From chocolate to green tea, it seems as if everywhere you turn lately, something claims to be “rich in antioxidants.” So what exactly are antioxidants and does that make it OK to consume chocolate by the boat load?
Antioxidants are disease-fighting compounds that occur naturally in all sorts of foods — especially in fruits and vegetables. Because they’ve been shown to prevent cell damage — which can slow or prevent the onset of diseases such as cancer and heart disease — whenever antioxidants are present, they can cause quite a sensation.
• Chocolate lovers, rejoice: Take chocolate, for example. When cocoa was found to contain flavonoids, a type of antioxidant, chocolate giants Hershey and Nestle rushed to market new flavanol-rich products.
Read more: Chocolate and red wine: A balanced diet?
Source: TheState.com
