We know that antioxidants fight the oxidative damage done to our body cells by free radicals. This is all very scientific. Not being a scientist, I can not go into great detail to explain how our bodies come to have free radicals. I can tell you that in most cases they are not good for our bodies.
You may understand this as an example, smoking causes free radicals in our bodies. We know that smoking can lead to lung cancer and heart disease. (in the case of smoking, just say no to smoking)
To protect ourselves it is a good idea to find something that can fight the free radicals in our bodies. Enter antioxidants, they can prevent free radical damage and even sometimes reverse damage done by them. Some researchers have found that drinking green tea may help reverse some, but definitely not all damage done by smoking.
Foods high in anti oxidants
We are told that many fruits and vegetables contain antioxidants. Three color groups of fruits and vegetables fall into this group. They are red, yellow and orange. Here are some examples red is a good color so lets buy some red peppers and tomatoes. Yellow is a good color so lets buy some mangoes or sweet potatoes. Orange is a good color so lets buy some carrots and nice juicy oranges. There are many other fruits and vegetables to list.
What else can we find these free radical fighters?
Loose leaf tea. black tea, oolong tea, green tea and white tea all have antioxidants. All loose leaf teas have more free radical enemies than are found in fruits and vegetables. Each type of tea has a different amount of anti oxidants. White tea has the most (up to 5 times more than green tea) because it is not considered a processed tea. Green tea would be next in line because it is processed a short period of time. Next would be oolong tea and finally black tea has the least antioxidants.
The question now would be which tea would be the best tea to choose. I am reminded of an exercise guru who once said “The best exercise is the one you will do.” In the same regard the best tea for you is the one you enjoy drinking the most.
With all things balance is important. Don’t rely on fruit alone. Don’t rely on vegetables alone. Don’t rely on loose leaf tea alone. We need a balanced diet and exercise to maintain health. Choose a tea to help
benefit your life and health. Then make it your cup of tea.
This information is not intended to be medical advise. Please consult a physician before starting any diet routine.