There’s nothing better than blogging poolside, sipping on a super cold sparkling water with lemon, and indulging in a bowl of fresh, juicy watermelon.

Summer definitely provides you the time to sit back and enjoy the simpler components of life.
Speaking of which, today’s topic has to do with something so SIMPLE you can do in order to dramatically increase the benefits of the foods you’re eating.

I’m talking about adding SPICES! As we know, antioxidants are so important, and are mostly prevalent in plant foods. Spices contain the greatest antioxidant punch per ounce, amounting to even 10Xs the antioxidant power of nuts and seeds. A small pinch of spices can go a long way!

Aging and diseases are thought of as oxidation of the body. Oxidation is why we get brown spots, wrinkles, memory impairments, diseases etc. Most of the unpleasant parts of life happen because our bodies are slowly rusting (in effect).

Antioxidants work by neutralizing free radicals. Neutralizing means that the antioxidant attaches to the free radical before it can negatively impact your DNA.

So where can we find these amazing antioxidants? On average, plant foods contain 64 times more antioxidants than animal foods. The fruits and vegetables that contain the highest levels of antioxidants do NOT turn brown when exposed to air (Like apples and bananas do).

Check out the list here to see which foods and beverages contain the most antioxidant power: Superfood Chart

 

What you’ll notice on this chart is that SPICES contain some of the highest ORAC scores, meaning that they can neutralize free radicals the best.

An example of the huge way spices can improve antioxidant count is taken from the book “How Not to Die” by Michael Greger. He noted that adding a handful of broccoli florets to a meal may up the antioxidant count of a meal by 60 units. A TEASPOON alone of a spice such as dried oregano or marjoram has an antioxidant count of over 240 units alone.

Spices can give you the most bang for your buck!

Below are just a few ideas of ways you can dramatically boost your nutrition, all with minimal work involved:

• Add a 1/2 tsp cinnamon to your coffee beverage
• Add crushed red pepper to your eggs, pasta, or salads
• Add parsley to the top of your pizza or pasta
• Add turmeric powder to cooked vegetables
• Add oregano to your pasta or pizza sauce
• Add cacao powder to your smoothies
• Acai powder in your smoothie bowls
• A hint of cloves to your tea

It’s all about simple changes to improve your health. Nothing has to be dramatic.

So let’s all be spice girls (posh was the best!) and boys, and spice up our lives, and our antioxidant count!