When a heated fat reaches its “smoking
point,” you are generating a considerable
amount of oxidants.
The kind of oil that you cook with also
makes a sizable difference. Essential
fats are easily oxidized when heated,
especially at high temperatures. It is much
better to use a source of fat or oil that is
saturated, which means it would be solid
or almost solid at room temperature.
Butter, for example, and coconut butter
are saturated fats. Olive oil contains the
mono-unsaturated fat called oleic acid,
and is close to saturated fat. Heating these
particular oils creates fewer oxidants.
More and more people are turning to the
use of antioxidants in various forms.
One of the latest superfoods on the
health food scene is turmeric. Proven to
dramatically reduce infl ammation and
restore digestive powers, grating a
fresh teaspoon of the spicy, yellow
root and adding it into anything
that you consume is gaining
in popularity. The bioactive
substance that is present in the
turmeric root is called curcumin.
Turmeric plant has a wide range
of health benefi ts as a major study
from the Journal of Medicinal
Foods has shown, ”A dosage
of 1,000 mg a day of curcumin
has proven benefi ts in treating
infl ammation.”
Not a big fan of eating fruits and
veggies? The type of nutrients
that are provided in an antioxidant
supplement include A, C, E, and
beta carotene, zinc and selenium,
iron, copper, manganese, coenzyme
Q10 (CoQ10), the amino
acids glutathione and N-acetylcysteine
(NAC).
Tumeric
for
infl ammation
and digestion
30 ANTIOXIDANT RICH
FOODS &
SUPPLEMENTS