The Hype About ANTIOXIDANTS

Hello,

This week I want to try to uncover all I can about antioxidants. Just found out something totally new about it. We just have to take it slow, going from the known to the unknown...
Today we will explain what it is and the most common dietary sources.
Here goes....

Antioxidants are substances that may prevent or delay some types of cell damage. Antioxidants may be natural like those found in many foods, including fruits and vegetables or man-made like in the vitamin dietary supplements. Most importantly, the body makes some of the antioxidants. These antioxidants are called endogenous. Examples of antioxidants include….

• Beta-carotene
• Lutein
• Lycopene
• Selenium
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin E

Free radicals are highly reactive chemicals that have the potential to harm cells. Exposure to free radicals can be from some environmental toxins, such as cigarette smoke, some metals, and high-oxygen atmospheres, or they stimulate the body’s cells to produce more free radicals. Free radicals are formed naturally in the body and play an important role in many normal cellular processes. At high concentrations, however, free radicals can be hazardous to the body and damage all major components of cells, including DNA, proteins, and cell membranes. The damage to cells caused by free radicals, especially the damage to DNA, may play a role in the development of cancer and other health conditions.

Some conditions caused by free radicals include:

• deterioration of the eye lens, which contributes to blindness
• inflammation of the joints (arthritis)
• damage to nerve cells in the brain, which contributes to conditions such as Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s disease
• acceleration of the ageing process
• increased risk of coronary heart disease, since free radicals encourage low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol to stick to artery walls
• certain cancers, triggered by damaged cell DNA.

Overall, free radicals have been implicated in the pathogenesis of at least 50 diseases.

Good sources of specific antioxidants include:

• allium sulphur compounds – onions and garlic
• anthocyanins – eggplant, grapes and berries
• beta-carotene – pumpkin, mangoes, carrots, spinach
• catechins – red wine and tea
• copper – seafood, lean meat, milk and nuts
• cryptoxanthins – pumpkin and mangoes
• flavonoids – tea, green tea, citrus fruits, red wine, onion and apples
• indoles – cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower
• isoflavonoids – soybeans, lentils, peas and milk
• lignans – bran, whole grains and vegetables
• lutein – green, leafy vegetables like spinach, and corn
• lycopene – tomatoes, pink grapefruit and watermelon
• manganese – seafood, lean meat, milk and nuts
• polyphenols – thyme  
• selenium – seafood, lean meat and whole grains
• vitamin A – liver, sweet potatoes, carrots, milk, and egg yolks
• vitamin C – oranges, blackcurrants, kiwifruit, mangoes, broccoli, spinach and strawberries
• vitamin E – vegetable oils, avocados, nuts, seeds and whole grains
• zinc – seafood, lean meat, milk and nuts
• zoochemicals – red meat, offal and fish.

Antioxidants interact with and neutralize free radicals, thus preventing them from causing damage.

References:

·         “Antioxidants” Better Health Channel

·         “Antioxidants” MedlinePlus

·         “Antioxidants and Cancer Prevention” National Cancer Institute.