Food provides us with biologically occurring antioxidants. Antioxidants are nutrients that guard the body and the immune system from damaging molecules called free radicals. Free radicals are variable molecules that arise as a outcome of oxidative processes 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 perhaps more unpaired electrons. This makes it highly unstable and reactive to other atoms or groups of atoms and this can lead to an interference of the cells ability to function typically. Free radicals can trigger cell damage, which can lead to the occurrence of age-related conditions such as dementia and Alzheimer's disease or other conditions such as cardiovascular diseases and cancers.
Antioxidants go to work by matching up with the unpaired electron thereby neutralizing the free radical. Antioxidants can also stop the oxidation in the first place. In this process of neutralization the antioxidant will become oxidized itself so therefore antioxidants need to be continuously replaced. Preventing damage from oxidation is important, however, preventing oxidation entirely is not likely because oxidation is a ordinary process of living and it cannot be avoided.
Common foods that we eat everyday offer 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. Various 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 in addition 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 proof from the past few years about the benefits of antioxidants, many antioxidants are now accessible in supplement form. These supplements span from rather safe, such as vitamin C tablets to out-and-out risky. No single antioxidant is beneficial to the body as the usefulness comes from the synergy between the nutrients.
By far the greatest way to get your antioxidants is through a healthy diet based upon vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean meats and fish. It is recommended that we eat at least 5 servings of produce a day, yet even more is valuable. Vegetables and fruits are low calorie, high-density nutrition so there is no worry of weight gain and it is not risky to get your antioxidants from food as opposed to supplements.
The more colorful the food the higher antioxidant qualities it has, so eat colorful foods, like red tomatoes, green spinach, orange oranges and pumpkins and deep purple blueberries. Eat a colorful assortment every day for the highest antioxidant intake. - 30414
A "free radical" is a molecule or an atom that has at least one and perhaps more unpaired electrons. This makes it highly unstable and reactive to other atoms or groups of atoms and this can lead to an interference of the cells ability to function typically. Free radicals can trigger cell damage, which can lead to the occurrence of age-related conditions such as dementia and Alzheimer's disease or other conditions such as cardiovascular diseases and cancers.
Antioxidants go to work by matching up with the unpaired electron thereby neutralizing the free radical. Antioxidants can also stop the oxidation in the first place. In this process of neutralization the antioxidant will become oxidized itself so therefore antioxidants need to be continuously replaced. Preventing damage from oxidation is important, however, preventing oxidation entirely is not likely because oxidation is a ordinary process of living and it cannot be avoided.
Common foods that we eat everyday offer 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. Various 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 in addition 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 proof from the past few years about the benefits of antioxidants, many antioxidants are now accessible in supplement form. These supplements span from rather safe, such as vitamin C tablets to out-and-out risky. No single antioxidant is beneficial to the body as the usefulness comes from the synergy between the nutrients.
By far the greatest way to get your antioxidants is through a healthy diet based upon vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean meats and fish. It is recommended that we eat at least 5 servings of produce a day, yet even more is valuable. Vegetables and fruits are low calorie, high-density nutrition so there is no worry of weight gain and it is not risky to get your antioxidants from food as opposed to supplements.
The more colorful the food the higher antioxidant qualities it has, so eat colorful foods, like red tomatoes, green spinach, orange oranges and pumpkins and deep purple blueberries. Eat a colorful assortment every day for the highest antioxidant intake. - 30414
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