What Is The Function Of Antioxidants In The Human Body?

By Peter Martin


A large number of medical doctors are advocating fruits and veggies to be included in a daily diet plan. There are a lot of great reasons to the recommendation; however one of the reasons would be the antioxidants that almost all fruit and veggies supply. However just what are antioxidants? What makes them so important?

Process of oxidation occurs in every single place from slice of pear turning brown to rust in a machine. This is a natural process that also exists in a human body. Our body handles oxidation well, but occasionally it results in cell damage. The damaged cells are known as free radicals. Free radicals are molecules with unpaired electron. Since it is unpaired, it will attempt to take an electron from other molecules. Anytime this activity gets intense, it can easily trigger quite a few health concerns like cancer, cardiovascular disease and arthritis. Cigarette smoke, pollution and radiation also lead to the growth of free radicals. Antioxidants are substances that neutralize free radicals.

By supplying an electron to free radicals, antioxidants protect against cell damage. It is vital to have foods that provide antioxidants regularly to stay in a healthy condition. Many vegetables and fruits are a great supply of antioxidants thanks to vitamins C and E. These vitamins are acknowledged to be among the best antioxidants. Veggies and fruits such as strawberry, kiwi, papaya, spinach, bell pepper, and broccoli are a wonderful supply of vitamin E and C. However these vitamins are not the only source of antioxidants and in reality they are certainly not the best source.

A growing number of health professionals agree Epigallocatechin or also known as EGCG could be a more potent source of antioxidants compared to vitamins C and E. Lots of research workers agree that EGCG is 100 times more effective than vitamin C and 25 times more efficient than vitamin E in eliminating free radicals. EGCG is a compound included in green tea. A number of the recognized green tea extract health benefits are preventions against cancer, fat gain, bad cholesterol, depression and heart problems.

There have been a lot of lab examinations concerning the impacts of green tea on cancer cells. The results reveal the dose of 300mg of EGCG a day to be the best amount. One cup provides around 100mg of EGCG. Far more studies are on the way, yet for right now 3 cups each day appears to be an ideal amount.

Currently there are several ways to take green tea. Common way is to make and to drink the tea. This is good especially if consumed with a meal. Another preferred way is to mix green tea extract powder with lemon water. Combining citrus juice with EGCG has been identified to boost the positive effects. A practical way is to consume tea tablets. This is wonderful for people disliking the taste.




About the Author: