Start Your Day with a Health Boost: Easy Ways to Add Antioxidants to Your Breakfast

Start your day with an antioxidant-packed breakfast to help you maintain good health and protect your body against free radical damage. Antioxidants are molecules that neutralize free radicals — unstable molecules that can damage cells and contribute to the development of various diseases. Examples of antioxidants include vitamins C and E, selenium, and carotenoids, such as beta-carotene, lycopene, and lutein.

Getting a morning dose of antioxidants is simple.

• Add berries such as blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, and acai to your oatmeal, yogurt, or smoothie. Don’t have fresh berries on hand? Keep a stash of My Berries frozen blueberries in the freezer or a tin of Nutra Organics Acai Berry Blend in the pantry to sprinkle over yogurt or overnight oats or add to a smoothie.
• Include nuts and seeds which also add healthy fats and fibre. Just add a handful of almonds or walnuts, or a tablespoon of chia seeds to your breakfast bowl. Nut butters count too! If you’re in a hurry, grab a slice of wholegrain toast, spread with RX Maple Almond Butter, and if you can squeeze in two more minutes, slice a strawberry and top toast with that.
• Drink catechin and antioxidant-rich green tea. Enjoy a cup of Storm + India Organic Beauty Tea, one-to-two hours after your breakfast — studies show that timing will give you maximum antioxidant benefits. A delicious blend of organic green tea, sun-dried orange rind, and gentle notes of ginger, this super sip assists in removing toxins from your body.
• Sweeten up with honey loaded with polyphenol, vitamin C, and vitamin E. Raw honey like Comvita Rewarewa Honey made from the nectar of Knightia excelsa, a prominent tree native and exclusive to New Zealand, is the best source. Drizzle honey in your tea, over your toast, or mix into a yoghurt bowl or smoothie.
• Chock full of flavonoids and polyphenols, dark chocolate is a fun way to get some antioxidants. Enjoy a small piece of dark chocolate with your breakfast or you can drink your dark chocolate with Grounded Pleasures Noir Exquisite Dark Drinking Chocolate.
• Add colourful vegetables like as spinach, kale, and capsicum to your omelet or smoothie.
• Use herbs and spices like ginger, cinnamon, or turmeric — all rich in antioxidants and boasting anti-inflammatory properties. Add a shake to your breakfast oatmeal, toast, or smoothie.

Feeling adventurous? Try making Jamu, a traditional Indonesian drink. Slice, leaving skin on, a 15cm piece of turmeric and a 10cm piece of ginger. Blend ginger and turmeric in a blender with 4 cups water until smooth-ish. Add to a saucepan and bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add the juice of one lime and 2-3 tbsp of raw honey depending on how sweet you like your Jamu. Stir. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a clean container. Crack a few teaspoons of black pepper into the strained mixture and stir or shake through. Chill to drink. If it seems a little thick, add some water to thin it to your preferred texture. Keeps in the fridge for up to a week.

Top image: Eiliv Aceron / Unsplash