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Foods high in antioxidants used to be the latest fad; in fact, if you’re a cranberry farmer or sell acai & pomegranate smoothies, it probably still is the latest fad. According to the free radical theory, antioxidants cure everything from heart disease to obesity - even aging! A recent study, however, revealed not only that there’s some truth to the myth, but exactly how antioxidants interact with our bodies:

No matter how pleasant a meal is, eating causes what’s known as oxidative stress. As we digest our food, we create sometimes-harmful molecules known as free radicals. But antioxidants — healthful compounds in fruits and vegetables — can help by neutralizing the free radicals.

The scientists found that the antioxidant capacity of volunteers’ blood plasma samples declined after eating a test meal that lacked antioxidants. But the scientists also found, for the first time, that consuming grapes with that same test meal prevented the decline in plasma antioxidant capacity of the volunteers during the first two hours following the test meal—the time digestion is the most rapid.

And where can you find these magic antioxidants? According to the USDA, the top fruits include acai, cranberries, blueberries, plums, apples and strawberries.

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