Eat the Foods you already Love to Fight Aging and get a Shapely Body.

The remarkable health advantages of antioxidant enriched foods in your diet has been well documented by the medical and health community. Not only do these free-radical fighting antioxidants make you appear younger by slowing down the process of aging, but they help users prevent heart disease, cancer, and lots of other degenerative afflictions. In addition to long-term benefits, antioxidants can help your workout. They help you to recover from strenuous activity which helps you workout better and longer so that you can get in shape fast.

Antioxidants help while you exercise by reducing the number of age causing free radicals around your muscles so that your muscles can recover faster and work for longer. Having a good supply of antioxidants in the blood system an hour or so before you workout can greatly reduce the change for a muscle injury while also allowing you to recover faster after the workout.

There are a number of everyday foods that you can purchase at any grocery store that are antioxidant rich. Berries such as cranberries and blueberries are particularly high in antioxidants. Also look for raspberries, cherries, strawberries, grapes, and blackberries. “Super fruits” like pomegranates and acai fruit are also good choices if you can find them. Drinking the juices of the above fruits is an easy way to get antioxidants, just be sure to check the label to make sure these fruits are the main ingredients and that there are not added sweeteners.

Other foods that contain antioxidants are: tea, nuts, legumes, red wine, purple potatoes, cinnamon, and cocoa or dark chocolate. Green tea is the highest tea in antioxidants, though white, black and red teas are also good sources. You may want to consider decaf tea to cut down on your caffeine intake, also be aware that many herbal teas do not contain any actual tea and may therefore not be a good source of antioxidants. Nuts, seeds and legumes are ok sources of antioxidants, but they are packed with lean protein and health omega-3 fats so they are a great addition to your diet. Red wine and dark chocolate do contain antioxidants, but eat these in moderation and consider them rewards with a bonus of some added antioxidants to your diet.

As you can see, there are many ways to work antioxidants into your diet by eating everyday foods that you already love! By eating these delicious foods, you are one step closer towards getting your six pack abs. There is no need to buy special tablets or foods where antioxidants have been added. Your body absorbs the natural forms of antioxidants much better than artificial forms of nutrients.

A great antioxidant and power-packed pre-workout snack is toasted whole grain toast with natural almond butter and a berry jam that is sweetened with fruit juice (NOT corn syrup). If you have fresh berries available, add those for an even bigger dose of antioxidants. This would be a great time for a cup of antioxidant rich great tea or cranberry juice. Have this snack 1-2 hours before you work out. It contains just the right mixture of calories, lean protein, fiber and antioxidants that you need to get the most out of your workout.

You are constantly being exposed to free radicals from pollution in the air, smoke, preservative and chemical laden food, sun exposure, exposure to chemicals, etc. To counteract this with antioxidants, try to eat antioxidant rich food throughout the day and drink antioxidant rich beverages in place of sodas and other drinks high in sugar. This will give you a continued supply of antioxidants to fight the constant stream of free radicals you are being bombarded with.

Antioxidants are only one way to improve your health but it is an easy and enjoyable way to help you stay younger and get the most out of your workouts. Not only do they provide big and lasting benefits like fighting off cancer and heart disease, but they also provide you with immediate benefits.