TOP 5 Immune Supporting Antioxidants From Nature
June 14, 2021
With the realization that we live in a world full of harmful viruses, bacteria, and other microbial organisms, the need to support our immune system becomes important. After all, we can only eat so healthy, exercise so much and de-stress our life so much, that we realize that we could assist our bodies by adding antioxidant-rich foods direct from nature. Finding these unprocessed foods that have no additives such as sugar, juice, oils, and flavor enhancers are important. Too many people, eating clean is key and is also a challenge. Buying these simple & pure foods are not always easy to find, as 85%-90% of them on the market are doctored up with additives. Look for foods that are grown in the U.S. where we have the FDA and GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) for food safety oversight. Canada also has strict food safety practices. My experience with buying foods that are imported/grown/processed from overseas has been a shocking eye-opening experience. I had several of them tested in an independent lab and the results showed some were outright fraudulent. I will address this more on this is in another post. The following 5 food’s ORAC value comes from the USDA. To keep it simple, ORAC measures a food’s antioxidant strength.
- Chaga Mushroom: Total ORAC Value 146,700
This mushroom grows on live birch trees in cold climates such as Maine, Canada, and a few other overseas cold regions. This mushroom is astoundingly the highest antioxidant found in nature in the world. It comes in several forms; fine powder, ground powder, chunks, extract powder, tablets, and extract liquid. View chaga products here. - Aronia Berry (Chokeberry): Total ORAC Value 16,062
This delicious berry is also grown in a cold climate such as Maine and is starting to get the attention that it deserves from the media. It had been overlooked for many years as a berry high in antioxidants. The berry powder can be added to foods and drink and has a pleasant taste and aroma. - Elderberries: Total ORAC Value 14,697
This is a well known and popular berry for immune support. The berries are not the most pleasant tasting, nor do they have the most pleasant odor, but they do pack a punch in ORAC value. - Wild Blueberries: Total ORAC Value 9,621
A staple and well-known berry for its high nutritional value, it continues to be a popular choice for its ORAC value, and deservedly so. The wild blueberries are more nutrient dense than the larger cultivated blueberry. The dried berries are delicious as is the powder, that can be added to most foods and drinks. - Cranberries: Total ORAC Value 9,090
Dried cranberries are a very desired berry as it offers many nutrients that support our health in a variety of ways. What is important to note is that most dried cranberries come packed with added sugar or apple juice that makes them high in sugar content. Unsweetened dried cranberries are delicious and tart, however to some people who are used to the sweetened variety find them too tart. The price for the unsweetened cranberry may seem high but is more cost effective as the consumer is not paying for the heavy weight of the sugar and juice as in most sweetened varieties.