7 Min
Zuletzt aktualisiert am 06.12.2025
Are antioxidants still a foreign word to you? Then you’re in exactly the right place!
In this article, you’ll learn what antioxidants are, which foods rich in antioxidants exist, and why they are especially important in winter. We’ll also show you how you can easily integrate these nutrients into your diet – including a look at dietary supplements that can be particularly interesting during the winter months.
This blog article is part of our series "Getting through winter with Vetain", which accompanies you through the coming months and shows how you can get through winter with the right vitamins and minerals. In the previous article, we explained what you can do about the well-known winter fatigue. Take a look!
Your knowledge to go: Foods rich in antioxidants
Antioxidants protect our cells from free radicals, which can be caused by stress, UV radiation, or smoking, for example.
Well-known antioxidants include vitamin C, vitamin E, carotenoids, and more.
Foods rich in antioxidants include berries, nuts, green vegetables (spinach, kale, broccoli), and red fruits and vegetables (beetroot, tomatoes, oranges).
In addition, many people choose to take antioxidants through dietary supplements.
What are antioxidants?
Antioxidants are substances that help the body neutralize so-called free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules that are produced through natural metabolic processes as well as external factors such as UV radiation, environmental pollution, stress, or smoking. They can damage cells and cause oxidative stress, which has been associated with various health impairments. Antioxidants counteract this by capturing and neutralizing free radicals.
Antioxidants can be produced by the body itself, but can also be absorbed through the diet.
Let’s take a closer look: Which antioxidants are there?
Important antioxidants
There are many different types of antioxidants. And in fact, we know many of them from everyday life – they can be vitamins, secondary plant compounds & more. Particularly relevant for a healthy diet are the following:
Vitamin C:
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is one of the best-known antioxidants.
It is water-soluble and mainly found in fresh fruit and vegetables, such as citrus fruits, bell peppers, broccoli, and berries. More on this shortly in the section “Foods rich in antioxidants.”
In addition to its antioxidant function, vitamin C also helps regenerate vitamin E.
Vitamin C contributes to a normal immune system and to the normal function of various bodily processes.
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Vitamin E:
Vitamin E is a collective term for various fat-soluble compounds that are mainly found in vegetable oils, nuts, and seeds.
Vitamin E is particularly important for maintaining normal skin and a normal immune system – both of which can be affected in winter by cold air and dry indoor heating.
Vitamin E is supported by vitamin C, as vitamin C can regenerate vitamin E.
Beta-carotene and other carotenoids:
Carotenoids are a whole group of antioxidant compounds that also contribute to the normal function of vision.
Beta-carotene is a precursor of vitamin A and belongs to the carotenoids.
It is found in orange-colored and dark green vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, and kale.
Especially during the darker months, when fresh vegetables may be less available, consciously consuming carotenoids can be beneficial.
Many plant-based foods also contain various secondary plant compounds such as OPC from grape seeds, curcumin from turmeric, anthocyanins from red cabbage or cherries, chlorophyll from green leafy vegetables, or allicin from garlic. Also interesting: there are minerals that play a role in the antioxidant system.
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Minerals with antioxidant function: zinc and selenium
In addition to vitamins, minerals are also part of the body’s antioxidant system. Zinc and selenium are essential trace elements that support antioxidant enzymes.
Zinc is found, for example, in legumes, nuts, and whole grains, while selenium is mainly found in Brazil nuts, grains, and certain types of mushrooms.
Foods rich in antioxidants – top sources
Many plant-based foods contain a wide variety of antioxidants. The following foods are particularly rich in these nutrients and are well suited for an antioxidant-rich diet, even in winter.
Antioxidant foods | Our top 10:
Blueberries – rich in anthocyanins and vitamin C
Dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa content) – contains flavonoids
Walnuts – provide vitamin E, zinc, and polyphenols
Kale – a source of vitamin C, beta-carotene, and other secondary plant compounds
Spinach – contains lutein, vitamin E, and beta-carotene
Beetroot – contains betalains and other antioxidant plant compounds
Broccoli – rich in sulforaphane and vitamin C
Green tea & coffee – something we can all be happy about
Tomatoes – rich in lycopene, a carotenoid
Oranges – an excellent source of vitamin C
These foods provide a broad range of antioxidants that complement and support each other. You may also notice that many foods rich in antioxidants are already part of a balanced diet.
If you need a reminder: here is our popular “Antioxidant foods table” for screenshots:
Why are antioxidants important in winter?
In winter, our bodies are exposed to various additional stressors. Cold temperatures, dry indoor heating, and less sunlight can all affect the body. We all feel this in everyday life. In addition, the availability of fresh fruit and vegetables rich in antioxidants is often more limited. This can lead to a reduced intake of important nutrients such as vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc, and other antioxidants.
That’s why many people pay even closer attention to including antioxidant-rich foods in their diet during winter. Some also choose to take dietary supplements to increase their antioxidant intake.
Antioxidants as dietary supplements?
A balanced diet remains the best foundation for antioxidant intake. In certain situations – such as increased stress, intense physical activity, or during winter when fresh fruit and vegetables are less available – targeted supplementation can be of interest. This way, you don’t have to worry as much during winter about whether you’re consuming enough antioxidant-rich foods.
Vetain offers a selection of vegan dietary supplements that include vitamin C, OPC, curcumin, and other nutrients. These products can help increase the intake of antioxidants and other nutrients, especially when access to fresh foods rich in antioxidants is limited during winter.
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Tips for an antioxidant-rich diet in winter
Eat a colorful variety of fruit and vegetables every day – ideally at least five servings per day.
Choose seasonal winter vegetables such as kale, Brussels sprouts, beetroot, and pumpkin, which are rich in antioxidants.
Drink green tea or other teas that contain natural antioxidants – especially cozy in winter.
Pay attention to gentle preparation methods to preserve nutrients as much as possible.
Conclusion
Antioxidants are small radical scavengers that play an important but often invisible role in everyday life. Hopefully, this article has made them a little more visible, so you can now consciously ensure you consume enough foods rich in antioxidants. A varied and colorful diet with plenty of fresh fruit, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains is key.
In addition, antioxidant supplementation can contribute to antioxidant intake – especially in winter, when access to natural sources may be limited.
Do you have questions? Then feel free to send me an email – I’m looking forward to hearing from you! :)
The information shared in this article does not replace individual medical or nutritional advice.
Literatur & Quellen
Flück, J. (2023). Antioxidantien im Ausdauersport.
Lamprecht, M. (2010). Oxidativer Stress und Antioxidantien beim sportlichen Training. In: Journal für Ernährungsmedizin, 12(3).
Lüders, Florian. (2025). Antioxidantien in der Therapie: Ein umfassender Überblick.
Verbraucherzentrale (o.J.). Antioxidantien: Helfer gegen freie Radikale.
