Three Tasty Choices for Those Thirsty for Antioxidants

It seems as if these days everyone is trying to be a bit more health conscious, a bit more thoughtful about what it is exactly they put into their personal "temples." Well except for those of us out there that occasionally crave something from the Menu of Sin, like a triple chocolate milkshake with double whip cream or perhaps a gallon or two of sugary-sweet cola. Moments of weakness aside, an increasing number of people want to know what options are available to prolong their life and improve their well-being.

Well if you're anything like me, making the proper food choices aren't always easy, and cooking at home sounds too much like work. So let's start simple and explore the liquid alternatives to good health and learn a bit about these buzz words you've undoubtedly heard a lot of lately.

There are plenty of drinks now available that contain those coveted "antioxidants," which are basically the equivalent of crime fighters who operate at the cellular level. Antioxidants are in charge of neutralizing their arch-enemies, the Free Radicals, and putting them in an early grave.

In science-speak, free radicals are molecules or atoms in your body that have become unstable, and need to "borrow" an electron from one of your healthy cells. Not unlike that drunk friend of yours that just needs to borrow your car to make a beer run. The free radical borrows an electron, which destabilizes the healthy cell, and in turn causes a chain reaction in other cells, a process that's affectionately called oxidation.

If you're unfamiliar with oxidation, just think of rust on a car or those brown colored apple slices that have been sitting on your counter for the past week. Yeah, that's the same chemical reaction that can happen inside your body. This is why you need some antioxidants on watch to keep the peace and make those free radicals a little less.. well.. free and radical.

So let's explore some healthy drinks that have high levels of antioxidants shall we..?

We'll start with an ancient drink that dates back nearly 5000 years, and began its rise to beverage super-stardom in a small town called China. It can be summed up with a single letter and it hails from a single plant, the Camellia Sinesis. Give up..? It's tea. Confucius say: Better luck next time, retard.

Green and White teas contain powerful antioxidants called catechins, one in particular known as EGCG, is over a 100 times more effective than Vitamin C at protecting cells from damage. They also have been shown in scientific studies to have the ability to fight viruses, slow aging, and even prevent cancer. Unfortunately, due to processing and fermentation, black tea does not contain the same amount of antioxidants. It's just all filler and no substance, kind of like Jennifer Lopez in liquid form.

Since we've been talking about colors, let's continue and explore the wonders of red wine. A delicious drink who's recipe was nearly lost during the Dark Ages after the fall of Rome. (500 C.E.) If it weren't for those kind folks at the Catholic Church the technology of wine making would have been lost, and along with it a very tasty source of antioxidants. The primary antioxidant, called resveratrol, can be found in the skins and seeds of grapes. Studies have shown that moderate wine consumption has positive effects on the cardiovascular system, lowers the risk of stroke, and helps reduce the risk of cancer. Some studies have also shown the heavy wine consumption leads to spontaneous nudity, projectile vomiting, and in severe cases... marriage.

The final beverage we'll take a look at comes from an apple sized fruit that originated from an area near Iran and the Himalayas. The ancient Chinese culture considered these fruits sacred and the Persians thought that this fruit made their warriors invincible. While it may not make you invincible, the pomegranate contains enough antioxidants to make those pesky free radicals think twice about messing with you. The antioxidants in pomegranate juice are proven to be more effective and potent than those found in red wine and green tea. So maybe those ancient cultures were on to something after all...

So my fellow friends of health, consider yourselves officially educated in the ways of healthy drinking. I hope from here on out you'll be able to resist the seductive gaze of that Big Gulp next time you're at 7-11 and reach for something a bit more nutritious. (Step away from the Twinkies...)

Good luck and good health.