Get More Antioxidants… With Rolls

Looking to power up your plate with antioxidants? Look to rolls. Sushi rolls, that is.

These small bites are big on age-defying antioxidants from several traditional Asian ingredients. Here are the top four:

• Wasabi. True wasabi – Wasabia japonica – is a member of the cruciferous family of vegetables (which also includes broccoli and watercress). Packed with powerful cancer-fighting nutrients called isothiocyanates, wasabi helps to stimulate the detoxification enzymes in your liver that disarm free radicals and carcinogens.

• Pickled ginger. Ginger ranks an amazing 14,840 on the ORAC scale. That’s more than double the antioxidant capacity of blueberries. Ginger is also a potent anti-inflammatory agent, thanks to gingerols – natural COX-2 inhibitors.

• Wakame. Addicted to seaweed salad? That’s a good thing. It’s loaded with a pigment called fucoxanthin, a strong free-radical fighter and metabolism booster.

• Wild salmon. Expect to pay about $1 more per roll when you request wild salmon for your sushi or sashimi. With its rich, buttery taste, this is a must. Not only will you avoid harmful contaminants found in farmed salmon, you’ll get a healthy dose of the “carotenoid king”: astaxanthin. This nutrient gives wild salmon its brilliant color, and is considered one of the most effective antioxidants known.

[Ed. Note: Eating healthy doesn't have to be boring. Nor does it mean avoiding your favorite foods - like sushi. Just make good choices when it comes to what you eat, and you can live a long and healthy life. Find more simple ideas about how to feel better and live longer here.

And talk about a healthy food that tastes fantastic... nutrition expert Kelley Herring has developed a chocolate cake so rich and delicious that you won't believe it's good for you. Learn more here.]

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