What are Antioxidants? What do they do?
“Cancer” is unfortunately a buzz word in our culture today. It seems that there is always a new article about the food and nutrients that you need to help prevent Cancer…I first heard of Antioxidants in relation to Cancer prevention…then I also heard that Antioxidants were the secret to avoid aging…But what are Antioxidants? How do they work? I FINALLY found a description of what Antioxidants are in reading Super Foods RX by Steven Pratt MD, and Kathy Matthews. So, here’s my simplified explanation based on what I learned:
“Our bodies are heat-generating machines that depend on oxygen to carry out basic metabolic functions. One of the by-products of this use of oxygen, or “oxidation”, is oxygen molecules that have been transformed into what are known as “free radicals”. “
“Just as a bicycle frame in the back of the garage will eventually begin to rust, so our bodies at the cellular level “rust”, or oxidize” - Super Foods RX
AGING=OXIDATION
OXIDATION=HEALTH PROBLEMS & DISEASE
ANTIOXIDANTS= PREVENT OXIDATION
Free radicals are also found in our environment (pollution, foods, chemicals). Free radicals are unstable molecules because they are missing an electron. The reason they cause damage, is because they are bouncing around in our bodies trying to steal an electron from nearby healthy cells. Our cells are constantly being attacked…it is estimated that our cells experience 10,000 hits from free radicals daily. Antioxidants are the “foot soldiers in the battle to disarm free radicals in our body”. They neutralize free radicals by giving up an electron to the free radicals. In doing so, the free radicals are no longer a threat to our health.
Fortunately we have Antioxidants naturally occurring in our bodies. BUT we need more! This is why foods rich in Antioxidants are SO important. Foods like Blueberries, Spinach, Tomatoes and more are possess different types of Antioxidants.
Please read on to my next article with a chart featuring Foods Rich in Antioxidants: http://www.foodaffair.org/2011/07/foods-rich-in-antioxidants/
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