How to add more antioxidant superfoods to your diet

Enjoy eating the following antioxidant superfoods and you can live a longer, healthier life. Here are some tips and recipes that make adding these superfoods to your diet easy.

• Ascorbic acid in oranges, lemons, tangerines and other citrus fruits may release more of the healthy antioxidants locked in cocoa, University of California researchers report.
• Try making a chocolate dip by heating 450 millilitres (15 ounces) fat-free sweetened condensed milk and 200 grams (7 ounces) semisweet chocolate baking chips on low heat until the chocolate melts.
• Use as a dip for peeled, segmented clementines, tangerines, or sweet-tart Mineola oranges.

• Use equal amounts of each and be sure to use dark chocolate — it packs more antioxidants than milk chocolate.
• Include dates, raisins and prunes — dried fruits with the highest antioxidant levels — as well as pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, pistachios or almonds — all high-antioxidant nuts.
• Weigh 30-gram (2-tablespoon) portions into tiny zipper-seal bags and freeze.
• Drop one in your purse or briefcase for a healthy snack.

• Mix 250 millilitres (8 ounces) fat-free milk, 5 millilitres (1 teaspoon) sugar or no-calorie sweetener, and 15 millilitres (1 tablespoon) dark cocoa powder in a cup. Microwave until hot, dust with cinnamon, and sip!
• When Dutch researchers studied the diets and health of 470 older men for 15 years, they found that higher cocoa intake was associated with lower blood pressure and a whopping 50 percent drop in risk of dying from heart disease.

• Jasmine tea is rich in antioxidant catechins, but skip the milk.
• A British study found that in your teacup, milk proteins bind to some beneficial compounds and could prevent absorption.
• A Swedish study of 61,000 women found that a cup of black tea a day lowered ovarian cancer risk by 24 percent.
• Try instant green tea, which packs 40 milligrams of antioxidants — about half what you'd get from a cup of fresh-brewed tea.
• Bottled teas (get a diet or no-sugar-added variety) claim to have up to 55 milligrams per serving.
• Cold tea is packed with antioxidants, too. Just look for one that's low in sugar — bottled iced tea can be as high in calories as a cola!

• Take advantage of high concentrations of artery-scouring compounds found in these red varieties: Zinfandel, Syrah, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon, suggest University of California, Davis, researchers.
• Tannat, a red wine variety that's big in southwestern France and Uruguay, is also super-high in tannins! Or ask your wine salesperson for a wine that has been given extended contact with tannin-rich skins, seeds and stems.
• The most important thing to know about sipping wine for its health benefits is when to stop. Studies show that the safest limit is one 150-millilitre (5-ounce) glass a day for women and two 150-millilitre (5-ounce) glasses a day for men.

Researchers from the USDA's Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center in Little Rock tested the antioxidant power of more than 100 foods. Here is their list of the top 20 antioxidant superfoods.

1. Small red beans
2. Wild blueberries
3. Red kidney beans
4. Pinto beans
5. Cultivated blueberries
6. Cranberries
7. Artichoke hearts
8. Blackberries
9. Prunes
10. Raspberries
11. Strawberries
12. Red Delicious apples
13. Granny Smith apples
14. Pecans
15. Sweet cherries
16. Black plums
17. Russet potatoes
18. Black beans
19. Plums
20. Gala apples