Summer’s warm weather can motivate us to take healthy steps, such as walking for 30 minutes a day, five days a week. Many of summer’s favorite foods and drinks are bursting with color, flavor, and antioxidants — the healing compounds thought to prevent macular degeneration, cardiovascular disease, and some cancers:

• Iced tea. This summer refreshment has powerful polyphenols — healthy chemical compounds that could lower disease risk. For best results, brew your own (bottled brands tend to have extra sugar) and go with green or white, which have higher antioxidant potency.

• Berries. Mix up a salad with strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries. Whip up a berry smoothie. Or just eat them alone for a refreshing snack that’s high in fiber and other nutrients.

• Cherries. In addition to antioxidants, cherries are rich in potassium. Toss them into leafy greens, puree with seltzer and ice, or freeze in vanilla yogurt.

Enjoy these seasonal standbys to help foil free radicals.