Antioxidant-fortifi ed foods are healthier

Antioxidant-fortifi ed foods are healthier

The ink was barely dry on early antioxidant
studies when food companies started slapping
the A-word on their packaging. You can
even chug an antioxidant-fortifi ed version
of Cherry 7UP. The FDA requires food manufacturers
to list the variety of antioxidant
in a product; that part is often in fi ne print.
Look closely, and the label reveals that you’re
receiving a tiny helping of vitamin E. Perhaps
“Cherry 7UP Vitamin E” didn’t sound
as impressive.
If you’re relying on processed foods to supplement
your antioxidant intake, you may be
surprised to fi nd that many processed foods
have relatively small amounts of just one or two
kinds. Since variety is critical, you probably
aren’t making up for lost ground.
Do this Ignore the hype—there’s no research
to prove that packaged products provide the
same health benefi ts that whole foods do.
Instead, focus on the ingredient list. If a food
product contains mostly plant foods, it’s likely
to be rich in antioxidants.