Snack foods like popcorn and many popular breakfast cereals contain the same amount of healthy antioxidants as fruit and vegetables, claim researchers.
Fruit and vegetables — and foods such as chocolate, wine, coffee, and tea — have become renowned for their role in reducing the risk of heart disease and cancer because they contain the health-giving substances known as polyphenols.
Until now, however, no one knew that commercial snack foods and hot and cold whole grain cereals were also a great source for the compounds.
Polyphenols are a group of chemicals found in many fruits, vegetables, and other plants, such as berries, walnuts, olives, tea leaves and grapes.
Known as antioxidants, they remove free radicals from the body. Free radicals are chemicals that have the potential to cause damage to cells and tissues in the body.
Polyphenols have up to 10 times the antioxidant effect as vitamins C and E.
It is known that whole grain foods are good for you but it was always thought that it was the fibre in them that had the health benefits.
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