Top 5 antioxidant fruits

Photo: Clara Natoli

Recently, we looked at the top five antioxidant vegetables and today we will look at the top five antioxidant fruits. Actually, it will be nine because five of the top antioxidant fruits are some kind of berry.

Antioxidants are disease-fighting compounds which can prevent cell damage and possibly ward off illnesses like heart disease, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and some cancers. Fruit is one of the easiest ways to incorporate antioxidants in your diet. After all, it comes in its own packaging and you can just grab it and go. Take that, prepackaged gummy snacks. Fruit is the original convenience food. Here are several fruits with high antioxidants you should try to include in your diet.

• Berries. By far, they have the highest levels of antioxidants of any fruit. Each of these berries ranks higher than any of the other fruits on this list. They are a top five list all by themselves. The highest is blackberries, followed by cranberries, raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries. With the exception of cranberries, these are everywhere right now, from backyard gardens to farmers’ markets and grocery stores, so fill your shopping cart or go out and pick some (with permission of course). Nothing tastes better than late summer berries and they give your body invaluable nutrients.
• Apples. You know what they say about an apple a day keeping the doctor away. And they say it with good reason. These are just about to come into season and there are so many wonderful juicy varieties here in the Northwest. Crisp or mellow, tart or sweet, you’re bound to find something everyone in the family will like. Packed with numerous antioxidants, apples are best enjoyed with the skin left on for maximum benefit.
• Oranges. With their high vitamin C content, it’s no wonder we all inherently reach for a glass of orange juice at the first sign of a cold to boost our flagging immune systems. Grapefruit, tangerines and clementines, though not in the top 10, are also good choices for vitamin C, as is pineapple.
• Plums. Again, the redder the food, the higher the antioxidant level is going to be. You’ll still get good nutrition from black and purple plums, but take advantage of the health benefits of the red plums that are in the stores right now for an extra boost. Some studies list prunes, which are dried plums, as the number one antioxidant fruit. However, the high sugar content of dried fruit is a drawback for some.
• Red grapes. As with plums, you’ll still benefit from other varieties, but the red-skinned fruit is the higher antioxidant level. Who can hear the word “polyphenol” and not think of Alton Brown and his commercial for Welch’s grape juice, chalkboard and all? And, as is also true with prunes, raisins will give you some antioxidant benefits, but their high sugar content is not ideal.

What’s your favorite fruit?

Do you try to incorporate antioxidants in your diet?