Government scientists have released a ranking of foods with the highest concentrations of antioxidants, which research suggests can help prevent heart disease and certain cancers, as well as keep your eyes, mind, and immune system sharp.
To come up with their results, researchers with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) extracted the antioxidants from 100 common foods using special solvents, then ran them through a device that uses fluorescent light to monitor a chemical reaction that measures antioxidant activity. Researchers then took the resulting numbers—what they call the total antioxidant capacity (TAC)—and compared them.
The good news: You don't have to put your diet under a microscope to reap the benefits of the top 20. Rather than zeroing in on a particular food because it scored high, use the list to help you put a little variety on your plate.
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