See Antioxidants And The Health Benefits Of Superfoods

Food provides us with biologically occurring antioxidants. Antioxidants are nutrients that defend the body and the immune system from dangerous molecules called free radicals. Free radicals are unsteady molecules that arise as a consequence 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 an atom or a molecule that has at least one unpaired electron. This unpaired electron is exceedingly unstable and it is specially reactive to other atoms and groups of atoms, which leads to an interfering of the cells ability to function ordinarily. Free radicals can also cause cell damage, which is thought to be a dominant factor in the progress of cardiovascular disease, cancer and other conditions, along with age-related ailments such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

An antioxidant will neutralize the free radical by pairing 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 continuously. Oxidation is a inherent process of living and it cannot be avoided however, preventing the destruction from oxidation is essential.

Some common 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 number 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 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 available in supplement form. These supplements range from reasonably safe, such as vitamin C tablets to outright dangerous. No single antioxidant is advantageous to the body as the usefulness comes from the synergy between the nutrients.

By far the greatest way to get your antioxidants is via 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 useful. Vegetables and fruits are low calorie, high-density nutrition so there is no fear of weight gain and it is not unsafe 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. Consume a colorful assortment every day for the highest antioxidant intake.