"Whole Food Supplements - OPCs (Oligomeric Proanthocyanidins)
OPCs are another of my daily natural supplements that I swear by! My health and clarity of my skin wouldn't be what they are without this tasty, reddish-purple supplement. Yes, the long scientific name for OPCs is indeed a tongue-twister, but here's a short explanation: OPCs are becoming recognized as one of the most potent categories of anti-oxidants (which act as anti-aging or youthifying agents). They fight the free radicals that cause oxidation, the process responsible for the rusting of metal, the browning of a cut apple, or the appearance of brown age spots on your body. OPCs are present only in plants and have blue-green, yellow, red, and purple pigments. An OPC supplement is available in liquid, capsule, or powdered form at any good health food store and often includes: red wine, purple and red grapes, prunes, raisins, blueberies, blackberries, red bilberries, lingonberries, raspberries, spinach, kale, currants, rose hips, turmeric, ginger, pine bark, grape seeds, green tea, gingko leaf, hawthorn leaf, and oregano. It's recommended that you include many of these foods in your daily diet. An added bonus: Liquid OPC formulations are usually quite delicious, tasting like fruit juice. NOTE: Portions of this article were adapted from the book, "Organic Body Care Recipes" by Stephanie Tourles, 2007, Storey Publishing. The information in this article is true to the best of my knowledge. All recommendations are made without guarantee on the part of the author. She recommends that readers use their common sense. This information is for educational purposes only.