Between managing your staff, making tough calls, and leading through uncertain and changing conditions, you don’t always treat your body as well as you want to.
There is one simple thing you can do to help combat the effects of stress on your body, even if you change nothing else in your diet.
You can up your intake of antioxidants.
Why You Need Antioxidants
First, a very quick lesson. No doubt you’ve heard of free radicals and vaguely remember they aren’t good for the body. They are a type of molecule that is missing an electron and so are “unstable” in their form. That means in order to become stable, they go around looking to snatch an electron off another molecule in your body or they bind directly to a molecule in your cells.
This causes oxidative stress, which over time damages the body’s cells, proteins, and DNA. Oxidative stress contributes to aging and is thought to play a role in the development of chronic inflammation, neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular conditions.
Some free radicals are the natural byproduct of normal healthy body functions like exercising, digestion, and the immune response, while others are formed in response to stressors like UV rays, alcohol, high saturated fat intake, smoking, and work stress.
Regardless of the source of the free radicals, the body needs to neutralize them and is able to do so when you consume enough antioxidants as a part of your diet.
Antioxidants readily give up electrons to free radicals or bind with them directly, resulting in stabilization. This prevents oxidative stress and subsequent damage in the body.
Where to Find Antioxidants
Antioxidants are highly concentrated in colorful plants, so eat more:
- red, brown, and black beans,
- dark leafy greens,
- berries, and
- other colorful veggies like sweet potatoes and avocados.
Antioxidants are also found in good concentrations in walnuts, pecans, and sunflower seeds.
If you like smoothies, add some amla powder (powdered Indian gooseberries) for a huge antioxidant burst.
Cocoa powder is a great source as well, but make sure you aren’t consuming it with too much added sugar or saturated fat.
Everyday spices that are quite high in antioxidants include turmeric, cloves, cinnamon, oregano, marjoram, and peppermint.
You can also drink antioxidants. Hibiscus tea tops the chart as the drink with the most antioxidants. Matcha tea is a close second, but you’ll want to watch your caffeine intake if you’re drinking it all day. Many experts recommend limiting caffeine consumption to 400 mg per day. Coffee is a more distant third but still a respectable source (watch your caffeine, sugar, sweetener, and dairy though).
And because you’re going to ask … yes, red wine has a decent concentration of antioxidants. But it has fewer than pure grape juice, which trails coffee by a decent margin. And since red wine contains alcohol, it creates some additional new free radicals as you process it.
Regular green tea (not matcha) clocks in just behind grape juice and red wine. Black tea trails green tea a bit but is still an option. Again, watch the caffeine.
Practical Tips for Consuming More Antioxidants
Ideally, you’ll consume antioxidants throughout your day. Here are a few practical tips to get you started.
- Add 1-2 high antioxidant ingredients to each of your existing meals.
- Swap your usual workday snack for something high in antioxidants.
- Drink antioxidants throughout the day.
This article draws information from Carlsen et al. (2010) “The total antioxidant content of more than 3100 foods, beverages, spices, herbs and supplements used worldwide” Nutrition Journal (9):3. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2841576/
This article is not medical advice.
