Page 21 - EatingWell Special Edition Superfoods 2019

D I S E A S E F I G H T E R S

to help reduce their risk for chronic diseases,” mitigated with an antioxidant-rich diet. And that’s
notes Allison Hess, the vice president of health for our second—and perhaps most pressing—issue:
Geisinger Steele Institute for Health Innovation. “We are severely lacking in our consumption of
And it’s working: data from 200 patients showed fresh whole foods, which are our best source of
that proper nutrition, paired with support and ed- antioxidants—not supplements,” says Nielsen.
ucation, garnered an average 2-point drop in levels However, supplements are what many people

of HbA1c, which is a marker for determining how rely on to get their (paltry) fix: a 2011 survey in
well diabetes is controlled. (On average, common the British Journal of Nutrition found that di-
diabetes meds help lower a patient’s HbA1c by just etary supplements are the second main source
0.5 to 1 point.) If all of this health help is in our of antioxidants in the U.S. “While I’ve definitely
reach, why aren’t we taking advantage? advised some patients to take a supplement that
contains a specific antioxidant, we need to un-
Why We’re Falling Short derstand that when you isolate an antioxidant in

“The amount of antioxidants you need at any given pill form, you miss out on all of the other bene-
time can shift,” says Blum. “It’s all about the net.” fits of the food,” says Boham. “There are so many
Just as with dollars, the net of antioxidants is what’s things in our plant food that we don’t know or
left after all deductions have been made. Exposure even appreciate, yet all of which could play a
to chemicals, mold or cigarette smoke? Deduction. role in our immune health.” Plus, increasing
Got a cold? Deduction. Dealing with a chronic in- the intake of antioxidant-
fection or illness? Deduction, deduction. Gut issues rich super foods such as
are a big problem too. “People who have an over- fruits and vegetables—not Eating a balanced
growth of bacteria, an imbalance of microbes in the antioxidant supplements— diet packed with

gut or other gastrointestinal problems often expe- is what tamps down one’s a variety of
rience malabsorption of nutrients, including anti- risk of chronic disease, antioxidant-rich
oxidants,” says Blum. This means that you very well finds the American Journal plant foods
might be eating like you think you should but not of Clinical Nutrition study would be enough
reaping all the benefits. mentioned earlier. to counter
“Taking certain medications, such as acid block- most free-

ers, and simply aging can also interfere with the ab- Defend with radical damage.
sorption of antioxidants,” says Elizabeth W. Boham, Superfoods
M.D., R.D., a functional and integrative medicine While there is no recom-
specialist and the medical director of the Ultra- mended daily allowance for antioxidants, many
Wellness Center in Lenox, Massachusetts. “Peo- experts, including Boham, believe that for most
ple in their 70s or even younger naturally don’t ab- healthy adults, eating a balanced diet packed with
sorb and utilize as many antioxidants as they used a variety of antioxidant-rich plant foods, like fruits,
to—and this comes at a time when their nutrient vegetables, nuts, seeds and herbs, would be enough
requirements actually increase.” to counter most free-radical damage. Boham sug-

Our immune health suffers not just by what we gests 8 to 13 servings of these superfood plants a day
eat, but also by what we don’t eat. “It’s actually two to get to optimal. (A serving, for example, could be
separate but connected issues,” says Boham. First, a cup of green tea, a teaspoon of basil or ½ cup of
the typical American eats too many processed, low- cooked spinach.) If that seems overwhelming, sim-
fiber, refined foods, which is taxing on the system. ply follow Nielsen’s lead of making sure that half
“It causes things like blood sugar to spike and in- your plate is covered in plants, like fruits and veg-
flammation. And that triggers oxidative stress,” etables. “I don’t mean meal to meal. I mean plate to

says Boham. (Remember, oxidative stress is an plate, so every time you eat,” she says.
imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants. And, yes, among the plant masses there are
And over time this can interfere with how well some antioxidant standouts. “All kinds of ber-
our cells and tissues function.) Oxidative stress is ries, leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables are

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