Even though there are scores of diets on the market, many of them say the same thing: Eat less, move more.
But the recently-released O2 Diet, also being called the antioxidant diet, takes the emphasis off of eating less and exercising and instead places it on the nutritional value of what you’re eating.
Created by registered dietitian Keri Glassman, The O2 Diet focuses on antioxidants, those tiny but powerful substances in food that help rid the body of free radical damage, which has been linked to everything from heart disease and cancer to Alzheimer’s disease and wrinkles. Using the ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) scale, a measurement created by the USDA that calculates how well a food protects the body against free radicals, The O2 Diet has you counting ORAC points rather than calories, fat grams or carbs.
Each day your goal is to consume 30,000 ORAC points. While this may sound like a lot, keep in mind that one cup of blueberries delivers 9,700 ORAC points, and a square of dark chocolate packs almost 6,000 ORAC points.
The plan starts out with a four-day cleanse followed by a 28-day O2 Diet. Glassman provides lists of antioxidant-rich foods and their ORAC score as well as recipes like Green Tea Walnut Loaf, Salmon with Raspberry Balsamic Glaze, Blackberry-Thyme Margarita, Chocolate-Cherry Buttermilk Scones, Caramelized Pear and Pecan French Toast, and many more.
You’ll also learn about the science behind antioxidants, free radical damage and how the lifestyle we choose to lead can can put us at risk or help to prevent us from free radical-causing diseases and conditions. Glassman has a way of transforming highly technical medical terms into easily understandable concepts and terms. Before you know it, you’ll be an antioxidant expert and you’ll have the glowing skin and skinny jeans to prove it.