This post is a continuation of yesterday’s post on antioxidants
in stored foods. Today we consider sources of antioxidants in
the garden. Your options widen when you are growing your own
food. Many healthy foods are difficult to store long-term. And
although you are probably not going to grow your own coffee or
tea — two top antioxidants — you can grow a range of fruits and
vegetables that are high in antioxidants in your survival
garden. Take a look at this Chart of Antioxidant Levels in
Common Foods [PDF]. You can grow almost all of the foods listed
as having ‘Very High’ and ‘High’ levels of antioxidants. The
H-ORAC rating is a direct measure of the food’s ability to
neutralize free radicals (molecules that are overly-reactive and
can therefore damage cells). Blueberry – wild blueberries have
substantially more antioxidants than the cultivated varieties.
However, you can buy the wild varieties from nurseries that sell
fruit plants and cultivate them. The wild varieties have smaller
blueberries and a more in