If you’ve listened at all to the health news lately, you know that antioxidants play a pretty major role in discussions of disease prevention and good health. These molecules that neutralize free radicals—both those that accumulate naturally in our bodies and those that we’re exposed to from environmental sources—are crucial in the fight against all the big diseases, including heart disease and cancer.

Fighting Free Radicals with High-Antioxidant Diets

So how do we fend off free radicals with antioxidants? First and foremost, we do so by eating antioxidant-rich foods every single day. According to the USDA, here are the top 20 most antioxidant-rich foods around based on their total antioxidant capacity per service size:

1. Small red beans (dried) - ½ cup
2. Wild blueberries - 1 cup
3. Red kidney beans - ½ cup
4. Pinto beans - ½ cup
5. Cultivated blueberries - 1 cup
6. Cranberries - 1 cup
7. Artichokes (cooked) - 1 cup
8. Blackberries - 1 cup
9. Prunes (dried) - ½ cup
10. Raspberries - 1 cup
11. Strawberries - 1 cup
12. Red delicious apples - one
13. Granny Smith apples - one
14. Pecans - 1 ounce
15. Sweet cherries - 1 cup
16. Black plums - one
17. Russet potatoes (cooked) - one
18. Black beans (dried) - ½ cup
19. Plums - one
20. Gala apples - one

Note that how these foods are prepared is almost as important as which foods you choose to eat. A cooked russet potato, for instance, will pack a bigger antioxidant punch than an uncooked one. Prunes, on the other hand, should be eaten dry, and artichokes should be cooked. These may seem like subtle differences, but if you want the biggest benefit from these foods, you’d do well to follow these preparation recommendations.

Another key to getting the most out of your antioxidant-rich foods is to eat lots of them, and to be sure to get a wide variety of them, as well. That’s because antioxidants work best when they’re cooperating with other antioxidants. The good news is that you don’t just have to stick to the above list to get your daily dose of antioxidants. There are many other surprising foods that contain lots of antioxidants, including:

1. Ground cloves
2. Cinnamon
3. Oregano
4. Baking chocolate (unsweetened)
5. Curry powder
6. Sage
7. Mustard seeds
8. Ginger
9. Marjoram
10. Pineapple juice
11. Cabbage (red, cooked)
12. Spinach (frozen, uncooked)
13. Kiwi
14. Figs
15. Pears
16. Broccoli
17. Onions (red, raw)
18. Beets (raw)
19. Tomatoes (raw)

Getting Antioxidants through Detox and Supplements

A detox diet is one way for you to rid your body of toxins, but you can increase the effectiveness of your everyday diet as well as your detox diet by adding an antioxidant supplement if you feel you’re not getting enough antioxidant-rich foods on a regular basis. There are many different specific antioxidants, and they each have their own way of working to neutralize the free radicals in our bodies. Here’s a list of some of the most common and the most powerful:

• Chlorella: Derived from a green algae, chlorella contains the highest concentration of chlorophyll of any plant in the world. This super antioxidant helps to generate new DNA after it’s been broken down by free radicals. It can also remove pesticides, heavy metals, and insecticides from your body.
• Ferulic acid: This antioxidant can actually try to repair free radicals by attempting to stabilize them, but when that fails, it will neutralize or eliminate them. It also protects against UV harm, boosts your immune system, and will keep you looking younger by fighting the processes that result in aging and wrinkling.
• Fulvic acid: These small but mighty cells are extracted from very, very old plant material and contain antioxidants, phytochemicals, and enzymes. They enhance absorption of nutrients and minerals, restore cell balance, deliver energy to cells, and speed enzyme reactions.
• Glutathione: This free radical annihilator can protect you from toxins originating in smoke, pesticides, exhaust, and other chemicals. It also boosts immunity and stimulates cells.
• Hyaluronic acid: This is a jelly-like substance that can lubricate and cushion cartilage and joints. It also supports your skin in eliminating toxins from your body.
• Lipoic acid: One of the most powerful antioxidants around, lipoic acid can neutralize the largest number of free radical types. It also has the ability to repair vitamins E, C, and CoQ10 (other antioxidants) so that they can go out and continue fighting off free radicals.
• N-Acetyl-Cysteine (NAC): This is actually an amino acid that will synthesize glutathione and increase communication between other cells. It also acts like a traffic director, sending toxins to the liver for excretion, and will provide particular protection against lead, arsenic, and mercury.
• Protease inhibitors: Particularly helpful for those with weakened immune systems, protease inhibitors boost immune function and allow the body to heal naturally.
• Vitamin A: This vitamin will help to regulate the immune system, fight infection, and is important for healthy bones, vision, reproduction, cell differentiation, and cell division.
• Vitamin C: Known commonly as ascorbic acid, this vitamin fights infection, strengthens blood vessels, aids in wound healing by producing collagen, and keeps your gums, teeth, and bones in good working condition.
• Vitamin E: By preventing the conversion of cholesterol into plague that gums up blood vessels and the heart, this one helps to prevent the clogging of arteries in the circulatory system. It’s also important in fighting cancer, diabetes, visual degradation, pancreatitis, and more.

When looking for an antioxidant supplement, examine the label and ensure you’re getting at least a few of the above key antioxidants. They’ll help you get the biggest benefit from your supplement and will boost the effects of any detox system that you use for a full detox body cleanse.

In the end, it doesn’t really matter how you get your daily dose of these cancer-fighting miracle workers, just be sure to get them!