Food as Medicine With Dr William W Li

Stress isn’t good for your body — especially oxidative stress. This kind of stress occurs due to the presence of molecules called free radicals. Produced naturally as a result of metabolism or because of exposure to pollution, cigarette smoke and alcohol, free radicals don’t get along with your body. In fact, they damage cells.
Antioxidants are key to reducing the impact of oxidative stress. “Antioxidants create a barrier or a shield around the cell to help protect it from being damaged,” Zumpano explains. As it happens, blueberries are very high in antioxidants — specifically anthocyanins, which are also found in chokeberries and elderberries.

According to a 2004 study, a cup of cultivated blueberries (berries grown to eat) has 9,019 antioxidants. Lowbush (or wild) blueberries have 13,427 total antioxidants per cup.
The Health Benefits of Blueberries