School’s almost out and it’s time for your kids to kick up their feet and enjoy the warm weather. But now’s also the time to hit the farmer’s market and take advantage of the fresh nutrient-rich summer time foods that will keep those brains sharp and humming through the dog days.
Your body creates potentially damaging chemicals, called free radicals, through natural processes. Many of the life-supporting nutrients we get from plants function as antioxidants, binding to free radicals and neutralizing them so they can’t do damage. You might have heard of betacarotene, polyphenols, carotenoids, anthocyanins; these are plant chemicals known for their antioxidant activity. Certain micronutrients like vitamin C, zinc, and selenium also act as antioxidants.
Antioxidants protect brain tissue from free radical damage and reduce inflammation. An insufficient intake of antioxidants can be a contributing factor to depression, anxiety, poor memory, inattention and many other health conditions. Take advantage of the fresh antioxidant-rich foods that are becoming plentiful this time of year
Fresh fruits and vegetables provide a direct source of antioxidants. Certain foods are also being researched for their ability to stimulate the body’s own synthesis of antioxidants.
Here are some summertime foods that will increase your antioxidant levels and keep your brain sharp!
Lettuce, spinach, kale, beet greens, and chard are all high in antioxidant phytochemicals. If you find it a challenge getting these into your kids, here are a few things to try:
While these are a great direct source of flavonoids, carotenoids, and other antioxidants, they are also now being researched for their ability to stimulate antioxidant production in the body.
If you have trouble getting your children to eat broccoli, try steaming it, grinding it up in a food processor and adding it to sauces. You can make broccoli sprouts at home or look for them at the market in the summer. They have a delicate flavour and can be tossed into salads, used to top burgers, and even ground into smoothies (I have tried blending broccoli florets into a smoothie... it didn’t go over well! Go for the sprouts instead).
Dark colored berries contain flavonoids and anthocyanins. Much of the power is in the skins when it comes to berries, so you don’t always get the full effect with juice. Incorporate these, fresh or frozen, into smoothies, popsicles, or eat them as a refreshing snack.
Nothing says summer like fresh watermelon. Watermelon is high in lycopene, beta carotene and vitamin C - all health supportive antioxidants!
Heat, light, oxygen and time are factors that degrade the quality of many antioxidants. So, while technically a food like blueberries are high in antioxidants, blueberries from Chili that were harvested 3 months ago and shipped to Canada will have a lower antioxidant value than blueberries picked yesterday at the farm just out of town.
So take advantage of the season and go hit your local farmer’s market to find these fresh, whole, antioxidant-rich foods that support the brain. Come September those little brains will still be fresh, strong and ready to learn.
Happy eating!
Blend everything in your blender and pour into popsicle moulds. Freeze and enjoy!