The Importance of Antioxidants


Antioxidants are substances or nutrients in our foods which can prevent or slow down oxidative damage to our body. Antioxidants are found in certain types of food and are extremely beneficial to our health. Essentially antioxidants are substances which deactivate particles called free radicals. Free radicals can over time be very harmful to the body and cause damage to cells and DNA. This can lead to certain diseases such as cancer, heart disease, macular degeneration, diabetes and other health problems. A diet which is rich in antioxidants has been shown to prevent and protect the body from disease. Recent study conducted by researchers has found that 5 servings of fruits and vegetables reduce the risk of stroke by a staggering 25 percent. Therefore getting plenty of antioxidants in our body is very important.

What do Antioxidants do?
Antioxidants act by deactivating, or turning off free radicals and thus protecting our body from its damaging effect. Some free radicals are particles that are produced when our body cells use oxygen and can be very harmful. Other free particles come from a variety of sources such as air pollutants and cigarette smoke.

Types of Antioxidants
Vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, and selenium are all antioxidants and vital to a healthy diet and body. Antioxidants are found abundant in beans, grain products, fruits and vegetables and it is vital that we get the recommend amounts in our diets. If you aren't getting the recommended quantity in your daily diet, you should supplement with a multi-vitamin. However, never depend on a supplement for all your antioxidant needs since there is no proper replacement for the real thing.

Foods Containing Antioxidants
Luckily there are many varieties of foods that contain the antioxidants vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, and beta-carotene. Be sure to vary your food consumptions to make sure that you are getting all the vitamins and minerals that you needed:

Vitamin C is abundant in citrus fruits such as oranges and grapefruits. Other great sources of vitamin C include tomatoes, red peppers, green peppers, yellow peppers, pineapple, and dark green veggies.

Vitamin E is found in many vegetable oils, nuts, brown rice, legumes, whole grains, and dark leafy green vegetables.

Selenium is found in some seafood, Brazil nuts, poultry, dairy, whole grains, onions, garlic, and wheat germ.

Beta-carotene is found in carrots, red and yellow peppers, broccoli, sweet potatoes, mangos, and a variety of other fruits and vegetables.

Please note this is not an exhaustive list of food containing antioxidants but basically, just look for fruits with bright color as they contain the most amount of antioxidants. In addition to eating these fruits, reduce the exposure of oxidative stress such as smoking and sunburn.



 


Table Of Contents

Healthy Eating on a Budget

Low Calorie Diet

Benefits Of Low Calorie Diet

Is Very Low Calorie Diet The Right Choice

Why Organic Food

Juicing For Health

The Importance of Antioxidants

Green Tea Antioxidants

Choosing Healthier Beverages

5 Ways to Cut Sugar

Acai Berry Cleanse

Acai Berry Detox Health Benefits
Acai Berry contains very powerful antioxidant - Find out how it can benefit you ...

 

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