Antioxidants, nature’s anti-rust agents

A scoop o’ colorful puréed veggie soup helps the antioxidants go down.

Antioxidants unmasked

Among scientists she goes by the name of  antioxidant. But Vinny’s friends know her as Auntie Oxidant. By either name, she is a kid’s best friend. She is a powerful protector from degenerative disease. This fighter disarms invaders called free radicals, bent on destroying our cells.

”The amount of antioxidants in your body is directly proportional to how long you will live.”
– Dr. Richard Cutler, former Director of the National Institute of Aging, Washington

Auntie Oxidant lurks in fruits and veggies. You probably know some of her gang already. Meet:

• Vitamin A – hiding in ORANGE fruits and veggies, like carrots and sweet potatoes
• Lycopene – swimming in cooked tomato dishes, like ketchup
• Vitamin E  – holding hands with vegetable oils, nuts, and seeds
• Anthocyanin – showing off  in RED or BLUE foods, like beets and red carrots

Get shopping, preferably at a farmers’ market

How Auntie Oxidant operates

Free radicals are trouble-makers, which turn up when oxygen molecules are ripped apart.

Oxygen comes into our bodies in the air we breath. It arrives in pairs of oxygen atoms, with each pair bound tightly into a molecule. We can’t live without the oxygen twins for more than a few seconds.

But the twins have some powerful enemies. Smoking, alcohol, air pollution, infection, sunlight, radiation… all these things tear at the oxygen molecules, breaking the twins apart.

The separated oxygen atoms are freed at a price – they each lose one electron. The deprived oxygen atoms go on a rampage… stealing electrons from other molecules and damaging cells. Cancer, stroke, sunburn and even aging itself are triggered this way.

Auntie Oxidant rides to the rescue. She uses her own electrons to rope those crazy radicals in and tie them up before they can do harm. Without Auntie O, we sort of rust away, from the inside out… or in the case of sunburn, from the outside in!

The Bottom Line

Scientists agree that eating lots of fruits and vegetables lowers your risk of heart disease and certain cancers. A diet rich in veggies and fruit keeps you healthy, through and through.

If your kids won’t eat their veggies in chunks, try a delicious pureed soup.

Squash makes a nice soup, especially when paired with tomatoes.

Puréed squash and tomato soup
Makes 14 cups

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 red (or orange) carrots,* cut into cubes (about 1 pound or 450 grams)
• 1 butternut squash, peeled and de-seeded, and cut into cubes (about 1 1/2 pounds or 680 grams)
• 1 red onion, cut and diced (about 10 ounces or 300 grams)
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 tomatoes, diced (about 1 pound or 450 grams)
• 4 cups (1 liter) chicken or vegetable stock
• a little salt and paprika to taste
• 2 tablespoons (20 milliliters) balsamic vinegar or to taste, depending on acid in tomatoes
• pumpkin seeds and basil to garnish (optional)

1. Wash, peel, chop and measure the veggies. Tip: Slice the squash into one-inch rounds, then slice off the hard skin and take out the seeds. Now cut it into cubes.

 

1. In a soup pot on medium heat, stir fry the carrots for 10-15 minutes in the oil. My red carrots turned the soup a beautiful burgundy!
2. Add the butternut squash, together with the onions and the garlic, and stir fry for 10 minutes longer
3. Add the tomatoes, and cook 2 minutes more
4. Add the chicken stock – bring to a boil
5. Cover and simmer over low heat for 20-25 minutes or until the veggies are squishy
6. Switch off the stove – let the mixture cool for 5-10 minutes

Go!

1. Puree the soup in a blender or food processor, or use a hand blender right in the pot on the stove top (the easiest way)
2. Serve warm, topped with basil and pumpkin seeds, if you like

Stayin’ alive with a scoop of pureed veggie soup.

*Note

Red carrots have been grown in Turkey for centuries. Their color remains stable and adds a lovely burgundy glow to your soup. You can find them at farmers markets or veggie stores, sold as heritage carrots. They are even healthier than orange carrots because of the special antioxidant they contain,  anthocyanin. If you can’t find any red carrots, orange ones work too.

Other great antioxidant-rich veggie soups

• Borscht with Zoë
• Leek and sweet potato soup in pumpkin bowls