Antioxidants are naturally occurring nutrients found in food. They keep the body and the immune system from free radicals, which are harmful molecules created in the body. Free radicals are caused by oxidative processes in the body such as the burning of sugars for energy, the release of digestive enzymes to break down food and the processing of environmental pollutants.
A "free radical" is a molecule or an atom that has at least one and maybe more unpaired electrons. This makes it very unstable and reactive to other atoms or groups of atoms and this can lead to an obstruction of the cells capability to function typically. Free radicals can cause cell damage, which can lead to the increase of age-related conditions such as dementia and Alzheimer's disease or other conditions such as cardiovascular diseases and cancers.
An antioxidant will connect to the unpaired electrons and alleviate the free radical. Antioxidants can also nip in the bud the oxidation process in the first place but in the course of neutralizing the free radicals the antioxidant will become oxidized itself. That is why we need a continual supply of antioxidants in our diets. Oxidation is a normal process of living and it cannot be avoided but the it can cause can be minimized with a healthy intake of antioxidants.
Common foods that we eat everyday give us with antioxidants. Vitamin C comes from citrus fruits and strawberries. Vitamin A and carotenoids are found in pumpkin, butternut squash and other deep orange foods. Vitamin is found in nuts, seed and whole grains. Selenium comes from eggs, chicken, red meat, fish and shellfish. An assortment of phytochemicals including flavonoids and polyphenols can be found in soy, red wine, grapes, cranberries and green tea. Lycopene is from tomatoes and watermelon and Lutein comes from deep green vegetables like spinach and kale. Lignan can be found in whole grains like oats and barley and additionally in flaxseeds.
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and Glutathione are antioxidants that are comparable to vitamins and the body also makes enzymes with antioxidant qualities called superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase and glutathione peroxidase.
Because of the extensive evidence from the past few years about the benefits of antioxidants, many antioxidants are now obtainable in supplement form. These supplements span from reasonably safe, such as vitamin C tablets to outright hazardous. No single antioxidant is beneficial to the body as the usefulness comes from the synergy between the nutrients.
So the most excellent way to get your antioxidants is by consuming a diet of healthful, nutritious food with an emphasis on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats and fish. It is recommended that we eat at least 5 or more servings a day of fruits and vegetables and more may even be better. After all most fruits and vegetables are lower calorie and nutrient dense and there is no hazard from consuming your antioxidants via food as opposed to supplements.
You can often impart the antioxidant level of a fruit based upon its color. The deep colors of nature supply the highest levels of antioxidants. So eat deep purple blueberries, bright red tomatoes, deep green kale and spinach, orange oranges and pumpkins. The more colors you consume the higher your antioxidant intake will be. - 30241
A "free radical" is a molecule or an atom that has at least one and maybe more unpaired electrons. This makes it very unstable and reactive to other atoms or groups of atoms and this can lead to an obstruction of the cells capability to function typically. Free radicals can cause cell damage, which can lead to the increase of age-related conditions such as dementia and Alzheimer's disease or other conditions such as cardiovascular diseases and cancers.
An antioxidant will connect to the unpaired electrons and alleviate the free radical. Antioxidants can also nip in the bud the oxidation process in the first place but in the course of neutralizing the free radicals the antioxidant will become oxidized itself. That is why we need a continual supply of antioxidants in our diets. Oxidation is a normal process of living and it cannot be avoided but the it can cause can be minimized with a healthy intake of antioxidants.
Common foods that we eat everyday give us with antioxidants. Vitamin C comes from citrus fruits and strawberries. Vitamin A and carotenoids are found in pumpkin, butternut squash and other deep orange foods. Vitamin is found in nuts, seed and whole grains. Selenium comes from eggs, chicken, red meat, fish and shellfish. An assortment of phytochemicals including flavonoids and polyphenols can be found in soy, red wine, grapes, cranberries and green tea. Lycopene is from tomatoes and watermelon and Lutein comes from deep green vegetables like spinach and kale. Lignan can be found in whole grains like oats and barley and additionally in flaxseeds.
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and Glutathione are antioxidants that are comparable to vitamins and the body also makes enzymes with antioxidant qualities called superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase and glutathione peroxidase.
Because of the extensive evidence from the past few years about the benefits of antioxidants, many antioxidants are now obtainable in supplement form. These supplements span from reasonably safe, such as vitamin C tablets to outright hazardous. No single antioxidant is beneficial to the body as the usefulness comes from the synergy between the nutrients.
So the most excellent way to get your antioxidants is by consuming a diet of healthful, nutritious food with an emphasis on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats and fish. It is recommended that we eat at least 5 or more servings a day of fruits and vegetables and more may even be better. After all most fruits and vegetables are lower calorie and nutrient dense and there is no hazard from consuming your antioxidants via food as opposed to supplements.
You can often impart the antioxidant level of a fruit based upon its color. The deep colors of nature supply the highest levels of antioxidants. So eat deep purple blueberries, bright red tomatoes, deep green kale and spinach, orange oranges and pumpkins. The more colors you consume the higher your antioxidant intake will be. - 30241
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