The term antioxidant refers to a group of compounds found in everyday substances like plants which have health giving benefits to help fight disease. Phytonutrients found in fruits and vegetables work together with other nutrients to protect your health. Discoveries are being made all the time with in excess of 900 compounds catalogued already; these protective plant compounds are an emerging area of health and nutrition, with new research reported almost daily. To date a large number of health giving benefits of these phytonutrients have been found; blueberries, pomegranates can reduce the signs of aging, whereas cherries can help relieve joint pain.

But is doesn't stop there as blueberries also contain a lower sugar content than most other fruits as well as many antioxidants. The easiest way to inject concentrated amounts of these fruits is by drinking juice every day; many benefits have been found including an improvement in our circulatory system and an increase in our own ability to ward of illness. Antioxidants contained in these fruits can also help ward off and fight disease and infections we may suffer from. Now the focus has shifted towards apples which have an effect on the probability of coronary diseases.

Even lemons and other citrus fruits are proving very capable at providing useful phytochemicals of their own. Tart cherries for instance have a number of properties which work together to help people who have arthritis, gout and fibromyalgia. Other substances, vitamins and minerals for instance, are also being studied more carefully even though their benefits are well documented. Blackberries, mulberries, and especially blueberries are rich in powerful antioxidants like resveratrol.

The benefits of these extend too many of the conditions which are found to be more prevalent as we age like heart disease, Alzheimer's, blood pressure and stroke. Some cancers can also be prevented, along with heart disease, by eating tomatoes as part of a routine diet. However, it is now recognized that the best way to receive a sufficient quantity of the antioxidants contained in a tomato is by having it as a puree in a dish using tomato sauce or as a juice. In the heat of summer, a watermelon can be one of the most refreshing of fruits but it has also been found to have a range of the most important phytonutrients so far discovered. With all the natural goodness fruit contains and now the health benefits as well, isn't it time for you to start having more fruit in your diet.