Why not pile your plate full of antioxidants?

Antioxidants are nutrients naturally found in food that help repair damaged body cells, improve immune function, promote health and reduce the risk of some diseases. Here are some foods loaded with antioxidants to fuel your feast.

Carotenoids
These antioxidants are found in vegetables and fruits that are dark yellow, orange and red; and in dark-green leafy vegetables.

Look for recipes that include sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkin, red and yellow peppers, broccoli, romaine lettuce and spinach.

Snack on orange fruits such as mangos, apricots and cantaloupe for breakfast, lunch or breaks.

Good Old Vitamin C
Helpful in forming connective tissue that holds many parts of your body together, Vitamin C also helps reduce bruising by keeping capillaries healthy and maintains healthy gums so they won't bleed.

Foods rich in vitamin C include red peppers, broccoli, cantaloupe, tomatoes and cranberries.

Eat your colours!
Many new antioxidants have just recently been discovered and each group of antioxidants provides colour to your vegetables and fruit.

There are five main color groups to choose from:
• White – Foods such as bananas, mushrooms, pears and parsnips
• Yellow and Orange – Foods including carrots, sweet potatoes, yellow and orange peppers, lemons and turnips
• Red – Reach for tomatoes, watermelon, raspberries, red apples and pomegranates
• Blue and Purple – Foods such as blueberries, purple grapes, egg plant and purple cabbage
• Green – Foods including broccoli, spinach, green cabbage, brussel sprouts and green onions

Choosing antioxidant rich foods will pack your plate with nutrition power. You can now enjoy any feast knowing it is fuelled by antioxidants.

For an individual nutrition appointment, call the Health Centre (SU 020) at 403-329-2484. Hour-long sessions are $40 for U of L students, staff and faculty.

Diane Britton is the University of Lethbridge's registered dietitian