There has been a lot of hype about antioxidants over the past several years. People have been told that they are the key to everything healthy. Having a good source of them for the body’s nutrition is therefore vital. But what is the best way to get all of those micronutrients into the body in a sufficient quantity? Here is a look at ways to get antioxidants from 5 natural sources.

Obviously, one of best ways to get nutrition into the body is to consume it. Partaking of a diet rich in antioxidants is a sure fire way to increase their amount in the body systems. Of course, the tricky part comes in knowing the best sources of these nutrients. It doesn’t do any good to just go and consume every food in site (there are bad ones out there). Knowledge is required for success.

Well, here are five of the top foods for antioxidant intake – and their all berries. Strawberries, raspberries, blackberry and cranberries all make the United States Department of Agriculture list of the top twenty antioxidant food sources (actually, excluding strawberries which came in at number eleven, all of them are in the top ten). Yet, the berry that takes the cake in this contest of health is the humble blueberry.

Blueberries have often been prized for their delicious and subtle flavor. They are grown in huge masses in the northeastern part of the United States (and some in Canada too). Many people are large consumers of cultivated blueberries which come in at number five on the list of antioxidant sources, but even more powerful are the “wild” blueberries which take second place among all foods tested in the USDA study. Their genetic makeup causes them to be classified as a “superfruit” and carry a big supply of nutrients in a small package.

If these five berries aren’t turning the taste buds, then try another approach. Beans are actually among the highest antioxidant sources we have. Red beans come in at number one on the USDA list with red kidney and pinto beans pulling in third and fourth place. These are great for all sorts of nutrients and blend well into a variety of foods.

One other alternative source is essential oils. These volatile plant oils carry the micronutrients of the plants into the body through the pores of the skin, the airways or internally if they are pure enough. Nearly all essential oils have antioxidant properties and are ready to assist the body in overcoming the free radicals and other problems it faces daily.