With antioxidant supplements still far from the high expectations of the scientific community, you can in the meantime turn to the more reliable source of these helpful compounds, which are antioxidant foods. Below are some examples of antioxidant foods which you can include in your daily diet: Berries The provocative allure, the fragile charm, the rich concentration of nutrients. The data on antioxidant vitamins is incomplete for the most part but up to 30 percent of Americans are already taking some form of antioxidant vitamin supplement along with their diet. Due to the lack of sufficient data to support the success of antioxidant vitamins supplement against cardiovascular diseases and other such degenerative illnesses, the American Heart Association does not recommend using antioxidant vitamins supplements. Free radicals are still necessary for life, but in order to prevent yourself from developing these diseases, you need to take action in keeping free radicals at a minimum. Fortunately for us, the body has a number of mechanisms to minimize free radical induced damage and to repair the damage which does occur. But what causes aging anyway? And is there anyway to retard it? In biological systems, the normal processes of oxidation are what lead to aging. Oxidation causes the production of substances called free radicals which are highly reactive. These free radicals can readily react with and damage other molecules. Like a previous University of Illinois study in 1999, researchers found in both studies that dark-colored honey, especially buckwheat, provide more protective dietary antioxidant punch than lighter-colored honeys. This proves that while it is still early to say that honey can be a dietary antioxidant, it does point out its vast potential in terms of antioxidant properties. 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. Massive destruction ensues, leading to such disorders as Alzheimer's, cardiovascular disease, cancer, senility, and more.