Antioxidant-Rich Fruits & Veggies to Boost Immune System

Taste isn’t the only reason to grow your own fruits and veggies; they’re also packed with antioxidants that improve mental and physical health.

 

Homegrown produce has many important health benefits, including a rich offering of antioxidants. These helpful chemicals are more than just a health-food buzzword, and are in fact essential for many aspects of our health, from preventing cancer to reducing inflammation and supporting the immune system. This article will tell you exactly what antioxidants do and which homegrown foods offer the most of these key nutrients! 

 

What Are Antioxidants?

The molecules in our cells routinely break down in a process called oxidation. This oxidation process prevents affected cells from functioning properly and turns oxidized molecules into “free radicals,” which can do some serious damage to our bodies. Antioxidants help prevent oxidation and the creation of free radicals and—as a result— help our body’s cells stay healthy, in turn promoting healthy brain function, preventing cancer and various neurological diseases, supporting healthy aging, improving skin and eye health, and boosting mental health. You really can’t go wrong by boosting your intake of these essential chemicals. 

 

What are the Most Antioxidant-Rich Foods?

Among the top antioxidant-rich foods are many fruits and vegetables that you can grow right in your garden, including: 

• Berries: Blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, gooseberries, currants, and goji berries are all among the most antioxidant-rich foods you can find, and are packed with vitamins A, C, and E.  

• Brassicas: As some of the most nutrient-rich foods you can grow, it won’t surprise anyone that these vegetables are also full of antioxidants. Cabbage, kale, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts are all perfect examples of brassicas that are particularly rich in antioxidants. 

• Leafy Greens: Kale, spinach, mustard greens, bok choy, Swiss chard, collards, and watercress are all so rich in antioxidants that you often feel healthier just by biting into them! Fresh from the garden, they’ll give you a massive energy boost while protecting your cells from oxidation; talk about a win-win!

 

• Root Veggies: Beets, carrots, and even potatoes are all rich in antioxidants, not to mention radishes, celeriac, and turnips. Just take a bite of these tubers and feel your stress and inflammation wash away. The carotenoids, betalains, vitamin C, and vitamin A in these root veggies act as antioxidants and have a host of other health benefits, too, making them must-have additions to your garden and your dinner plate.

• Squash and Pumpkins: The rich orange color of garden-grown squashes and pumpkins should alert you to the smorgasbord of nutrients, antioxidants, and flavor that await you. Cook up the seeds, too, for another boost of antioxidants and many other valuable minerals!   

• Fruits: The juicy cherries, apricots, peaches, apples, and pears hanging off your trees are more than just eye candy; they’re also packed with their fair share of antioxidants. Pound for pound, they may not have as much as berries or brassicas, but they’ll still give you a boost of regenerative properties that will improve your physical and mental health! 

• Common Garden Weeds: This one may come as a surprise, but those stubborn weeds in your garden are also superfoods waiting to improve your health. Chickweed, dandelion, common plantain, and lamb’s quarters are just a few examples of edible weeds rich in health-boosting antioxidants. They may challenge you to expand your palate at first, but trust us when we say that these energizing plants make amazing additions to your next summer salad! 

 

Glutathione-Rich Foods You Can Grow in Pennsylvania 

Glutathione is a particular antioxidant that is especially good for immune system health. Cruciferous vegetables like kale, broccoli, and collards are all rich in Glutathione, as are sulfur-rich foods like garlic, onions, and shallots.

 

Other Health Benefits of Growing Food in Your Pennsylvania Garden  

It’s safe to say that growing your own food is one of the best ways to boost your health. Aside from being fresher and more nutritious than anything you can buy at the grocery store, garden-fresh fruits and vegetables are also packed with a rich buffet of enzymes that promote gut health and digestion, benefitting both your body and mind. If you don’t believe us, try eating homegrown vegetables for a summer and see how you feel. Afterward, we guarantee it’ll be hard to go back to store-bought food in the winter! 

For everything you’ll need to grow more antioxidant-rich foods this summer, visit our independent garden center in Glenside, PA!