All About Antioxidants

The correct answer is: Acai berries have the most antioxidants of all fruits and vegetables. In fact, the freeze-dried berry has 30 times the disease-arresting anthocyanins of red grapes.

The correct answer is: We get most of our antioxidants from potatoes. That's not because they are incredibly high in antioxidants or even really all that nutritious. Instead, it's because we eat so many of them.

The correct answer is: The artichoke is the most antioxidant-rich vegetable, thanks to its high levels of fiber and folate.

The correct answer is: Eating foods rich in flavonoids, a type of antioxidant, may be one of the best defenses against cognitive decline. Research suggests people who consume the most flavonoids perform best throughout a 10-year period on tests of verbal fluency, logical reasoning and visual memory.

The correct answer is: Berries—and all fruit—are good sources of flavonoids. According to RealAge, getting 31 milligrams of flavonoids a day can make your RealAge 3.2 years younger. That's not an impossibly high number -- you'll just need to include a wide variety of fruit and veggies in your diet.

The correct answer is: Apples, which are rich in a type of antioxidant called phenols, may help lower bad cholesterol. Phenols make the fats circulating in your blood more stable, so they're less likely to oxidize, stick to the walls of your arteries and cause a dangerous blockage. Phenols are praised for their ability to fight disease, bolster artery function and inhibit cancer growth

The correct answer is: This is true. As great as phenols are, they don't always get from the mouth to the bloodstream. Our bodies absorb less than five percent of the phenolics we eat from foods. That's why eating a wide variety of fruits and veggies is so important—the more you eat, the more you're likely to absorb.

The correct answer is: Most fruits and vegetables hold their antioxidants in their skins. So don't peel that apple before slicing it into wedges -- eat the whole thing.

The correct answer is: Phenols are found in all of these veggies. Broccoli and bell peppers are also rich in the antioxidant vitamin C, and beets are full of blood-pressure-friendly potassium.

The correct answer is: Quercetin, a type of antioxidant that may help fight the flu, is found in all three of these foods. Research has only been done in animals so far, but if the same results hold true for humans, eating quercetin-rich broccoli, red onions and apples may be your friend come next flu season.

The correct answer is: This is false. Orange juice is rich in the antioxidant beta-cryptoxanthin. This powerful antioxidant may reduce the risk of polyarthritis -- a joint condition most often triggered by the autoimmune system.

The correct answer is: Grape juice is chock full of polyphenols, a type of antioxidant that may help lower blood pressure levels. One study found that when hypertensive men drank two 16-ounce servings of Concord grape juice each day in an 8-week period, they had a significant drop in their blood pressure compared with the placebo group.

The correct answer is: This is false. Whole grains that still contain their bran -- the outer layer of the grain seed -- are rich in antioxidants, fiber and vitamins and minerals that are lost when the grain is processed. Whole grains that still have their bran include brown rice, oatmeal, amaranth, buckwheat, millet and quinoa.

The correct answer is: This is false. One study showed, for example, that freeze-dried black raspberries contained even more cancer-fighting anthocyanins than fresh berries. And freeze-dried fruits can be kept in the freezer for up to a year.

The correct answer is: All of the above. Blackberries, raspberries, blueberries and cherries have high levels of anthocyanin, a type of antioxidant that can help prevent cancer. That's because berries are made up mostly of water -- when they are dehydrated, as occurs during the freeze-drying process, the nutrients become more concentrated.

The correct answer is: Bananas are rich in phenolic compounds -- a type of antioxidant that research suggests may be able to prevent renal cancer.

The correct answer is: Eating four bananas per week can cut your risk of kidney cancer in half.

The correct answer is: Purple carrots have more antioxidants than orange, yellow, red and white varieties. In fact, purple carrots have 10 times more phenols than other carrot varieties.

The correct answer is: All of the above. These foods are rich in catechins, flavonols and flavones, types of antioxidants that have been shown to help curb belly bulge by improving the body's metabolic profile. Other sources of these antioxidants include pears, tea, broad beans, leeks and sweet peppers. And according to our colleagues at RealAge, maintaining your weight and body mass index at a desirable level can make your RealAge as much as 6 years younger.

The correct answer is: This is true. Only women seem to experience any waistline reduction from eating foods rich in catechins, flavonols and flavones. But don't be discouraged, men -- these fruits and veggies are a great low-calorie addition to any diet and can help those who are weight-conscious reach their goals.