Project Foodie - Antioxidant Feeding Frenzy

Antioxidant Feeding Frenzy

There are countless sources of good nutrition in food. But judging by headlines in the media (print, Web, blogs, talk shows, etc.) and ads for various new products, one could get the impression that only a few "superfoods" are of any nutritional consequence.

Unless you've been under a side of beef lately, the "buzz-nutrients" of the day are antioxidants. There are literally hundreds of different antioxidants in foods (and some yet to be identified), of which vitamins A, C and E are more well known examples.

Hype over foods such as pomegranate and acai show that the big picture of nutrition is being replaced with sheer "bigness." We hear about which food has the most antioxidants… as if we have tested for all antioxidants in all foods (we haven't), and as if quantity is everything. Then there's the issue of whether the products touting "high in antioxidants" can legally make these claims (they can't), or whether they even have much antioxidant content after processing into juices, teas, and other beverages or foods (they usually don't).

Antioxidants are Everywhere

The truth is that just about every plant food (fruits, vegetables, herbs, etc.) contains a wealth of antioxidants, by definition. Living plants need protection against the elements, insects, fungus, etc., and antioxidants are one way they achieve that. Because of these natural protective properties, antioxidants (including ascorbic acid - vitamin C) have been used for decades in the food industry as preservatives. They deter spoilage and rancidity - the effects of oxidation.

Back to the hype. To say that one food contains ten times the antioxidants of another is misleading at best. Aside from the question of which antioxidants have been measured (only a few out of many), it implies we are somehow lacking in them. Anyone who eats a proper, balanced diet that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables is not lacking in antioxidants. Even coffee, tea and wine are veritable arsenals.

The Real Big Picture

Antioxidants alone do not a healthy diet make. There are many other nutrients we require that aren't provided by a handful of "superfoods." Plus the jury is still out on what quantity and proportion of antioxidants our bodies need for good health, and whether too much can be a bad thing. Some antioxidants interfere with absorption of other nutrients, and the safety of using antioxidants during cancer treatment is still being debated.

The moral: Beware of food (products, celebrities, "news" reports, blogs, etc.) bearing star-studded antioxidant claims. You're better off eating 5 cups of a variety of vegetables and fruits every day in as many ways as possible. It's much more satisfying and healthy than doing shots of some expensive, nasty-tasting juice that doesn't even contain as much vitamin C as a glass of orange juice, as much resveratrol as half a glass of wine, as much quercetin as one apple, as much beta carotene as one carrot, or as much selenium (another antioxidant not in acai) as in a few Brazil nuts. Variety is where it's at, and it should be a foodie's first law of nutrition!

About The Nutritionist

Carol Harvey of Palate Works has been a nutrition and marketing consultant to food companies and restaurants for over 15 years, and is a professional nutrition labeling labyrinth navigator (PNLLN). Palate Works recently launched an online food product startup/tune-up kit (including nutrition analysis discounts) for budding and seasoned food entrepreneurs at www.palateworks.com.

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