Mistake #5: You skimp on seasonings
Herbs and spices not only enhance the flavor of your cooking without adding fat or sodium, many of these fragrant ingredients also protect you from food poisoning. After testing 20 common seasonings against five strains of bacteria (including E. coli, staphylococcus, and salmonella), researchers at the University of Hong Kong found that the higher the antioxidant value of the spice, the greater its ability to inhibit bacterial activity. Cloves, cinnamon sticks, and oregano were the most effective at fighting off these food-borne pathogens. A separate study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry shows that rosemary, thyme, nutmeg, and bay leaves are also antioxidant-rich.

Solution: You can't ignore standard food safety practices, but adding half a teaspoon of herbs or spices to salads, vegetables, and meats can give you extra peace of mind and boost your intake of disease-fighting antioxidants.

Mistake #6: You're a serial peeler
Most of the antioxidants and polyphenols in produce are located very close to the surface of the skin or in the skin itself. A study published in the journal Nutrition Research found that most fruit peels exhibited two to 27 times more antioxidant activity than the pulp of the fruit.

Solution: Gently scrub potatoes and carrots rather than removing their skin, and use a vegetable peeler or sharp knife to pare away as thin a layer as possible from fruits and veggies that must be peeled.