Green tea, hibiscus-based drinks pack antioxidants

Green tea, hibiscus-based drinks pack antioxidants

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

If you want your beverage to work extra hard for you, pick a green tea with hibiscus.

According to a new study out of Portugal, drinks containing both these ingredients were found to have the highest antioxidant content of 19 different beverages currently on Portuguese grocery store shelves, reports trade publication NutraIngredients.com.

After analyzing the phenolic content in tea-based beverages and fruit juices, analysts from the Universidade do Porto found that a tea formulation containing green tea, hibiscus and pineapple packed the most antioxidant punch, while a borututu roots infusion fell at the bottom of the spectrum with the lowest antioxidant activity. Borututu bark or root is said to help detox and cleanse the body.

The findings were published in the Food Science and Technology Journal.

Interestingly, while fresh berries are said to be full of health benefits, under the banner of fruit juice they fall flat: blackberry and raspberry-based juices had the lowest antioxidant content, while a cocktail made of pomegranate, grape, and carrot juice, hibiscus and green tea extract was shown to pack the biggest punch. Researchers make no mention of brand names in the study.

Meanwhile, in a paper out of Norway, scientists compiled a database of more than 3,100 foods, drinks, spices, herbs and supplements used worldwide. Among the most antioxidant-rich food are black currants, wild strawberries, blackberries, cranberries, dried apples, artichokes, and dried fruits like plums, apricots, dates and mango.

Meanwhile, a study out of Norway catalogued the antioxidant content of more than 3,100 foods, beverages, spices, herbs and supplements in 2010.

Here are some of the most antioxidant-rich foods from the database:

Beverages

Coffee

Espresso

Pomegranate juice

Red wine

Breakfast cereals, grains, legumes, nuts and seeds

Buckwheat

Chestnuts with pellicle, or the skin of the nut

Pecans with pellicle

Sunflower seeds

Walnuts with pellicle

Berries, fruits and vegetables

Baobab, an African fruit

Amla (Indian gooseberry)

Bilberries (dried)

Dog rose (dried, fresh)

Dried plums, prunes, apricots, apples

Artichoke

Blueberry jam

Curly kale

Okra

Spices

Cloves

Allspice

Mint leaves

Oregano

Thyme

Cinnamon