The human body produces some powerful antioxidants, including alpha lipoic acid and glutathione. These healthy chemicals can also be obtained from foods. Some are vitamins and minerals like vitamins A, C and E, or minerals like selenium and manganese.

Others antioxidants are phytochemicals, literally “plant chemicals.” Flavonoids, flavones, polyphenols and phytoestrogens are just some types of these plant antioxidants. They are often determined by their color. Researchers at University of California, Los Angeles, have described seven color categories of plants that seem to indicate which types of phytochemicals they contain: green, white green, yellow/green, orange/yellow, orange, red, red/purple.

David Heber, of UCLA, notes that the standard American diet, also know as the SAD diet, is beige. Think meat and potatoes with gravy. What about a burger and fries? Or Cheerios, milk and banana. How about deli turkey sandwich on white bread? There is not much color in these meals, and not many antioxidants for the body to recover and get healthy.

Heber proposes that simply adding one serving from each of these seven categories will go a long way to providing an arsenal of disease-fighting and exercise-recovering chemicals.

Below are some, although not all, of these antioxidants. Because of space limitation these highlights are focused on exercise recovery, along with some extra benefits.

Vitamin C: Involved in collagen synthesis, this chemical is important for all soft tissue repair. Muscles, tendons and ligaments require it for repair. Even healthy bone healing starts out with a vitamin C-rich, soft tissue mold, before it becomes mineralized. Not enough C in the diet, and bones do not heal properly.

Also known as ascorbic acid, adequate intake protects against upper respiratory infections, especially in endurance and ultra-endurance athletes. Neurotransmitter formation, imperative for brain function and mental health, is also vitamin C dependent. The best food sources are kiwis, strawberries, broccoli, colorful bell peppers and citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruit. Some research suggests that a supplement of 1,000 milligrams may be helpful for overall health.

Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin. It prevents long-term muscle damage and improves immune function. Actually a set of eight related chemicals, including eight tocotrienols and eight tocopherols, dietary vitamin E intake in athletes seems to be lower than other antioxidants. Supplementation research with vitamin E has had mixed results in improving exercise recovery. Some researchers surmise that the poor results reflect simply not using the correct, or all, of the natural forms of this potent antioxidant.

Food sources of vitamin E have shown many health benefits for athletes and nonathletes alike. Some research suggests that vitamin E prevents cognitive decline in older people. Also for brain health, as well as cardiac function, this powerful vitamin appears to reduce stroke and heart attack risk by reducing risks of clot formation and blocking platelet activity. The best food sources are sunflower seeds, almonds, wheat germ and avocados.

Anthocyanins are a category of antioxidants identified by their colors, including the red, purple and blue pigments in fruits and vegetables. This antioxidant group is the one most often missing or deficient when I do an analysis with clients in my office.

Cherries are one of the most well-known sources of these chemicals]. The sweet and tart varieties have both shown positive benefits on muscle recovery, after exercise. Studies even show cherries to help with surgery recovery and arthritis pain.

When you are shopping for produce, organic is your best choice for the richest source of antioxidants. Plants that have not been sprayed with chemicals must produce their own protection, so they make 20% to 40% more antioxidants than conventional produce. Just as antioxidants protect the plant, so they protect the human body.

That is a good reason to head over to the People’s market, held from 4 to 7 p.m. every Wednesday on the Jackson Hole Center for the Arts lawn. You will find a rainbow of locally grown fruits and vegetables for sale, along with ready-to-eat foods and other goodies. The Saturday Jackson Hole Farmers Market on Town Square is also up and running, for more options to buy healthy, local food. Yay for summer shopping!