Polyphenols have finally been recognised as crucial to increasing longevity. Derived from certain organic foods, polyphenols actively protect your body from disease development and keep you healthy. Polyphenols have certainly shown scientists results, but even the experts are still trying to tease out, on a molecular level, how they can be so fantastically beneficial to the body.
Boosting your intake of polyphenols and antioxidants is simple! There are plenty of foods that can give your body a helping hand. One of the most successful substances that you can consume, however, is red wine.
Topping Up Your Polyphenols
Some of the polyphenol-rich foods are ideal for snacking. They tend to be fruits, vegetables, and whole grains which are red, black, or purple in colour. This includes blueberries, pomegranates, red grapes, and cranberries. Snacking on these wonder-foods can keep your polyphenol levels high throughout the day.
Once metabolised, the level of polyphenols in the blood decreases, so keep bumping them up! The good news is, you don’t have to eat polyphenol-rich foods raw either. They don’t lose their value through cooking. Some less snacky, antioxidant-rich foods include: black rice, purple barley, black sorghum, and purple potatoes.
Drinks That Are Rich In Polyphenols
When choosing fruit juices rich in polyphenols, try to avoid any that have excessive sugar. If you can get pure blueberry, red grape, pomegranate, or apple juice, you’re on to a winner. They’ve got a great selection at www.vivaswine.co.uk.
Surprisingly, tea and coffee are also packed with antioxidants. And you should keep them caffeinated! The process of decaffeination can remove any polyphenols.
In the evenings, have one glass of red wine with your meal. Red wine has got a good name through the French Paradox – a mystery, explored by scientists, which questioned why Parisians were so slim and suffered relatively low levels of cardiovascular disease, when their diets were packed with croissants, fancy confectionaries, and sumptuous French cheese.
In conclusion, experts have decided that it must be due to the habitual and traditional consumption of red wine at meal times. Studies into this phenomenon seem to back this theory up. So never feel guilty about drinking red wine in moderation!
Hello Chocolate
Chocolate and cocoa do go through a refining process, but they’re packed with antioxidants. Unfortunately, milk chocolate is made of more dairy and sugar than is healthy for you, but small amounts of dark chocolate are exceptionally beneficial.
Also, if you haven’t sat down with a glass of vino and a few squares of high quality, dark chocolate, do so now. You’re welcome.
Chill Your Beans
Your body whizzes through polyphenols, if you start stressing out, so please calm down. This is again why red wine saves the day, as it actively de-stresses the body from the inside out. Chill out with yoga or knitting (a surprisingly good way to relax, once you’ve mastered the stitches) and find your inner Zen. You’ll save yourself premature aging wrinkles and lock-in the healthy antioxidants for longer.
