufizadeh S, et al.Omega-3 fatty acids supplementation and oxidative stress parameters: A systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials.Pharmacol Res. 2019;149:104462. doi:10.1016/j.phrs.2019.104462Sztretye M, Dienes B, Gönczi M, et al.Astaxanthin: a potential mitochondrial-targeted antioxidant treatment in diseases and with aging.Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2019;2019:3849692. doi:10.1155/2019/3849692Mantle D, Heaton RA, Hargreaves IP.Coenzyme Q10 and immune function: an overview.Antioxidants (Basel). 2021;10(5):759. doi:10.3390/antiox10050759Malesza IJ, Malesza M, Walkowiak J, et al.High-fat, Western-style diet, systemic inflammation, and gut microbiota: a narrative review.Cells. 2021;10(11):3164. doi:10.3390/cells10113164Deledda A, Annunziata G, Tenore GC, Palmas V, Manzin A, Velluzzi F.Diet-derived antioxidants and their role in inflammation, obesity and gut microbiota modulation.Antioxidants (Basel). 2021;10(5):708. doi:10.3390/antiox10050708Hills RD Jr, Pontefract BA, Mishcon HR, Black CA, Sutton SC, Theberge CR.Gut microbiome: profound implications for diet and disease.Nutrients. 2019;11(7):1613. doi:10.3390/nu11071613Li S, Fasipe B, Laher I.Potential harms of supplementation with high doses of antioxidants in athletes.J Exerc Sci Fit. 2022;20(4):269-275. doi:10.1016/j.jesf.2022.06.001Bansal A, Simon MC.Glutathione metabolism in cancer progression and treatment resistance.J Cell Biol. 2018;217(7):2291-2298. doi:10.1083/jcb.201804161Guarnieri S, Riso P, Porrini M.Orange juice vs vitamin C: effect on hydrogen peroxide-induced DNA damage in mononuclear blood cells.Br J Nutr. 2007;97(4):639-643. doi:10.1017/S0007114507657948Carlsen MH, Halvorsen BL, Holte K, et al.The total antioxidant content of more than 3100 foods, beverages, spices, herbs and supplements used worldwide.Nutr J. 2010;9:3. doi:10.1186/1475-2891-9-3

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Martemucci G, Costagliola C, Mariano M, D’andrea L, Napolitano P, D’Alessandro AG.Free radical properties, source and targets, antioxidant consumption and health.Oxygen. 2022; 2(2):48-78. doi.org/10.3390/oxygen2020006Aune D.Plant foods, antioxidant biomarkers, and the risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and mortality: a review of the evidence.Adv Nutr. 2019;10(Suppl_4):S404-S421. doi:10.1093/advances/nmz042Khan UM, Sevindik M, Zarrabi A, et al.Lycopene: food sources, biological activities, and human health benefits.Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2021;2021:2713511. doi:10.1155/2021/2713511NIH National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.Vitamin C.Rizvi S, Raza ST, Ahmed F, Ahmad A, Abbas S, Mahdi F.The role of vitamin E in human health and some diseases.Sultan Qaboos Univ Med J. 2014;14(2):e157-e165.Imran M, Ghorat F, Ul-Haq I, et al.Lycopene as a natural antioxidant used to prevent human health disorders.Antioxidants (Basel). 2020;9(8):706. doi:10.3390/antiox9080706Kiełczykowska M, Kocot J, Paździor M, Musik I.Selenium - a fascinating antioxidant of protective properties.Adv Clin Exp Med. 2018;27(2):245-255. doi:10.17219/acem/67222Anand R, Mohan L, Bharadvaja N.Disease prevention and treatment using β-carotene: the ultimate provitamin A.Rev Bras Farmacogn. 2022;32(4):491-501. doi:10.1007/s43450-022-00262-wDi Lorenzo C, Colombo F, Biella S, Stockley C, Restani P.Polyphenols and human health: the role of bioavailability.Nutrients. 2021;13(1):273. doi:10.3390/nu13010273Heshmati J, Morvaridzadeh M, Maroufizadeh S, et al.Omega-3 fatty acids supplementation and oxidative stress parameters: A systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials.Pharmacol Res. 2019;149:104462. doi:10.1016/j.phrs.2019.104462Sztretye M, Dienes B, Gönczi M, et al.Astaxanthin: a potential mitochondrial-targeted antioxidant treatment in diseases and with aging.Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2019;2019:3849692. doi:10.1155/2019/3849692Mantle D, Heaton RA, Hargreaves IP.Coenzyme Q10 and immune function: an overview.Antioxidants (Basel). 2021;10(5):759. doi:10.3390/antiox10050759Malesza IJ, Malesza M, Walkowiak J, et al.High-fat, Western-style diet, systemic inflammation, and gut microbiota: a narrative review.Cells. 2021;10(11):3164. doi:10.3390/cells10113164Deledda A, Annunziata G, Tenore GC, Palmas V, Manzin A, Velluzzi F.Diet-derived antioxidants and their role in inflammation, obesity and gut microbiota modulation.Antioxidants (Basel). 2021;10(5):708. doi:10.3390/antiox10050708Hills RD Jr, Pontefract BA, Mishcon HR, Black CA, Sutton SC, Theberge CR.Gut microbiome: profound implications for diet and disease.Nutrients. 2019;11(7):1613. doi:10.3390/nu11071613Li S, Fasipe B, Laher I.Potential harms of supplementation with high doses of antioxidants in athletes.J Exerc Sci Fit. 2022;20(4):269-275. doi:10.1016/j.jesf.2022.06.001Bansal A, Simon MC.Glutathione metabolism in cancer progression and treatment resistance.J Cell Biol. 2018;217(7):2291-2298. doi:10.1083/jcb.201804161Guarnieri S, Riso P, Porrini M.Orange juice vs vitamin C: effect on hydrogen peroxide-induced DNA damage in mononuclear blood cells.Br J Nutr. 2007;97(4):639-643. doi:10.1017/S0007114507657948Carlsen MH, Halvorsen BL, Holte K, et al.The total antioxidant content of more than 3100 foods, beverages, spices, herbs and supplements used worldwide.Nutr J. 2010;9:3. doi:10.1186/1475-2891-9-3

Martemucci G, Costagliola C, Mariano M, D’andrea L, Napolitano P, D’Alessandro AG.Free radical properties, source and targets, antioxidant consumption and health.Oxygen. 2022; 2(2):48-78. doi.org/10.3390/oxygen2020006

Aune D.Plant foods, antioxidant biomarkers, and the risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and mortality: a review of the evidence.Adv Nutr. 2019;10(Suppl_4):S404-S421. doi:10.1093/advances/nmz042

Khan UM, Sevindik M, Zarrabi A, et al.Lycopene: food sources, biological activities, and human health benefits.Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2021;2021:2713511. doi:10.1155/2021/2713511

NIH National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.Vitamin C.

Rizvi S, Raza ST, Ahmed F, Ahmad A, Abbas S, Mahdi F.The role of vitamin E in human health and some diseases.Sultan Qaboos Univ Med J. 2014;14(2):e157-e165.

Imran M, Ghorat F, Ul-Haq I, et al.Lycopene as a natural antioxidant used to prevent human health disorders.Antioxidants (Basel). 2020;9(8):706. doi:10.3390/antiox9080706

Kiełczykowska M, Kocot J, Paździor M, Musik I.Selenium - a fascinating antioxidant of protective properties.Adv Clin Exp Med. 2018;27(2):245-255. doi:10.17219/acem/67222

Anand R, Mohan L, Bharadvaja N.Disease prevention and treatment using β-carotene: the ultimate provitamin A.Rev Bras Farmacogn. 2022;32(4):491-501. doi:10.1007/s43450-022-00262-w

Di Lorenzo C, Colombo F, Biella S, Stockley C, Restani P.Polyphenols and human health: the role of bioavailability.Nutrients. 2021;13(1):273. doi:10.3390/nu13010273

Heshmati J, Morvaridzadeh M, Maroufizadeh S, et al.Omega-3 fatty acids supplementation and oxidative stress parameters: A systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials.Pharmacol Res. 2019;149:104462. doi:10.1016/j.phrs.2019.104462

Sztretye M, Dienes B, Gönczi M, et al.Astaxanthin: a potential mitochondrial-targeted antioxidant treatment in diseases and with aging.Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2019;2019:3849692. doi:10.1155/2019/3849692

Mantle D, Heaton RA, Hargreaves IP.Coenzyme Q10 and immune function: an overview.Antioxidants (Basel). 2021;10(5):759. doi:10.3390/antiox10050759

Malesza IJ, Malesza M, Walkowiak J, et al.High-fat, Western-style diet, systemic inflammation, and gut microbiota: a narrative review.Cells. 2021;10(11):3164. doi:10.3390/cells10113164

Deledda A, Annunziata G, Tenore GC, Palmas V, Manzin A, Velluzzi F.Diet-derived antioxidants and their role in inflammation, obesity and gut microbiota modulation.Antioxidants (Basel). 2021;10(5):708. doi:10.3390/antiox10050708

Hills RD Jr, Pontefract BA, Mishcon HR, Black CA, Sutton SC, Theberge CR.Gut microbiome: profound implications for diet and disease.Nutrients. 2019;11(7):1613. doi:10.3390/nu11071613

Li S, Fasipe B, Laher I.Potential harms of supplementation with high doses of antioxidants in athletes.J Exerc Sci Fit. 2022;20(4):269-275. doi:10.1016/j.jesf.2022.06.001

Bansal A, Simon MC.Glutathione metabolism in cancer progression and treatment resistance.J Cell Biol. 2018;217(7):2291-2298. doi:10.1083/jcb.201804161

Guarnieri S, Riso P, Porrini M.Orange juice vs vitamin C: effect on hydrogen peroxide-induced DNA damage in mononuclear blood cells.Br J Nutr. 2007;97(4):639-643. doi:10.1017/S0007114507657948

Carlsen MH, Halvorsen BL, Holte K, et al.The total antioxidant content of more than 3100 foods, beverages, spices, herbs and supplements used worldwide.Nutr J. 2010;9:3. doi:10.1186/1475-2891-9-3

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