Keeping fit and maintaining good heart health entails more than merely exercising. A growing body of research suggests that antioxidants, like those found in dietary supplements, can keep the body’s cells healthier longer.

For example, walnuts were recently revealed to be the most antioxidant-rich nut, at the 241st National Meeting and Exposition of the American Chemical Society. Researchers found that walnuts’ antioxidants were between two and 15 times more potent than that which comprises vitamin E.

Antioxidants preserve cell health by preventing damage caused by highly charged particles called free radicals. The American Heart Association says that up to 30 percent of people in the U.S. are taking antioxidant supplements today for that very reason.

Since they prevent genetic damage, antioxidants may reduce the risk of cancer too, according to the National Cancer Institute.

For those whose daily diet includes few nuts or leafy greens, vitamin supplements may be able to boost one’s levels of the heart healthy compounds.