Antioxidants
Many of the studies and researches done lately focused
on the nutrients known as antioxidants.
Scientists are beginning to understand the preventing
qualities of antioxidants but the average person does not
yet understand what antioxidants do or what they are.
But you will have the knowledge after reading this
newsletter.
Understanding the function of antioxidants is not hard
and taking advantage of their properties is quite simple.
Diseases like Cancer and arteriosclerosis, are unable to
advance and spread throughthe body, thanks to the
actions of antioxidants like Vitamin C, A, E Beta-carotene
and others. By blocking and neutralizing the destructive
power of too much free radicals. These antioxidants
allow us to prevent major diseases, a clear example of
this is the remarkable reduction of breast cancer in
women that consume raw and cocked spinach and
carrots.
Why are they called antioxidant?
Latest researches have shown scientists that oxygen,
the gas we depend on to live, creates some very harmful
by-products that destroy the very life it helps sustain.
There are several vitamins that reverse or slow the
oxidation cause by oxygen, that is the reason they call
them antioxidants.
Antioxidants play the housekeeper's role, "mopping up" free radicals before they get a chance to do harm in your
body. Researchers have postulated that antioxidants prevent the possible carcinogenic effects of oxidation.
Despite numerous studies carried out on the role of antioxidants in cancer and heart disease prevention, the jury
is still out as to which groups of people, if any, benefit from taking antioxidant supplements.
Free radicals are a byproduct of burning oxygen for energy. Your body produces them naturally. Left on their
own, these guys can damage your cells, resulting in cancer and other diseases. The same process is what
causes peeled apples to turn brown and iron to rust. Imagine what they are doing inside you! Antioxidants, on
the other hand, are powerful nutrients, vitamins and minerals and certain proteins that play an important
housekeeping role in your body. They help clean up free radicals before they can do any harm. As a matter of
fact, if you coat a sliced apple with an antioxidant such as vitamin C, the apple will take a lot longer to change
color.
It is best to remember that vitamin and mineral supplements should never be used as substitutes for a healthy,
well balanced diet! It is also important to note that we can "over- supplement" our bodies, taking much more than
the recommended daily value of certain vitamins and minerals.
Vitamins A and E are fat soluble, meaning that excess amounts are stored in the liver and fatty tissues, instead
of being quickly excreted, creating a risk of toxicity and disease. Your best bet is to eat a diet rich in fruits,
veggies, and whole grains. Sweet potatoes, carrots, spinach, cantaloupe,and mangoes are great sources of
antioxidants.
A healthy level of free radicals is needed by the body in order to get rid of bacteria. Free radicals are atoms or
groups of atoms that have at least one unpaired electron, which makes them highly reactive. Free radicals
promote beneficial oxidation that produces energy and kills bacterial invaders. In excess, however, they produce
harmful oxidation that can damage cell membranes and cell contents.
Antioxidants, which are thought to help battle cancer and provide other health benefits, are abundant in grains,
tomatoes and many other fruits and vegetables.
It is known that people who eat adequate amounts of fruits and vegetables high in antioxidantshave a lower
incidence of cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, and cataracts. Fruits and vegetables are rich in
antioxidants, but it is not known which dietary factors are responsible for the beneficial effects. Each plant
contains hundreds of phytochemicals (plant chemicals) whose presence is dictated by hereditary factors. Only
well-designed long-term research can determine whether any of these chemicals, taken in a pill, would be useful
for preventing any disease.
Antioxidants aren’t found only in fruits and vegetables but also in red wine, black tea and even chocolate, the
darker the better! Some researchers say the quality of the antioxidants found in chocolate are higher than even
Vitamins C and E. Of course, no one is recommending a steady diet of chocolates.
Without a doubt antioxidants are a vital tool in our fight against diseases, we all agree that sometimes eating the
right thing is difficult but when compared with pain and suffering that we can bring to ourselves by cancer,
arthritis or arteriosclerosis, a bowl of salad and an orange seems like a very tasty choice.
