By Emma Dylan
Hitting our daily need for antioxidants isn’t easy on the regular American diet. The suggested daily amount of antioxidants we should consume is 8,000 to 11,000 units.
This seems virtually impossible within the confines of the average American diet.
In order to reach the necessary amount of antioxidants to keep our bodies in prime free radical fight function, we have to be intentional about the quality of the food we eat and not just the quantity.
Choosing whole plant-based foods that are rich in antioxidants whenever the opportunity presents itself is the only possible way of meeting this goal.
So how can we easily reach our daily goal without living off of pounds of produce each day? The acai bowl is one of the newest food trends on the market, and for good reason, we can meet, and surpass, the necessary daily minimum of antioxidants with just a small bowl of blended berries and fruit.
What do antioxidants do?
Antioxidants fight off and protect your body from free radicals that could bind and destroy our cells. This damage can cause a series of different diseases and illnesses, as well as premature aging.
Scientists have linked free radicals to causing:
- Alzheimer’s and other types of dementias
- Clogged arteries and cardiovascular disease
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Cancers
- Age-related vision decline like cataracts
- Age-related loss of skin elasticity, wrinkles, and hair loss
- Diabetes
- Parkinson’s disease
How can we Incorporate More Antioxidants into our Diet?
In order to increase the amount of antioxidants in our diet, we need to know which foods are going to provide us the most bang of our buck and keep us from having to consume 13 bananas in a day.
These are the most antioxidant-rich foods available:
- Dark Chocolate
- Small Red Beans
- Red Kidney Beans
- Pinto Beans
- Sweet Cherries
- Black Plums
- Russet Potatoes
- Black Beans
- Red Delicious Apples
- Granny Smith Apples
- Acai
- Goji Berries
- Pecans
- Blueberries
- Cranberries
- Artichokes
- Blackberries
- Prunes
- Raspberries
- Strawberries
- Plums
- Gala apples
- Dark Leafy Greens like kale, turnip, and collard
What is One of the Easiest Ways to Incorporate Antioxidants into your Daily Routine?
Plain and simple. The acai bowl is one of the best ways to pack as many antioxidants as you can into your daily routine. One hundred grams of acai berries contain over 15,000 ORACs, a test that attempts to quantify the total antioxidant capacity of different foods and extracts. ORAC means the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity.
One hundred grams of acai berries blended with just one hundred grams of blueberries alone would give us almost 19,000 ORACs in just one whole cup of blended berries.
So you can imagine that when you add in other antioxidant-rich berries, almond milk, and fruits like bananas into one small breakfast bowl every morning, it makes reaching and surpassing the daily suggested. In contrast, one hundred grams of your favorite classic cereal comes in under 3,000 ORACs almost every time.
What are some great toppings to add to an Acai bowl?
Acai bowls are super adaptable to your tastes and favorites on top of just taking a few minutes to make.
Try a smattering of any of these topping to the top of your acai bowl to increase your antioxidant levels, to bump up the protein, meet your flavor goals and crunchaholic needs:
- Granola
- Blueberries
- Blackberries
- Shredded Coconut
- Almond Slivers
- Chopped Nuts
- A spoonful of Nut Butter
- Hemp Hearts
- Cacao Nibs
- Dark Chocolate Chunks
- Banana Slices
- Honey or Maple Syrup Drizzle
Acai Bowls are the Best Way to Incorporate more Antioxidants into Your Diet
The introduction of the acai bowl trend brought with it a tangible, attainable way to increase the amount of antioxidants we consume on a daily basis packaged quite neatly into a beautiful, versatile, and delicious bowl of fruity goodness.
Upgrade your breakfast routine and kickstart your journey towards a free radical fighting future by incorporating this humble bowl of beautifully blended fruit that excites the senses while repairing your body.
You can thank us later.
