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| What they do: act as antioxidants; prevent blood clots; prevent inflammation; activate enzymes that fight cancer. |
| WHAT MATTERS, WHAT DOESN'T |
| What Matters |
| Eating a variety of foods to obtain the full range of nutrients. Taking a vitamin/mineral supplement when you can't eat right. Avoiding too much of any nutrient; some can be toxic in high doses. |
| What Doesn't |
| Getting every nutrient every day; it's what you eat over a period of days and weeks that matters. Treating the RDAs as gospel; many researchers think the numbers are too low. |
| Flavonoids |
| Best sources: onions, kale, endive, broccoli, citrus fruits, cranberries, apples (with peels), grape juice, and red wine. |
| What they do: act as antioxidants, fighting allergies, inflammation, free radicals, toxins, microbes, ulcers, viruses, and tumors; prevent blood clotting and protect against heart disease; protect veins; lower levels of harmful estrogen, reducing the risk of estrogen-induced breast cancer; may help prevent cataracts. A subgroup of flavonoids, called anthocyanidins, strengthen collagen (used to make skin and other tissues, tendons, and ligaments) and scavenge free radicals in tissue fluidsthis particularly benefits athletes because heavy exercise generates free radicals. |
| Isoflavones |
| Best sources: chickpeas, lentils, kidney beans, soybeans and soy products. |
| What they do: block tumor-causing enzymes; lower levels of harmful estrogen; may help reduce risk of breast, prostate, and uterine cancers. |
| Carotenoids |
| Best sources: yellow, orange, and red fruits and vegetables, including: cantaloupe, pink grapefruit, tomatoes, and carrots; also broccoli, spinach, and other greens. |
| What they do: act as antioxidants; may help prevent prostate, colorectal, lung, breast, and uterine |
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