TAKE YOUR ANTIOXIDANTS
Antioxidants may soon join the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s list of nutrients that should be part of a healthy diet. By neutralizing cell-damaging molecular fragments, antioxidants reduce the risk of cancer and may slow aging. Now the USDA has published the first large-scale study listing the antioxidant content of more than 100 common foods and spices. Some surprises: Red beans top the list, blueberries trump tomatoes, and pecans outpace spinach. Although there are still no recommendations telling people how much of the antioxidants they should consume daily, the USDA will aid future studies that could establish such standards.
FOOD
