Eating Antioxidants for a Better You

In "The Early Show" series, "New Year, New You," registered dietician Keri Glassman shared ideas for eating healthier from her new book, "The O2 Diet."

Read an excerpt of "The O2 Diet"

Glassman said, "Antioxidants are the superheroes that fight the bad-guy free radicals that are linked to heart disease, cancer, neuronal degeneration and aging."

In her book, Glassman outlines the ORAC scale, which measures a food's antioxidant power.

Glassman said, "(ORAC) measures how well a food mops up the free radicals in our bloodstream. Free radicals are the 'bad guys' roaming in your body or 'pinballs' in your body wreaking havoc on our cells. Think of antioxidants as little super heroes squashing these 'bad guys.'"

ORAC was developed in the early '90s at the National Institute on Aging and since then has been refined by the USDA and the Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University.

Glassman pointed out the ORAC value won't be on food labels. However, with Glassman's book you will be able to spot certain antioxidants, such as Vitamin C, that are clearly marked on nutritional labels.

But how is this diet different from others out there?

Glassman said, "I find that people know a lot about artificial sweeteners and the latest cholesterol lowering drug but they don't know the simple facts about what makes real food so powerful, and just how those foods work. When people understand this, they feel empowered to put the best foods in their body."

"This plan," she said, "helps change a person's outlook on food -- by focusing on putting more ORAC in your body -- you are inspired and want to be healthy versus feeling deprived and focusing on how little you can have or what you can't have."

The goal of this diet is to get more of the best foods -- not just focus on weight loss, she said.

"When you eat according to this plan you improve your skin, energy, heart health," she said. "The O2 Diet also focuses on managing stress, maximizing sleep and improving your environment."

In addition to mapping out antioxidant foods, Glassman lays out a diet in her book for four-day cleanse.

But why four days?

Glassman said the cleanse is long enough to help you make a difference in how you look and feel -- and give you enough time to change your mindset around food.

"You will feel empowered," she said. "The 'I want to put good things in my body feeling' will kick in. It is also enough time to lay the groundwork for some good habits that you continue on with during the plan."

On the cleanse, she added, you'll get a slightly higher antioxidants than you will on the rest of the plan. Glassman explained this is to give your body an antioxidant jumpstart.

Glassman's Four-Day Cleanse:

BREAKFAST
Scrambled eggs (1 whole egg omega 3 enriched, 3 whites)
1 tsp. dried basil
1 cup green tea
1 cup water with 1 oz. lemon juice

Eggs contain protein -- excellent to have at breakfast because provide a lot of satiety (keeps you full) through the day.

The omega 3 enriched is important because omega 3's are important for anti-inflammation, helping burn fat, heart health. Also, contain choline, important for healthy brain function.

Basil -- herbs and spices are an easy, calorie free way to up ORAC and add flavor to meals to make food more satisfying.

1 tsp. dried basil has 500 ORAC points.

Green tea -- I love almost as much as my children! 3,000 ORAC points per cup. Green tea is rich in the antioxidants catechins which may help burn fat. Buy in small quantities though -- green tea bags may lose up to 32 percent of its power in 6 months.

Lemon water -- There is an emotional component here. Think about being at a spa. What will make you feel healthier -- a Diet Coke or water with lemon? Starting your day with lemon water helps instill this feeling. Also, when properly hydrated you are less likely to eat for the wrong reasons. Often, people eat when they are thirsty. Staying hydrated from the moment you wake up helps prevent this. Plus, being properly hydrated is the easiest way to give your skin a boost.

SNACK
Sliced Granny Smith apple with 1 tsp. cinnamon

Granny Smith apple -- 7,100 ORAC points -- Green apples are very satisfying, plus you are getting some fiber.

Cinnamon -- 1 tsp. 7,000 ORAC points -- also helps control blood sugar and researchers have found that just the smell of it may help reduce stress. It has been tested on stressed out commuters as they drove.

LUNCH
Spinach
4 oz. Salmon
1 tsp. oregano
8 pecans
Any flavored vinegars on spinach such as raspberry, fig.
Water with lemon.

Spinach -- 1,300 ORAC points -- helps you fill up as well for little calories.
Salmon -- Protein is satisfying and salmon has the omega 3's I love.
Oregano -- 3,600 ORAC points (see comment about herbs and spices above)
Pecans -- A wonderful high ORAC nut! Just this small portion is enough to give you ORAC boost and help provide satiety. Also, contain plant sterols which help to lower cholesterol.

SNACK
1 cup green tea
1 steamed artichoke or 1/2 cup artichoke hearts

We already know about green tea.

Artichokes one of my absolute fave foods. How fun are they to eat? Great for dieters because they are fun to eat and you can eat slow.

7,900 ORAC points. They contain compounds which may help lower cholesterol and act as an anti-inflammatory in the skin, making them a beauty food as well.

DINNER
Large romaine salad with carrots, red bell peppers, tomatoes and olive oil and lemon to dress it
Steamed asparagus
4 oz. lean protein
1 tsp. oregano
water with lemon
1 cup blueberries

Salad -- We know it is an easy low cal way to fill up. But research also suggests that women who ate leafy greens had brains that were 1-2 years younger in performance than those who didn't. Smart girls eat greens or girls who eat greens are smart? Either way eat up! Plus this salad is packed with more ORAC punch with the colorful veggies.

Olive oil -- Most of us know about the healthy fat but olive oil also has antioxidants in the form of polyphenols.

Asparagus -- 2,900 ORAC points. And, high in folate which is important for heart health. I always encourage two veggies (salad and another at dinner) to help fill you up and up antioxidants.

Lean protein -- Of course lean - we are dieting! Also, contain Co-Q10 which has antioxidant properties and helps with skin cell renewal.

Oregano -- 3,600 ORAC points (see above).

Blueberries -- 9,700 ORAC points per cup. All berries rock! Blueberries get their power from the anthocyanins which may lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and the pectin a fiber which helps keep you regular. Also, shown to boost memory and cognition.

Glassman says if you follow this cleanse for four days, you could lose two to five pounds, depending upon how the person is currently eating.

The benefits also are numerous, Glassman said.

"I have had clients say they felt 'euphoric,'" she said. "Aside from pants fitting a little better, I have clients tell me -- and I see -- how their skin glows a bit more, they have more energy -- often people work out more than they normally do. I also find that people sleep better and even feel more relaxed during these four days. They also feel excited about the changes they are making to their life and diet."

Why will people be successful on this four day cleanse?

Glassman said, "You are eating real food and you are not deprived and since you feel and see changes right away, you are inspired."

The cleanse also suggests the following for the four days:

• DRINK 8 glasses of water and the 2 cups of green tea
• SLEEP (AND HAVE SEX!) 7-8 hours per night -- even if you don't normally get this in make sure to for the next 4 nights. And, sex has health benefits.
• PAMPER -- cleanse your face and moisturize 2 times daily
• DESTRESS -- 15 minutes just for you each day
• EXERCISE -- 45 minutes per day
• IMPROVE YOUR ENVIRONMENT