Simpleology Blog

With the rising popularity of antioxidants, food and beverage manufacturers have pitched products that are rich with the sought-after substance.

Health Craze
In her article, "Surprising Ways to Get Antioxidants," Forbes.com's Lisa Streib cites: "According to the market research firm Datamonitor, one in 20 food and beverage products launched in the U.S. so far this year has claimed to be high in antioxidants, almost double the rate from three years ago. Some 340 antioxidant products have reached the market since [the start of 2007]."

She goes on to point out that in order to stand out from the antioxidant crowd, some companies "are combining the pursuit of health with traditional indulgence."

Best of Both Worlds?
Take for example chocolate companies like Hershey, who are promoting the benefits of dark chocolate in their products. Then, there's at least one study that hopes to come up with potato chips that are fortified with antioxidants.

But then experts doubt this "have your cake and eat it, too" scenario.

"It's a marketing ploy," states Robin Jeep, author of The Super Antioxidant Diet and Nutrition Guide. "[There are unscrupulous companies that take advantage of] people's ignorance." Indeed, Jeep explains that while "an antioxidant-rich chocolate bar or ice cream may have more nutritional value than one without the added nutrients, it's still likely to contain saturated fat and refined sugar."

Jeep says that "antioxidants work in concert with other chemicals present in whole foods in ways that scientists and nutritionists still don't understand." Apparently, antioxidants are not as effective when they're formulated as additives.

Nature's Way
To make sure that you're getting energy from the best antioxidant sources, your best option is to go natural.

In 2004, the United States Department of Agriculture conducted a comprehensive scientific study that aimed to rank foods by their antioxidant content. They analyzed antioxidant levels in over 100 different foods, including fruits and vegetables. Cranberries, blueberries, and blackberries ranked highest among the fruits studied. Beans, artichokes and Russet potatoes were tops among the vegetables. Pecans, walnuts and hazelnuts ranked highest in the nut category. Among the spices studied, ground cloves, ground cinnamon, and oregano were the highest on the basis of antioxidant concentration.

Green and Fruity
One more thing that the study highlighted was the fact that getting enough antioxidants was quite simple. As the study's lead author Dr. Ronald L. Prior--a chemist and nutritionist with USDA's Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center in Little Rock, Arkansas--put it: "The bottom line is the same: eat more fruits and veggies."

By getting your antioxidant fix the old-fashioned way, you're sure that you're eating food that will give you the energy you need.

Credits: Photo by Peter Griffin, courtesy of Public Domain Pictures.