HEALTH II

II

Take this true or false quiz

True or false? To get the most antioxidants in your food, research findings say you should:

Always eat veggies raw.  False . Tomatoes, carrots and spinach release more antioxidants when they are stir-fried, microwaved or lightly steamed. Add a little fat to increase antioxidant absorption.

Drink strong brewed hot tea, not iced tea.  True . Ice dilutes the antioxidants, and storing tea in the fridge further depletes them. Instant and bottled teas offer few or no antioxidants.

Eat any kind of chocolate.  False . White chocolate has no antioxidants; milk chocolate has few. Only dark chocolate has high levels.

Buy nuts with skins intact.  True . Almond skins, for example, contain a lot of potent antioxidants.

Avoid frozen or canned food.  False . Canned tomato sauces, paste and juice contain high amounts of lycopene, a potent antioxidant.
Frozen (but not canned) fruits and vegetables generally match the antioxidant levels in their fresh counterparts.

Forget fruit juices -- they are low in antioxidants.  False.  You can get high levels of diverse antioxidants in apple, grapefruit, cranberry and, especially, purple grape juices.

Go for deep colors.  True . Deep-green spinach and lettuces and the brightest berries provide the most antioxidants. Even black dried beans have more antioxidants than white or red beans.