When it comes to improving health, small tweaks often make the biggest difference. That’s exactly how I’ve approached adding more antioxidants to my diet. Instead of making big changes, like switching to a completely new way of eating, I’ve focused on simple adjustments that fit into what I already enjoy.
You could opt to cook salmon, drink green tea, or snack on red grapes, each of which is a great way to increase antioxidants. But those might feel like bigger changes rather than easy tweaks. The goal here is to boost antioxidants without overhauling your diet. We’re also presuming coffee is already in your daily routine, if not, consider having a cup in the morning for an antioxidant boost (consider bio coffee for extra benefits).
From leaving the skin on fruits and veggies to sprinkling cinnamon on oatmeal, these small steps can add up in a big way. Here are 10 easy ways to get more antioxidants without over-complicating your meals.
Skin on Fruits and Vegetables
A simple change like keeping the skin on fries or choosing a baked potato instead of mashed can make a huge difference in your antioxidant intake. A baked potato is just as delicious, works in most dishes where mashed potatoes would, and is even easier to prepare, just wash, jab with a fork, bake, and enjoy.
The reason this small swap matters is that many fruits and vegetables hold most of their antioxidants in the skin. For example, potato skins are packed with fiber and flavonoids, which support heart health. Apple peels contain polyphenols, known for reducing inflammation. Even cucumber and carrot skins add extra vitamins and antioxidants that are lost when peeled.
Whenever possible, wash your fruits and veggies well and leave the skin on. It’s an easy way to get more nutrients with very little effort.
Also Read: 10 Fascinating Facts About Energy in Food and Diet
Add Berries to your Breakfasts
Blueberries and raspberries are a tasty and easy way to add more antioxidants to your diet. They’re often affordable (around $3 for a 12-ounce pack), and if used sparingly, they can last a week when spread across healthy breakfasts. Plus, they go well with almost anything, on pancakes, stirred into oatmeal, or mixed into yogurt.
I have blueberries almost every day with oatmeal or yogurt, and they make a simple meal even better. But the real benefit is their high antioxidant content. Blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries are packed with anthocyanins and vitamin C, which help protect cells from damage and keep your body strong.
Adding just a handful of berries to your breakfast is a small change that can up your antioxidant intake easily.
Add Leafy Greens to your Salads and Smoothies
Spinach is fantastic in most dishes, but kale can be an acquired taste, sometimes too bitter and a bit iron-y. If you’re like me and don’t love kale, spinach is a great alternative. It’s mild, easy to add to meals, and packed with antioxidants.
Leafy greens like spinach and kale are rich in beta-carotene, lutein, and vitamin C, all of which help fight cell damage and keep your body healthy. These antioxidants support eye health, boost the immune system, and may even help protect the brain from aging.
For an easy way to get more antioxidants, toss spinach into salads, blend it into smoothies, or throw it in scrambles. A bag of spinach costs less than $2 and is a simple way to up your antioxidant intake daily.
Sprinkle Cinnamon on your Oatmeal or Hot Drinks
Cinnamon has a wonderful smell and flavor. It’s delicious in any warm drink, like coffee, and makes oatmeal taste even better at breakfast. It’s also perfect for most desserts. Best of all, it takes just seconds to sprinkle on and enjoy.
However, cinnamon isn’t just tasty, it’s also packed with polyphenols, powerful antioxidants that help protect the body from cell damage. These antioxidants may reduce inflammation, support heart health, and even help balance blood sugar levels.
A simple sprinkle of cinnamon each day is an easy way to add more antioxidants to your diet, and it’s super-affordable and requires little to no effort.
Use Turmeric in your Curries, or add it to Warm Milk in your Lattes
My wife drinks turmeric in her flavored teas, and I’ve been roped into trying it, but I much prefer it in curries. If you make curries, consider adding some turmeric. It gives dishes a fantastic golden color and an earthy taste, and it’s easy to use.
Turmeric is packed with curcumin, a powerful antioxidant that helps fight cell damage and reduce inflammation. It may also support brain health and keep your immune system strong.
For an easy way to get more antioxidants, add a spoonful of turmeric to curries, soups, or even warm milk for a golden latte. A little can go a long way in boosting your antioxidant intake.
Also Read: 7 Best Natural Sweeteners That Won’t Spike Your Blood Sugar
Use Oregano and Basil to flavor dishes
If you want to add more flavor to your homemade meals, consider using oregano or basil. These herbs don’t just make food taste better. they also provide powerful antioxidants. Best of all, they’re cheap and take just seconds to sprinkle into a recipe (just be sure the flavors match before going overboard).
Oregano is rich in rosmarinic acid and thymol, which help fight cell damage and reduce inflammation. Basil contains eugenol and other antioxidants that support heart health and may help protect against aging.
Adding a pinch of these herbs to soups, sauces, meats, or roasted vegetables is an easy way to boost both flavor and antioxidants in your meals.
Add Chia Seeds or Flexseeds to your smoothies or yogurts
I haven’t added chia seeds or flaxseeds to my diet yet, but I have tried flaxseeds in the past. Since I’m already eating many of the foods on this list weekly, I might give them another go. If you haven’t added any of the ways to up your antioxidant intake on this list, consider picking some up. It doesn’t have to be complicated, just throw a small spoonful into your smoothies or yogurt.
Both chia seeds and flaxseeds are packed with lignans and omega-3 fatty acids, powerful antioxidants that help fight cell damage and reduce inflammation. These tiny seeds also support heart health and may help protect brain function as you age.
A tablespoon a day is a simple way to add more antioxidants to your diet, without changing much of your day-to-day.
Add Red Bell Peppers to your Stir Fries and Salads
Red bell peppers are delicious, especially in stir-fries. They’re easy to prepare, quick to cook, and can even be added raw to salads, no cooking needed. The only downside is that they can be a little pricey, but there are cheaper antioxidant-rich options on this list too.
Red bell peppers are one of the best sources of vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that helps protect cells from damage and supports the immune system. They also contain carotenoids like beta-carotene, which help keep your skin and eyes healthy.
Whether raw or cooked, adding red bell peppers to your meals is a tasty and easy way to get more antioxidants into your diet.
Add Chopped Onions to your home-cooked meals
Onions, like garlic, are the base of most homemade recipes in my house. If you cook at home often, you’re probably already getting their antioxidant benefits. But if not, consider adding onions to salads, sauces, and more. Not only do they have great health benefits, but they also add amazing flavor.
Onions are rich in quercetin, a powerful antioxidant that helps protect cells from damage and may reduce inflammation. Quercetin is also linked to heart health and may help lower blood pressure.
Whether cooked or raw, onions are an easy and tasty way to add more antioxidants to your meals. They’re also incredibly affordable, so it’s a win-win.
Cook Tomatoes to increase their health benefits
If you love adding fresh tomatoes to sandwiches, consider cooking them first, unless they’re for a packed lunch, of course. Cooking tomatoes amazingly boosts their health benefits.
Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that helps protect cells from damage and supports heart health. Cooking them makes lycopene easier for your body to absorb, especially when paired with a healthy oil like olive oil.
For the best antioxidant boost, try roasting, sautéing, or simmering tomatoes in a little olive oil before adding them to your meals. It’s an extra step, but if you were planning to cook them anyway, you’re already getting the extra health benefits.
