In recent studies, purple berries (such as Elderberry and black currant) are considered as the richest antioxidant foods. However, raspberries, cranberries, blueberries, and blackberries are also good antioxidant foods that are rich in proanthocyanidins which help prevent cancer and heart disease. Broccoli Another excellent antioxidant foods are green leafy vegetables. Fortunately for us, the body has a number of mechanisms to minimize free radical induced damage and to repair the damage which does occur. Enzymes superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione reductase, these are only a few of the substances found in the body that can help repair cell damage. It is an inevitable occurrence and there's not stopping it. There is however a way to retard it though. Recent research has found a way to give you new hope, a way to rejuvenate and extend the lifespan of cells. What causes aging? Much of scientific research these days are focused on finding a solution to aging. Once the process of free radicals formation is started, it can cascade, finally resulting in the disruption of a living cell. Antioxidants: Natural Enemies of Free Radicals Antioxidants such as vitamins C and E are thought to protect the body against the destructive effects of free radicals. What antioxidants do is neutralize the free radicals. 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. The Top 20 list includes small red beans (dried), wild blueberry, red kidney beans, pinto beans, blueberry (cultivated), cranberry, artichokes (cooked), blackberry, prunes (dried plums), raspberry, strawberry, red delicious apples, Granny Smith apples, pecans, sweet cherries, black plums, russet potatoes (cooked), black beans (dried), plums, and gala apples. The reason that free radicals are highly reactive is that they lack electrons, which cause them to be highly unstable. To achieve maximum stability, free radicals therefore steal electrons from other molecules around them and in so doing, destroy the cell membranes and weaken the cell. Free radicals cause a chain reaction of "electron stealing" because the minute they start taking away electrons from other molecules, those molecules become free radicals themselves.