Recently, you may have read or heard a lot about antioxidants in relation to good health and avoiding diseases. Antioxidants have been getting a great deal of press lately as we look to optimize our health. But what are they? What do they do once inside our bodies? And why are they so important?
Antioxidants are substances or nutrients in our foods which can prevent or slow the oxidative damage to our body. When our body cells use oxygen, they naturally produce free radicals (by-products) which can cause damage. Health problems such as heart disease, muscular degeneration, diabetes, cancer etc are all contributed by oxidative damage.
Free radicals are atoms or groups of atoms with an odd (unpaired) number of electrons and can be formed when oxygen interacts with certain molecules. Once formed these highly reactive radicals can start a chain reaction, like dominoes. Their chief danger comes from the damage they can do when they react with important cellular components such as DNA, or the cell membrane. Cells may function poorly or die if this occurs. To prevent free radical damage the body has a defense system of antioxidants.
Antioxidants act as "free radical scavengers" and hence stop this cellular chain reaction of oxidation by neutralizing the free radicals.
Once an antioxidant finds its way into the body, mostly through the foods we eat, it slows down, or even prevents, the oxidation of other molecules. When molecules in the body oxidize, they can create free-radicals, or cellular bi-products. It is very normal to have these free-radicals in the body, but in excess, they can wreak havoc on our cellular structures.
Therefore having 5-7 servings of fruits and vegetables a day will ensure that you get the necessary antioxidants. There are also some modern preparations of antioxidants that can be used to ensure that you get the necessary nutrition that leads to optimum health.
Antioxidants are substances or nutrients in our foods which can prevent or slow the oxidative damage to our body. When our body cells use oxygen, they naturally produce free radicals (by-products) which can cause damage. Health problems such as heart disease, muscular degeneration, diabetes, cancer etc are all contributed by oxidative damage.
Free radicals are atoms or groups of atoms with an odd (unpaired) number of electrons and can be formed when oxygen interacts with certain molecules. Once formed these highly reactive radicals can start a chain reaction, like dominoes. Their chief danger comes from the damage they can do when they react with important cellular components such as DNA, or the cell membrane. Cells may function poorly or die if this occurs. To prevent free radical damage the body has a defense system of antioxidants.
Antioxidants act as "free radical scavengers" and hence stop this cellular chain reaction of oxidation by neutralizing the free radicals.
Once an antioxidant finds its way into the body, mostly through the foods we eat, it slows down, or even prevents, the oxidation of other molecules. When molecules in the body oxidize, they can create free-radicals, or cellular bi-products. It is very normal to have these free-radicals in the body, but in excess, they can wreak havoc on our cellular structures.
Therefore having 5-7 servings of fruits and vegetables a day will ensure that you get the necessary antioxidants. There are also some modern preparations of antioxidants that can be used to ensure that you get the necessary nutrition that leads to optimum health.
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