New "best antioxidants" list

Finally--following what is likely the largest antioxidant study in history--the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has produced a list of the 20 most antioxidant-rich foods. You may have guessed that blueberries rank high. But some of the findings will surprise you.

The study examined more than 100 types of fruits, vegetables, berries, nuts and spices. Winners included artichokes, russet potatoes and ground cloves, among other shockers, as top food sources of antioxidants. In the end, small red beans took the top spot, narrowly beating out wild blueberries as the food with the highest concentration of disease-fighting compounds per serving.

A prevailing but controversial theory holds that antioxidants--non-vitamin nutrients that abound in some foods--may benefit the body by providing protection against oxidation, a process that may be linked to conditions such as cancer, heart disease and aging. Found most often in colorful produce, antioxidants are also available in powdered "green" supplements and pills.

The USDA study was published in the June 2004 issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. Here's the full list, starting with the richest source of antioxidants:

* Small red beans (dried)

* Wild blueberries

* Red kidney beans

* Pinto beans

* Blueberries (cultivated)

* Cranberries

* Artichokes (cooked)

* Blackberries

* Prunes

* Raspberries

* Strawberries

* Red delicious apples

* Granny Smith apples

* Pecans

* Sweet cherries

* Black plums

* Russet potatoes (cooked)

* Black beans (dried)

* Plums

* Gala apples

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