Antioxidants are biologically occurring nutrients found in food. They safeguard the body and the immune system from free radicals, which are harmful molecules produced 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 dispensation of environmental pollutants.
A “free radical” is a molecule or an atom that has at least one and perhaps more unpaired electrons. This makes it extremely unstable and reactive to other atoms or groups of atoms and this can lead to an impediment of the cells capability to function typically. Free radicals can cause cell damage, which can lead to the development of age-related conditions such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease or other conditions such as cardiovascular diseases and cancers.
An antioxidant will defuse the free radical by coupling up the unpaired electron or by preventing the oxidation in the first place. In the process the antioxidant will actually become oxidized itself so antioxidants need to be replaced constantly. Oxidation is a innate process of living and it cannot be avoided however, preventing the damage from oxidation is crucial.
Some everyday foods that supply antioxidants are citrus fruits and strawberries, which supply vitamin C, orange fruits like pumpkin and butternut squash give us vitamin A and Carotenoids. We get Vitamin E from nuts, seeds and whole grains. Selenium is found is fish, shellfish, red meat, eggs and chicken. There are also a variety of phytochemicals including Flavonoids and polyphenols, which are also classified as antioxidants and can be found in soy, red wine, grapes, cranberries and tea. Tomatoes and watermelon provide Lycopene and Lutein comes from dark green vegetables like spinach, kale and broccoli. Lignan is found in whole grains like oats, barley and it is also abundant in flaxseeds.
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and Glutathione are vitamin like antioxidants and the body also makes its own antioxidant enzymes referred to as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase and glutathione peroxidase.
Because of the widespread evidence from the past few years about the benefits of antioxidants, many antioxidants are now available in supplement form. These supplements span from fairly safe, such as vitamin C tablets to outright risky. No single antioxidant is advantageous 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 beneficial, 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 threat from consuming your antioxidants via food as opposed to supplements.
The deep colors in foods often show the levels of antioxidants so have colorful foods, purple blueberries, red grapes and red tomatoes, deep green spinach and kale, orange oranges and pumpkins and more. Think about eating many different colors everyday for the highest antioxidant intake.
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