Antioxidant Foods and Supplements
Antioxidant rich foods and supplements are
important elements of a healthy diet and of good health. Luckily it is
not difficult to include antioxidant foods in our daily diet
because many of our favorite vegetables, fruits, nuts, and juices
contain a healthy amount of antioxidant compounds.
Cells and Oxidation
During the metabolism process inside our body’s cells, nutrients
such as proteins, fats, and carbohydrates combine with oxygen to
produce the important compound ATP. The ATP is used by our cells as
energy so that our muscles can do work. The oxidation process that
produces the ATP also results in the formation of free radicals.
Our daily environment is also a source of free radicals. Air
pollution, radiation, cigarette smoke, and herbicides, among many
examples, contain oxidized particles that enter our cells after being
inhaled into our lungs.
Free radicals are oxygen-based molecules that have unpaired
electrons, which make them very prone to react with other molecules.
Some free radicals are important in the body’s defenses against
bacteria, for example, but an overabundance of free radicals in the
cells can lead to disease.
Because they have unpaired electrons, free radicals can cause a
chain reaction in the cells that can lead to damage of cell membranes.
Part of the natural process of aging is due to free radical damage.
Further, as many as 50 diseases are caused in part by the damage
created by free radicals. Arthritis, cancer, heart disease, and
diabetes are among such diseases.
Antioxidant Protection
There are many compounds that can neutralize the harmful effects of
oxidation and the production of free radicals. An antioxidant compound
can bond with the free radical, creating a stable molecule, and prevent
further damage from occurring.
Among the most effective antioxidants are the nutrients, vitamins
A, C, E and the mineral selenium. Several other vitamins, minerals,and
enzymes are also antioxidants. Many of these compounds cannot be
produced by our cells and must be ingested through the foods in our
diet or through supplements.
A recent study in London indicated that when subjects consumed 5
servings of fruits and vegetables daily that the risk of suffering a
stroke was reduced by 25 percent. Other studies have also shown that a
diet rich in antioxidant-containing foods can help to reduce the risk
of many degenerative and inflammatory diseases. Further, such foods
also seem to help to enhance the immune defense system and thereby
lower the risk of contracting disease.
Vitamin A and carotenoids are found in such foods as carrots, sweet
potatoes, tomatoes, peaches, and apricots. Vitamin C is easily found in
citrus fruits such as oranges and limes, and in vegetables such as
broccoli and green leafy vegetables. Vitamin E is abundant in nuts,
seeds, whole grains, and green leafy vegetables. Selenium is found in
fish, shellfish, red meat, grains, eggs, and chicken.
Fortunately, it is usually easy to include foods that are rich in
antioxidant protection in our daily diets. Not only will such foods
help to control the overabundance of free radicals in our cells, but
meals rich in antioxidant compounds are delicious and easy to prepare.
