Antioxidant Fruits: The Benefits Many people are already familiar with antioxidant fruits, such as citrus fruits which are known for their high vitamin C content or apples for their beta-carotene. Consuming lots of antioxidant fruits in your diet will help boost the body's defense against free radicals and oxidative stress (damage caused by free radicals). Antioxidant Juice They are mostly found in fresh fruits and vegetables. We've been eating them for centuries and it's only now that scientists are beginning to discover exactly what makes them healthy for the body. Antioxidants. What exactly are they? The term is familiar to us. We hear them mentioned all the time whenever there's a new scientific study being released in the American Health Journal or some such explaining how antioxidant juice from berries can aid in liver function or how antioxidant juice from red wine is the scientific reason behind the French paradox. The new study on antioxidant red grapes, released in April 9, was conducted by researchers at Creighton University in Omaha. The group of researchers who conducted the study say that a compound extracted from the seeds of red grapes called Activin (tm) is that substance with powerful antioxidant red grapes properties. And so, studies began to look towards other sources of antioxidants as possible antioxidant supplements. Vitamins C and E were the next contenders but again, studies showed mixed results. Although Vitamin C antioxidant supplements didn't look as though it could reduce the risk of cancer or heart disease, it didn't have any adverse effects either. Prior, a USDA nutritionist and research chemist based in Little Rock, Ark explains that berry antioxidants were ranked according to their total antioxidant capacity. However, they were surprised to find that besides berry fruits, antioxidants may also come from the most unexpected foods as well. Prior and his colleagues used the most advanced technologies available to tabulate antioxidant levels in more than 100 different types of berry fruits, vegetables, nuts, and spices. Antioxidant Food You're probably already familiar with antioxidant foods. If not your doctor, then you've probably heard about them more than once from your mom. "Eat your veggies. An apple a day..." Sound familiar? While it's quite true that there's nothing healthier than including fresh produce in your diet, there is actually another reason why doctors insist on a healthy diet of fresh fruits and vegetables.